The link between manager capability and team tenure
Evaluate what managers do with support and authority, not just whether a team has low turnover.
The performance question
Team tenure can reflect many factors, including labour market conditions and career opportunities. A long serving team is not automatically well managed, and a departure is not automatically managerial failure. Examine behaviours that influence workability: clear priorities, constructive feedback and action on concerns.
What the evidence supports
NICE NG212 section 1.5 recommends training and support for managers, authority to adjust workload and evaluation through employee outcomes. It does not specify a causal retention effect or justify ranking managers by raw departure counts.[1]
A practical approach
Train managers in practical conversations and give them a clear route to obtain resources or approve adjustments. Review a small sample of agreed actions for completion. Ask staff whether priorities are clear and concerns receive a response. Include manager workload and specialist support in the assessment.
How to review progress
Compare feedback and unresolved demands with tenure and departures over time, accounting for team size and role mix. Use the findings for support and improvement. Do not create incentives to obstruct internal moves or retain someone in a role that no longer suits them.
Sources and references
- Mental wellbeing at work Opens in a new tab
NICE
NG212 sections 1.1 to 1.6: strategy, environment, managers and individual support