Every organization measure attrition. Some celebrate low attrition as a sign of success. Others accept employee turnover as inevitable in today's mobile workforce.
But I often wonder—are we measuring the wrong thing?
Attrition is not merely about the number of people who leave. It's about what leaves with them.
When an experienced employee resigns, an organization loses far more than a position on its payroll. It loses institutional memory, trusted relationships, practical wisdom, problem-solving ability, and countless unwritten processes that no manual can ever capture.
These are assets that never appear on a balance sheet.
Having spent over four decades in media organizations and academia, I have often wondered why many resignations are treated as routine HR formalities. Why not engage meaningfully with employees before they decide to leave? Why not understand what could persuade them to stay?
Institutions are not built by visionary leaders alone. They are sustained by hundreds of sincere, dependable individuals who quietly mentor colleagues, solve problems, preserve continuity, and keep the organization moving—often without recognition.
Ironically, they are also the people most easily taken for granted.
Organizations invest heavily in infrastructure, branding, technology, and expansion. Yet many underinvest in the one resource that truly defines their long-term strength—people.
The cost of replacing an employee can be calculated; The cost of replacing trust, credibility, experience, and loyalty cannot.
This raises a few important questions:
• Why do committed and high-performing employees leave?
• Is compensation the only reason, or do respect, recognition, growth, and purpose matter just as much?
• Have exit interviews become mere formalities instead of opportunities for genuine organizational learning?
• Does leadership truly listen before its best people decide to move on?
High attrition is not just an HR metric; it is an indicator of organizational health. Vacancies can be filled, Experience cannot. Knowledge can be documented, Wisdom cannot.
Perhaps it's time organizations looked beyond attrition percentages and started measuring the value of the people they are losing.
Because organizations are remembered not for the buildings they own—but for the people who gave them their soul.
We need to ponder - Are our organizations merely losing employees… or are they slowly losing their soul?
