When you are investing the time, money and effort into a talent or leadership development programme, retention is high on the list of priorities. But success isn’t just having people who are simply not leaving.
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace found that only 23% of employees globally are engaged at work. Which means 77% are either passively coasting or actively checked out — and still getting counted as a retention win.
So measuring retention on its own is only giving you one part of the picture. It’s a false comfort that tells you how long people stay, not why they stay — or how they feel while they’re there.
What drives loyalty?
This is where things get interesting. Loyalty isn’t just about perks and pay rises, but how people experience their day-to-day work — and who they get to be while doing it.
Retention only matters when it’s paired with engagement. That means digging deeper into the metrics that actually reflect your culture:
- Purpose: What percentage of your people feel their work matters and connects to the mission?
- Belonging: How many feel safe, supported and valued for who they are?
- Growth: Who believes they can learn, develop and move forward in your business?
- Energy and commitment: Are your people just getting through the week, or actively advocating for your organisation?
That’s why we design solutions that centre on the human experience. We help leaders at every level develop the skills to thrive in today’s world and, more importantly, we help them become the kind of people others want to follow.
The kind of leaders who don’t just manage tasks, but create deep human connection. Who build high-performing teams by building trust. Who drive performance by developing potential.
When you invest in leadership that’s genuinely human-centric, you don’t just see better retention — you see better everything.
More engagement. More growth. More innovation. And more people waking up thinking, “Yes. This is where I want to be.”
What should you be measuring?
You need robust reporting and measurement to tell you if your leadership development programme is delivering the results you need.
At Ivy House, we build strategic partnerships that align with your goals, so you can be confident that you’re getting more than good intentions – you’re getting real outcomes. And yes, our clients see higher retention rates — which are more reliable when paired with the other measures:
40% increase in leader retention and loyalty
23% increase in motivation to be a high-performer
29% increase in clarity on organisational direction and their role within it
47% increase in leaders who actively promote, champion and enable change
38% improvement in core leadership capabilities
And best of all? On average, leaders report a 50% increase in feeling ready and excited for the next step in the organisation – a much more meaningful measure of retention.
“Of all the programmes we ran, this had the biggest impact in terms of promotions and results. The Ivy House programme is now by far the most successful and over-subscribed programme we run – and my proudest legacy.”
Bernadette Bruton, Global Talent Development Director, Aviva
Turning insight into action
We all know retention matters; it’s how you’re measuring it that will give you a true picture. If you want leaders who don’t just stay, but thrive and help others thrive, then let’s talk. We partner with organisations to design talent and leadership programmes that create measurable cultural change and deliver results that last.
If you’re ready to move from retention as a number to retention as a sign of true loyalty and engagement, get in touch.