Dear HR Manager | Survey Results Are Positive, but Turnover Is Rising

Our employee surveys generally show high satisfaction, but we are losing people we wanted to keep. Leadership is questioning whether the surveys are useful. How can we better understand what is happening?

— Looking Beyond the Scores

Dear Looking Beyond the Scores,

The surveys may be useful while still leaving gaps. Employees can like their colleagues and work environment yet leave for better pay, advancement, or a role that fits their needs. Gallup research identified pay or benefits and growth opportunities as leading reasons employees were seeking other jobs. A satisfaction score can’t explain every departure.

Start by checking timing and participation. How long ago was the survey conducted, and what changed afterward? Were departing employees represented in the responses? Review whether the questions addressed workload, manager support, and career opportunities, rather than only general satisfaction.

Next, examine voluntary turnover by role, tenure, and department, using groups large enough to protect privacy. Look for patterns worth investigating, such as departures during the first year or within a particular job family. Patterns are a starting point for questions, not proof of a cause.

Compare those findings with exit feedback, then speak with employees who are still there. Combine surveys with one-on-one conversations and other listening channels. Ask what makes employees want to stay, what makes their work harder and what opportunities they would like to see. Explain how feedback will be used and respect requests for confidentiality. Don’t ask managers to identify who submitted critical survey responses.

Choose a specific response based on what you learn. If employees describe unclear advancement requirements, clarify the process and prepare managers to discuss development. Track whether the experience improves through follow-up conversations, relevant survey questions, and turnover trends over time.

Positive survey results deserve attention, but so do departures. Using both helps you understand where the employee experience is working and where further investigation is needed.

– HR Manager

Originally featured in UBA’s October 2026 HR Elements Newsletter.