How 2-3 years is the danger spot for losing employees, and how company culture impacts retention

In the American workforce as a whole, only 5-6% of workers are currently in the 2-3 year mark at their current job - a critical period for your new-ish employees, who are at this time deciding whether to stay with the company or move on.

According to the United States Department of Labor, workers who have been on the job 12 months or less are at 22% of the workforce total. The low of 5-6% for employees in the 2-3 year slot picks up after the three-year mark on the job, and thereafter.

What does all this mean?

Overall, new staff hires are unlikely to hold their positions for longer than a few years unless you have a strong company culture to retain them. This is especially critical for small businesses, impacting their productivity, recruitment, and employee loyalty.

For more on becoming a company that keeps (and empowers) employee, the Better Business Bureau expands on the importance of company culture here .