Retention Risk Assessment Template
A practical tool for identifying flight-risk employees, assessing the business impact of potential departures, and creating targeted retention interventions that address the specific drivers behind each individual's risk of leaving.
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Flight risk identification and targeted retention intervention planning tool
Introduction to Retention Risk Assessment
Replacing an employee costs between 50% and 200% of their annual salary when you factor in recruitment, onboarding, lost productivity, and institutional knowledge loss. Yet most organisations only react to turnover after a resignation letter arrives — when it is often too late. Proactive retention risk assessment allows you to intervene before your best people decide to leave.
This template provides a structured framework for identifying which employees are at elevated risk of departure, assessing the business impact of losing each individual, and designing targeted retention interventions that address root causes rather than symptoms. Used quarterly, it transforms retention from a reactive firefight into a strategic capability.
Key Assessment Dimensions
Flight Risk Indicators
Objective and observational signals that an employee may be considering leaving the organisation
Business Impact Assessment
Evaluating the organisational consequence of losing each employee based on role criticality and replaceability
Root Cause Analysis
Understanding the specific factors driving disengagement or departure intention for each individual
Intervention Planning
Designing targeted, personalised retention actions that address identified root causes
Section 1: Employee Information
Section 2: Flight Risk Indicator Assessment
Rate each indicator: 1 (No concern) to 5 (Significant concern). Mark N/A if not applicable.
Section 3: Business Impact Assessment
Section 4: Retention Intervention Plan
Benefits of Using This Template
- Shifts retention from reactive firefighting to proactive, strategic talent management
- Identifies at-risk employees before they begin actively job searching
- Prioritises retention investments where they will have the greatest business impact
- Creates a structured, consistent approach to retention across all managers
- Generates data to build the business case for retention budgets and programmes
- Improves manager capability in recognising and addressing disengagement signals
- Reduces voluntary turnover costs — typically 50-200% of annual salary per departure
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