Talent management
Workplace habits harming your employee retention in 2025
It’s never been more challenging to attract and retain the best talent in your company. And with many employers offering a range of different benefits, from hybrid working to health and wellbeing discounts, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re looking after your team.
A negative working environment can impact employee wellbeing1, satisfaction and motivation levels. There are lots of factors that can cause a negative working environment. These include poor communication, a bad working culture and lack of progression opportunities. These can lead to increased absences, presenteeism and lower productivity levels. In the long term, a poor workplace culture can lead to high staff turnover too, which can hinder your business’s ability to attract and retain top talent.
As an employer, it’s important to support the health and wellbeing of your team. You can do this through initiatives such as providing workplace health services and career development opportunities. Offering a competitive health and wellbeing programme will help you to retain staff and maintain a talented and motivated workforce.
New research from Bupa has identified UK employees turning to Google to seek advice on negative working environments:
‘Jobs that pay well with no experience’ Google searches tripled
‘Workplace health and wellbeing’ Google searches tripled
‘Progression at work’ Google searches doubled
‘How to deal with a micromanaging boss’ Google searches doubled
‘So bored at work’ Google searches doubled
‘Software to track employee productivity’.
(Google Search data taken from October 2023-September 2024. Based on internal analysis by Bupa).
Factors harming your employee retention
Here are five workplace factors harming your employee retention and what you can do about them from Katy Jupp, Employee Health and Wellbeing Consultant, Bupa UK.
- Poor career development opportunities
Career development supports employee wellbeing, resulting in an engaged, motivated and skilled team. Employers should look to coach and develop their team’s skillset and build on each employee’s individual strengths so they can reach their potential.
Some employees may feel as thought their skills can’t be developed any further in their current role or there is no more room to grow professionally. This can lead to poor employee satisfaction and negatively impact talent retention.
There was a 250% increase in searches for ‘progress in your career’ over the last year2. Business leaders should focus on how they can support the career development of their workforce. There are lots of ways employers can promote career progression. This might include networking events, training courses and clear progression paths.
2. Micromanagement at work
Micromanagement is a term used to describe a management style which closely monitors employees. This can include supervision over completing tasks and tracking working hours. It can limit an employee’s feelings of independence and create a lack of trust between managers and employees.
Micromanagement can go beyond day-to-day tasks and impact how managers interact with their team members, set goals and motivate employees. All of which can negatively affect employees’ mental health at work.
With a 200% increase in Google searches for ‘employee tracking systems’ in the last 12 months3, it appears that micromanagement techniques are on the rise since remote working has become more prevalent.
Closely monitoring your team can have a negative impact on their wellbeing and your business in the long term. Studies have found micromanagement reduces employee morale, increases staff turnover and reduces productivity levels4.
3. Lack of recognition and rewards
Workplace rewards and recognition can be a simple but effective form of acknowledgement. They can be used as part of your management strategy to boost employee motivation and performance when implemented fairly.
A negative workplace culture, where there is a lack of recognition, can be a strong contributing factor of burnout at work. Burnout is when employees feel overwhelmed or under pressure for long periods of time. This can leave them feeling exhausted and having negative feelings towards work. Being proactive with rewards and recognition as well as encouraging your team to do things like taking their annual leave, can have a huge impact on employee wellbeing.
Financial incentives, access to health and wellbeing services and team activities are all examples of rewards. However, a reward doesn’t always need to be financial to be beneficial. It can be a simple thank you or sharing the news of an achievement with the wider team. This can provide an employee with the recognition they deserve and to help them feel valued5.
4. Limited access to health and wellbeing services
Health and wellbeing benefits encourage a positive working environment and can reduce work related illnesses such as stress. Businesses that support the wellbeing of their employees benefit from a healthy, happy, engaged workforce. Some employers may even find it helps reduce absenteeism and lower staff turnover.6
There are lots of ways that employers can keep their team fit and well. From medical and dental cover, mental health support through employee assistance programmes to preventative healthcare through things like health assessments.
5. Negative workplace culture
A company’s working environment can have a big impact on employee wellbeing, psychological safety and engagement. There are lots of factors that can lead to a negative working environment. These can include a tense atmosphere, disagreements between colleagues, poor management, and a lack of work-life balance.7
Encouraging effective communication and team collaboration can help create a positive working environment. Team-building exercises, such as volunteering activities, regular catch-ups, and workshops can also boost motivation and help your team get to know each other.
With a 133% increase in Google searches for ‘improving workplace culture’ in the last 12 months, it’s clear that businesses are reviewing their culture. Working with all employees to implement actions can help create a positive working environment for everyone.8
How to support talent retention in the workplace
Multiple factors can affect employee wellbeing. Katy Jupp, Employee Wellbeing Benefits Consultant, Bupa UK, shares six simple ways managers can boost their team’s satisfaction, employee retention and attract new talent.
Make time for your team and provide feedback
Make sure to book in regular check ins with your team. They give you the opportunity to discuss and review your team’s workload and check-in on their wellbeing. Taking the time to get to know your team members better helps you to build trust and have a better understanding when they might need help.
If a team member has expressed an interest in developing their skills, take the time to talk about their role. Find out any areas they enjoy as well as areas they’d like to progress. This will help you to support them in finding suitable courses or understanding the next steps to help them achieve their development goals.9
Training for business leaders
Business leaders play a crucial part in the day-to-day operations of a business that can impact employee wellbeing. Company policies, management styles and workplace culture are all influenced by business leaders.
Education and training can help you to be confident that business executives and managers are promoting a positive working environment. Businesses benefit from a strong leadership team that are equipped with the skills to support everyone’s wellbeing, drive organisational goals, and results.10
Promote a healthy work-life balance
A healthy work-life balance looks different to us all. However, encouraging your team to take time away from work to switch off from their work responsibilities has a positive effect on employee wellbeing.
Whilst remote and hybrid working have created many benefits, this work set up also challenges the boundaries between home life and work life. Creating clear boundaries at the end of the working day can help us to unwind and reduce the risk of workplace health concerns like stress and burnout. This could be as simple as packing up your workspace and setting a clear time to finish working each day.
Similarly, as a manager checking in on your team’s workload and helping them to manage any tight deadlines or work prioritisation helps to promote a positive working culture and makes your team feel supported.
Acknowledge your team’s achievements
Taking the time to celebrate your team’s successes can help to boost employee morale and productivity. There are lots of ways to show your employees their work efforts are valued. A shout-out during a team call, meeting or email, or organising a social event to recognise your team’s achievements can all make a positive difference.
Provide access to health services
Ensuring employees have access to mental, physical, financial, and social support services can help them to feel more valued. A holistic approach to wellbeing gives your employees the choice to access support that best suits their individual needs. Investing time and resources in this area should help improve business productivity and reduce employee turnover and absences. This contributes to a successful business environment.
There are lots of steps that businesses can take to place an increased emphasis on employee wellbeing. This includes access to employee medical cover, mental health initiatives, and regular check ins.
Encourage open communication
Regular and open communication promotes the sharing of information and builds comm and the opportunity to work through challenges together. As a result, effective communication can reduce micromanagement in the workplace. It also helps to encourage a psychologically safe culture in which all employees feel comfortable to be themselves and supported to perform their best work.
As a manager, you can lead by example and inspire open communication within your team. Ask for and acknowledge your team’s input and feedback. Encourage them to make time to chat during the day to help them to feel connected.
2. Internal Bupa data 2025
3. Internal Bupa data 2025
5. CIPD - https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/evidence-reviews/evidence-financial-incentives/#gref
7. Cleveland Clinic - https://health.clevelandclinic.org/toxic-work-environment
8. Internal Bupa data 2025
10. CIPD - https://shop.cipd.org/product?catalog=Essential-People-Skills-for-Managers#gref
