Employees rarely quit out of the blue. Most resignations are preceded by weeks or months of quiet disengagement, missed expectations, or personal transitions. The key to avoiding costly turnover is recognizing early signs and responding quickly. This article outlines common red flags, explains how predictive analytics can reveal risk that managers often miss, and shares practical steps HR leaders can take to retain top talent. It also shows how PeopleInsight Essentials by HireRoad makes this kind of insight possible for lean HR teams without requiring a large budget or analyst support.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3.1 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in June 2025, and employee turnover typically costs employers upwards of 30 percent of an employee’s annual salary per departure.
Some of the clearest early warning signs include:
Relying on gut instinct only goes so far—and it’s often influenced by unconscious bias. Predictive analytics provides a more objective and consistent way to assess turnover risk by analyzing patterns in behavior and performance over time.
These tools can pull together data from sources like absentee records, engagement surveys, and productivity metrics to identify employees with compounding risk factors. For example, a combination of lower training participation and more frequent sick days might trigger an alert for a manager to check in.
When viewed alongside historical benchmarks, platforms like PeopleInsight Essentials by HireRoad give HR teams clearer context. They help prioritize who needs support before issues escalate, rather than relying solely on observations or assumptions.
Preventing regrettable turnover requires more than recognition. It takes timely, personalized action informed by both data and direct feedback. People leave for many reasons, including burnout, limited growth, compensation concerns, or ineffective management. Managers play a key role in addressing these issues. They should be trained to:
