We retain our most valuable asset.
So that experienced employees can help companies move forward.

Employee retention, often referred to as the “soft factor,” is becoming increasingly critical to a company’s success. This is because the pool of qualified employees is steadily shrinking. Every instance of involuntary turnover jeopardizes a company’s performance—a loss that even AI is unlikely to fully compensate for in the foreseeable future.

In most companies, retention is not achieved solely through salary and bonuses. Opportunities for professional development and career advancement are often just as important. The use of AI reinforces existing trends in how managers can retain employees. The focus is on:
Strengthening the relevance of one’s own work.Ensuring flexibility in work arrangements.Creating personal development opportunities.A work environment with inspiring and reliable colleagues.

Groß & Cie. offers two tools that are highly relevant for strategic HR development and operational HR management. The “Retention Profile” consists of a status assessment and needs analysis, the identification of areas for action, and optimization activities. As a result, even short-term measures can strengthen employee retention.

The “Retention Navigator” ensures that resources—particularly personnel and budget—are optimally utilized on a long-term basis. The conceptual foundation is the “Employee Value Proposition” as a promise to all employees. With this “melody,” the appropriate tools in every company come together to create an attractive symphony that fosters lasting commitment among managers and employees.

What we do for you

Groß & Cie. analyzes the available information on retention management and, depending on the situation and needs, collects additional primary data (e.g., comments on the intranet or social media, etc.). The focus is not so much on statistical data. Instead, specific needs and the most significant shortcomings are identified through interviews and focus groups, for example. The trusting atmosphere created by working with neutral external consultants is very conducive to this process. The results are evaluated and compared with “best practices” in other companies.

Contradictory information is often present within companies. For example: On the one hand, employee satisfaction within the company may be high, yet so may unintended turnover. Particularly in service-oriented companies, superficially expressed satisfaction in day-to-day life can go hand in hand with a fundamental lack of prospects. When the opportunity arises, employees then leave the company. Groß & Cie. reveals the true level of employee engagement and evaluates potential areas for improvement to strengthen it.

For companies, it is crucial to avoid a “free-for-all” and a “wish list” when it comes to retention management. This is because there are many points of entry: numerous potential initiatives exist in the social environment and personal work, as well as in company conditions and material resources. The areas with the greatest need and existing deficits must be addressed first. Additional parameters include the time required for implementation and the personnel and budget costs, which must always be measured against the calculable return.

Optimization includes, for example, making existing tools easier to use and simplifying systems and models that may have become too complicated, such as in performance and competency management. Alternatively, by consolidating activities, desired potential can be unlocked and needs met, such as in the work environment or in professional development. With the “Retention Profile,” Groß & Cie. is already making significant progress in helping its clients noticeably increase employee retention.

Employee retention strategies are multifaceted and can quickly become overly complex. It is therefore important to have a guiding principle as a benchmark. The “Employee Value Proposition” (EVP) essentially sets the tone for the development of the entire talent management framework. The EVP should be clear and relevant, compelling, and as distinctive as possible.

Every single activity should contribute to fulfilling the value proposition. This ensures that employees, in turn, commit all their skills to the company and identify with it. It also increases the company’s appeal to new employees, as the company can establish and maintain a clear profile.

The compensation system can also play a varying role in this context. For example, long-term incentive systems and bonus models are usually of greater importance to executives. In contrast, professional development opportunities can be highly relevant in specialized departments; for example, IT developers, doctors, or mechanical engineers want to stay up to date with the latest knowledge, which their company should support. Concrete career prospects are also important.

Working conditions that promote motivation should not be overlooked. Especially among the younger generation of employees, who are increasingly able to choose their jobs amid demographic change, the “work-life balance” factor plays a significant role from the very start of their careers. Therefore, work routines and hours must be made more flexible.

Groß & Cie. provides consulting on the development of the EVP and the planning of measures. This is usually done through a phased plan that allows for scalability of activities based on cost and return. The focus is also on “quick hits”—that is, rapid results—to, for example, quickly reduce employee turnover. At the same time, the initial measures should be visible so that the workforce can grow in the conviction that they are at the “right” company.

Implementing employee retention measures is a challenge for companies: managers, as the initiators, and employees, as the participants, are both directly affected. It is easy to perceive conditions as better than they actually are—or vice versa. An objective perspective is difficult to achieve due to the existing roles. Therefore, in the “Retention Navigator,” objective metrics (such as turnover rates or staffing ratios) are of great relevance for managing implementation.

As an external consultant, Groß & Cie. continuously monitors the degree to which planned measures are being implemented. Drawing on our experience, we provide key guidance on next steps. For example, routine “roundtable” discussions, where open and trusting dialogue can take place across all levels of the organization, have proven effective. Groß & Cie. facilitates these sessions, summarizes the results, and guides the next steps.

With the “Navigator,” the right tools are consistently applied in the appropriate combination to establish a clear employer brand. This not only enhances skills and employee retention. It also reduces turnover and increases the company’s appeal to new employees.

Last but not least, the “Navigator” enables the needs of customers and the competitive landscape to be translated into talent management much more quickly. As the company becomes more market-oriented, employees and managers are more willing to participate because their knowledge and efforts yield immediate results. And as a result, their commitment to the company ultimately becomes even stronger than anticipated.