Book Your Call
One call. Clear direction. Faster execution.
How a research-led engagement study found what was really driving attrition.
A 700-person healthcare company was about to spend $1.8M on a blanket pay rise. Skillfi's survey, focus groups and driver analysis showed pay was only the fifth biggest reason people left, and pointed to fixes that worked. It's how our fractional research team turns opinions into evidence.
Everyone was sure it was pay. Nobody had asked.
More than a third of the company's people were leaving every year, and frontline roles were the worst hit. Leadership assumed the answer was money and was close to approving a $1.8M across-the-board raise.
The evidence behind that decision was thin. The annual HR survey had a 38% response rate and generic questions, so it couldn't show why people were leaving or where the problem was worst. Exit interviews were run differently at every clinic and almost never analysed. Before spending the money, the COO asked for proof.
We were about to spend $1.8 million fixing a problem we hadn't actually measured.
CEO, client
Ask the right people the right questions, then let the data decide.
We designed the study around the people who were leaving: frontline staff on shifts, often without a desk or a work email. The numbers told us what was happening, the conversations told us why, and the action plan was built with HR alongside a fractional CHRO.
Built for frontline staff
A confidential 42-question survey that took 8 minutes on a phone, in English and Spanish, shared by QR codes in break rooms, with anonymity guaranteed by a third party.
38 conversations, 18 months of exits
Twelve focus groups and 26 one-to-one interviews across clinics, roles and tenure, plus coding of every exit interview note from the past 18 months.
Drivers, not just scores
Statistical driver analysis showing which factors actually predicted intent to leave, broken down by clinic, role, manager and tenure.
Ten weeks of research, nine months of results
From an assumption about pay to evidence-based fixes that cut attrition. Here's how the engagement unfolded.
- Week 1–242 questions
Hypotheses & survey design
We agreed the questions leadership needed answered, then designed a survey frontline staff could finish on a break.
- Week 3–481% response
Survey in the field
Shift-friendly timing, QR codes in every clinic and reminders from clinic leads drove the highest response the company had ever seen.
- Week 4–638 conversations
Focus groups & interviews
Conversations across every clinic, role and tenure band, run by independent researchers so people could speak freely.
- Week 7–8Top 5 drivers ranked
Driver analysis
Survey data, interview themes and exit notes combined to rank what actually predicted people leaving.
- Week 9–10Board-ready report
Findings & roadmap
A board-ready report, clinic-level heatmaps and a prioritised action plan with the expected impact of each fix.
- Month 922% attrition
Actions delivered
Scheduling changes, manager coaching, a career ladder and a targeted pay fix, all tracked against the same drivers.
What actually drove people to leave, and what fixed it
The driver analysis ranked every factor by how strongly it predicted intent to leave. The top three weren't about money at all.
Unpredictable shifts
- Last-minute shift changes
- No say in rosters
- Fix: schedules locked 2 weeks ahead
Manager quality
- 4 clinics drove 45% of exits
- Low trust in feedback
- Fix: coaching for clinic managers
No career path
- Medical assistants saw no next step
- Skills not recognised
- Fix: a 3-level career ladder
Pay, in 2 roles
- Only 5th overall
- Below market in 2 roles
- Fix: $420K targeted adjustment
Nine months after the study
Annual employee attrition
Roughly 84 fewer people leaving each year, without a blanket pay rise.
The research changed the conversation in the boardroom. We stopped arguing opinions and started fixing what our people actually told us.
VP of Operations, clientGuessing why your people leave?
Our fractional research team will design the study, reach the people who are hardest to hear from and show you what's really driving attrition. A fractional CHRO or fractional COO can then help you deliver the fixes.
- A survey your frontline teams will answer
- Focus groups & confidential interviews
- A driver analysis by team, role & manager
- A prioritised, costed action plan
30 minutes. No obligation.
Related Case Studies