Companies Need to Normalize Healthy Turnover

Turnover isn’t inherently a bad thing. Intentional attrition — a deliberate plan to reduce the number of employees in an organization over time — creates a finite timeline where employees and the employer mutually benefit. Most companies don’t work this way; when people leave (and most eventually do), it’s awkward and often unacknowledged. Pointing to the example of McKinsey & Co., the author argues that creating an “up-an-out” system where employees are encouraged to make the most of their limited time at a company can generate a positive employer brand for organizations as a springboard for talent. To make planned attrition a normal process, the author suggests three strategies for companies to get started: 1) Acknowledge that this isn’t forever from the beginning, 2) focus on promoting internal candidates and boomerang employees, and 3) engage your alumni.