The 30th edition of the Robert Half Confidence Index (ICRH) brought details about the turnover rate, known as voluntary turnover, that Brazilian companies experienced in the last year. The survey revealed an increase among companies that lost talent due to lack of growth opportunities. Although it already held the second position in the ranking in 2023, the representativeness of this alternative increased from 25% to 40% of responses in 2024.
The reasons behind voluntary departures
The survey involved 387 professionals responsible for recruitment in organizations, and, in their assessment, the five aspects that most encouraged employees to resign were:
- Better offers elsewhere (71%)
- Lack of growth opportunities (40%)
- Below-market salaries (24%)
- Non-competitive benefits (22%)
- Lack of recognition and rewards (22%)
More companies are experiencing turnover above 10%
By 2024, almost half of the companies (44%) reported a turnover rate below 5%. While 21% of organizations had rates between 5% and 10%, 28% reported turnover above 10%. The remaining 6% did not provide a response.
“While there has been an increase in the proportion of companies with turnover below 5%, there has also been a growth in the number of companies with rates above 10%. These numbers indicate a greater polarization: more organizations with low turnover, but also an increase in those with high turnover,” analyzes Lucas Nogueira, regional director of Robert Half.
High turnover rates can result in loss of organizational knowledge, impact on delivery quality, and wasted investments in training. However, very low values can indicate a scenario of complacency, which is also not favorable.
Actions to mitigate turnover
Companies are adopting or planning strategies to increase employee retention. According to the interviewed recruiters, the five main initiatives are:
- Leadership development (39%)
- Offering training for the team (36%)
- Career development programs (35%)
- Improving working conditions and organizational environment (35%)
- Enhancing performance management (31%)
“Voluntary turnover is definitely a critical indicator for companies, but the real challenge lies in the extremes. A healthy level of turnover promotes team renewal and diversity of ideas, while very high or very low rates can be warning signs. The fact is: retention starts in the recruitment process, with the alignment of expectations from the interview room,” concludes the regional director of Robert Half.
