Understanding the Three Rs of Retention

Respect, Recognition & Reward

The basics of retention

Retention is all about building a culture where people feel respected, valued and encouraged to grow. The basics of retention are:

Recognising your employees not only benefits the individual but also the organisation as it reduces employee turnover and helps to retain talent.

Respect employees’ time and contributions.

Recognise achievements regularly.

Reward success fairly, through pay, development and flexibility.

How can employers create a workplace where it’s the norm for everyone to treat each other with mutual respect?

What are the Three Rs of Retention?

Respect

Being explicit that respect is an organisational value
Agreeing clear expectations of behaviour, conduct and treatment
Having clear policies and procedures that support health, safety and wellbeing
Ensuring employees feel comfortable to raise issues
Equipping managers with the necessary tools and training to lead by example, exhibiting the behaviours and values they expect from their team members.

The impact

Respect drives trust and open communication
It creates psychological safety, which fuels innovation and productivity
People who feel valued are far more likely to stay
When respect is present, performance improves

What are the Three Rs of Retention?

Recognition

Recognise the contribution that employees make to your organisation
Approach this in a way that makes them feel valued
Employees are less likely to feel appreciated if they’re not receiving meaningful or direct feedback
Avoid vague or generic praise as it can feel disingenuous or performative and creates feelings of demotivation

The statistics

Employees who feel recognised are:

8x more likely to feel a sense of belonging
5x more likely to stay for at least two more years

(Source: 2025 Global Culture Report)

What does good recognition look like?

Employee of the month awards
Performance bonuses
Long-service awards
Peer-to-peer recognition
Verbal praise. Say ‘thank you’!
Don’t wait for big accomplishments, every little milestone matters!

Fair and competitive pay is vital and is often one of the top factors employees consider when debating whether they should stay in a current role or leave.

What are the Three Rs of Retention?

Reward

Salary matters, but retention goes deeper
A strong reward strategy includes:
- Competitive pay
- Personalised benefits
- Support for wellbeing and financial resilience
Reward signals appreciation and investment in people’s futures

Wellbeing is part of it

93% of global employees say wellbeing is as important as salary
87% would consider leaving a company that doesn’t prioritise it (Source: 2024 Gympass report)
Perks like cycle-to-work schemes, cashback, and health support show that you care

Not all rewards are financial

Good performance management
Opportunities for personal and career development
Flexible working
Recognition, such as through an ‘employee of the month’ award or team-based events.