How to Use Behavioral Data to Reduce Turnover (Beyond Hiring)
Most organizations deploy behavioral assessments at the front door — during recruiting, when they're trying to decide who to hire. That's a good start. But stopping there leaves much of the value on the table. The same behavioral data that helps you hire more effectively can also support meaningful reductions in turnover when applied throughout the employee lifecycle.
The Turnover Problem Isn't What It Appears to Be
When employees leave, organizations typically conduct exit interviews and catalog the stated reasons: compensation, career growth, management quality, work-life balance. These are real factors. But underneath many of them is something more fundamental: the employee may no longer perceive a strong sense of fit within the role or environment.
A contributing factor can be a growing gap between the individual’s natural behavioral tendencies (SELF) and the behaviors they perceive are required to be successful in the role (ROLE). When individuals consistently invest energy operating outside of their natural tendencies—adapting to environments that may not align with how they tend to respond, or navigating interpersonal dynamics that create ongoing friction—they may begin to disengage. If sustained, this disengagement is likely to contribute to voluntary turnover.
The cost is significant. Replacing an employee typically runs between 50% and 200% of their annual salary, depending on role complexity. Even modest reductions in turnover can produce substantial ROI.
Onboarding: The First Retention Opportunity
The first 90 days after a hire are often a higher-risk period for turnover. New employees are evaluating whether the role aligns with their expectations, while managers are learning how to effectively lead someone they don’t yet fully understand.
Behavioral data can help reduce this gap early. When a manager receives an AVA Individual Behavioral Report, Development Tips, or Counselor Report before a new hire's first day, they begin with a more informed understanding of the individual. They gain insight into how that individual prefers to communicate, what environments and conditions are likely to be motivating, where they are likely to feel confident, and where they may need additional support.
For example:
Assertiveness (V1) may influence how someone approaches decisions or risk
Sociability (V2) may shape how they engage with people and feedback
Calmness (V3) may impact pace and comfort with change
Conformity (V4) may indicate the level of structure or direction they prefer
This understanding can help managers tailor their approach, support earlier connection, and reduce early friction that may otherwise lead to early exits.
Identifying Misalignment Before It Becomes a Resignation
A practical application of AVA is monitoring the alignment between SELF and ROLE over time. When an employee’s ROLE—how they perceive they need to behave—begins to diverge significantly from their SELF, it may require increased and sustained energy to maintain that adjustment.
This misalignment may be observable in behavioral data before it shows up in performance or attendance. Managers who understand these patterns can intervene earlier—with coaching, adjustments to responsibilities, or clarifying expectations—addressing potential root causes rather than reacting after disengagement has already taken hold.
Career Pathing That Actually Fits
One of the most common reasons high performers leave is not dissatisfaction with their current role. It is uncertainty about where they are going.
When organizations cannot provide a clear and meaningful path forward, ambitious employees often begin looking elsewhere. AVA® gives managers and HR leaders the behavioral insight needed to have more personalized development conversations.
Rather than presenting the same career path to everyone, leaders can explore opportunities that align with an individual's natural behavioral tendencies, motivations, and strengths. These conversations help employees see a future within the organization and demonstrate a genuine investment in their development, both of which can support retention..
Team Dynamics and Conflict: The Hidden Retention Factor
People don’t just leave companies — they often leave teams. Ongoing interpersonal friction, differences in communication style, and unresolved tension can contribute to turnover in ways that are not always captured in exit data.
Differences in behavioral tendencies—such as varying levels of assertiveness or conformity—may lead individuals to approach decisions, feedback, or risk differently. Without awareness, these differences can be misinterpreted (e.g., as resistance, overcontrol, or lack of urgency).
When team leaders understand these dynamics, they can anticipate where friction may emerge and take steps to address it proactively—adjusting communication approaches, clarifying expectations, and helping team members work more effectively together. AVA® does not eliminate conflict, but it provides a framework to better understand its behavioral roots.
The ROI Calculation
The math is straightforward. If your organization has 100 employees with an average salary of $60,000 and a turnover rate of 20%, you're replacing 20 people per year at an average cost of $30,000–$90,000 each. That’s $600,000 to $1.8 million annually.
Reducing turnover by even 20–25% through more aligned hiring, intentional onboarding, and proactive retention strategies can produce significant savings. The cost of a behavioral assessment program is typically a fraction of that—and the value tends to increase as managers become more effective at interpreting and applying the insights over time.
Final Thought
The case for behavioral assessment has never been solely about the hiring decision. Its value is more fully realized through consistent application across the employee lifecycle—recognizing that behavior is influenced by both the individual and how they perceive their environment.
AVA is designed to support understanding and alignment, not to serve as a pass/fail or go/no-go decision tool. Its effectiveness depends on how thoughtfully the information is applied in context.
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