In today’s social care landscape, there are many pressures on leaders – workforce challenges and ever-tightening budgets being two of the major ones.  With employee turnover consistently high, particularly among frontline care and support workers, recruitment naturally becomes the primary focus. But while bringing in new people is essential, one of the greatest opportunities for long-term, sustainable impact on recruitment and staffing budgets remains significantly underused: retention.

At Cohesion, we believe that doing nothing is the most expensive option. That’s why we developed a targeted Exit & Retention Interview Programme – not just to gather feedback, but to deliver real insight and measurable results, as well as help to better predict intentions to stay.

The Business Case for Retention

The cost of staff turnover goes far beyond recruitment fees or advertising spend. According to Skills for Care, the true cost of replacing a single care worker can be approximately £6,000. Yet many providers still lack a structured approach to understanding why staff leave, or what keeps their people engaged.

For organisations losing a high volume of employees per month, investing just 1–2% of that turnover’s cost into a structured exit and retention programme can dramatically improve stability and retention.

Let’s look at two realistic scenarios for one larger care organisation losing 100 employees monthly:

5% improvement in retention: Just three fewer leavers per month means a structured programme covers its own cost and delivers £3,000 in savings.

8% improvement in retention: That’s 10 fewer leavers over three months – resulting in £44,300 in savings.

These aren’t theoretical numbers. They’re based on real-world benchmarks and sector-specific turnover costs.

From Insight to Action

Effective retention strategies begin with listening. Not just gathering data but having meaningful conversations with those who are leaving and those who choose to stay. In our scenario, a programme facilitated by Cohesion would enable around 60 hours per month of real conversations with employees.

These conversations are a powerful tool. They help HR and operational teams to spot emerging issues early, understand the impact of leadership and workplace culture, and capture feedback that can shape future recruitment, onboarding, and development practices.

Crucially, the listening process also signals to staff that their voice matters – and that leadership is paying attention.

Making Genuine Change

In social care, context is everything. That’s why experienced interviewers who understand the sector are essential – from the make-up of shift patterns to staffing ratios to CQC pressures. Our team know how to build trust, ask the right questions, and interpret what’s really being said.

When insights are translated into practical, actionable recommendations, they become the foundation for genuine change. Whether it’s improving supervision, clarifying expectations, or recognising staff achievements, small adjustments can drive big improvements in morale and retention.

Final Thought

Retention isn’t just an HR initiative. It’s a strategic lever that affects care quality, staff wellbeing, and financial sustainability. In a sector built on relationships, listening to your workforce isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity.

Want to learn more about how our retention tools can support your team? Let’s talk… Contact Anna Possee, our Social Care Workforce Retentions Lead for the latest insights: anna.possee@cohesionrecruitment.com.

ACCESS OUR LATEST WHITEPAPER ANALYSING THOUSANDS OF EXIT AND RETENTION INTERVIEWS HERE.