How to detect early signs of employee turnover and keep your team

Last verified: October 13, 2026.

The short answer

The subtle signs are usually behavioral, not measurable. You'll see high performers stop volunteering for projects, contribute less in meetings, or do only what's strictly required. To intervene, replace annual surveys with quarterly check-ins asking what would make them consider leaving, and watch for a pattern of silence across two or three cycles.

The gap between intent and action

$51\%$. That's the share of U.S. employees who were either actively looking for a new job or watching for opportunities in the fourth quarter of 2025, which is one of the highest shares Gallup has recorded since it started tracking this measure in 2015. You know what that tells me? The gap between deciding to leave and actually leaving is getting wider, and if you're running a business, you need to be watching for the signals before your best people walk out the door.

A recent Entrepreneur column asks whether high performers leave quietly, and the data backs up that concern. The gap between those two numbers is the real problem. Employees are deciding to leave long before they ever act on it.

What the behavior looks like

About 20 years ago my dad's employer of 20-plus years locked the doors one day with no notice. He drove an hour to work to find it shut. It's why I've never been all that employable.

But for the owners reading this, you can't just sit there and hope your team stays. You need to be proactive. The earliest warnings are behavioral rather than numerical. You'll see top talent stop volunteering, contribute less in meetings or do only what's required. Marti Willett, president of Digital Marketing Recruiters, a specialized recruitment firm focused on digital marketing talent, told me the earliest signals are almost always behavioral, not measurable.

You need to track who has stopped requesting stretch projects, gone quiet in meetings, or stopped asking about their role's future. If you notice someone going quiet for two or three check-in cycles in a row, that's your cue to sit down with them and talk before they hand in their notice. Gallup found that 42% of employees who voluntarily left a job said their manager or employer could have done something to prevent it.

How to intervene now

What does that mean? It means you need to replace those annual satisfaction surveys with something that actually works. Ask a quarterly question about what would make an employee consider leaving. That tells you more than "are you satisfied?" ever could.

45% said no one had a proactive conversation with them about their satisfaction or their future in the three months before they left. You need to have recurring sensing sessions to ask what growth looks like for each team member. Some big companies are using AI to catch this stuff. In 2019, an AI built on IBM’s Watson platform was found to be roughly 95% accurate at predicting which employees were planning to leave and saved the company close to $300 million. Honestly, you don't need Watson to do this. You just need to pay attention to the behavior and have the conversations.

Why ownership matters for retention

This is why I push business ownership so hard. If you're an employee and you see these signs, or if you feel like there's no path forward, that's a signal for you too. You need to own something. But for the owners here, building a team that stays requires systems and relationships. You can't just rent your people. You have to invest in them.

I promise you, the best way to retain talent is to own your systems and build real relationships. If you're struggling to keep your top talent or you're thinking about buying a business with a solid team already in place, reach out to me anytime. Patrick at businessowner.com. Community costs absolutely nothing. Join us.

Frequently asked questions

What are the early signs of employee turnover?

High performers often show subtle behavioral shifts like becoming less proactive, contributing less in meetings, or doing only what is required rather than going above and beyond. They may also stop requesting stretch projects or asking about their role's future.

How often should I check in with my team about retention?

Replace annual satisfaction surveys with quarterly questions asking what would make an employee consider leaving. A pattern of silence across two or three cycles is worth a direct conversation before it becomes a resignation.

Can technology predict which employees are planning to leave?

Some large organizations use AI systems to flag attrition risk. In 2019, an AI built on IBM’s Watson platform was found to be roughly 95% accurate at predicting which employees were planning to leave and saved the company close to $300 million. Small business owners can achieve similar results by tracking behavioral patterns and holding regular check-ins.

What should I do if an employee shows signs of leaving?

You need to be proactive with what you're doing. Sit down for a recurring sensing session to ask what growth looks like for that team member and address their concerns before they decide to walk away.

Let's keep your best people

If you want to build a business that runs without you and keeps the right people on board, reach out anytime. Patrick at businessowner.com. Join us at BusinessOwner.com.

Sources

• Why High Performers Leave Before You Know They're Gone