Employee Engagement & Retention Checklist
A practical checklist for education and public sector leaders to review engagement, spot early warning signs and strengthen staff retention across five key drivers.
Employee Engagement & Retention Checklist for Education and the Public Sector
People rarely leave because of one big issue. More often, small frustrations build up over time until moving on feels like the easier option. In colleges, schools, local authorities and public sector organisations, that slow drift can be hard to spot until a resignation lands on your desk.
So it's worth asking: how engaged are your people, really?
This checklist gives leaders and managers a quick way to review engagement levels, pick up early warning signs and find simple, practical ways to strengthen retention.
The five drivers of retention
Use these five drivers as a quick reference. For each one, we've set out what good looks like, what to watch out for, and a quick win you can act on straight away.
1. Recognition
What good looks like: Contributions are noticed regularly and specifically, not saved up for formal reviews.
Watch out for: Good work goes unmentioned, or thanks feels generic.
Quick win: Name exactly what someone did and why it mattered.
2. Celebration
What good looks like: Successes, big and small, are shared across every role, including support staff.
Watch out for: The same teams or roles are the only ones ever celebrated.
Quick win: Pass on praise from learners, parents or service users straight away.
3. Feedback
What good looks like: Conversations are two-way, and staff can see their input lead to real change.
Watch out for: Surveys go out, but nothing visibly changes.
Quick win: Share a "you said, we did" update after every survey.
4. Development
What good looks like: Everyone, including part-time staff, can see a realistic way to grow within your organisation.
Watch out for: Strong performers can only progress by leaving.
Quick win: Ask each person what they'd like to learn or do next.
5. Communication
What good looks like: Leaders explain the "why" behind decisions, consistently across sites and teams.
Watch out for: Staff hear about changes through the grapevine first.
Quick win: Tell people about changes that affect them before anyone else does.
How to use the five drivers
This isn't a one-off exercise. Revisit the five drivers in leadership meetings, team reviews and manager one-to-ones. Pick the driver where you're seeing the most warning signs and focus there first. Small, consistent changes in one area often have a knock-on effect across the others.
Recognition and retention: "I don't feel valued"
It's one of the most common things we hear from employees across education and the public sector.
The good news? Recognition doesn't have to be expensive to work. People want to feel seen, valued and appreciated for the contribution they make. A specific thank you, a piece of feedback passed on from a learner or service user, or a manager who notices the extra effort can make a real difference.
Retention isn't just about stopping people leaving. It's about giving them reasons to stay.
Stay conversation starters
Exit interviews tell you why people left. Stay conversations tell you what will keep them. Try these questions in your next one-to-one:
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
- When did you last feel really valued at work?
- What would make your role more rewarding?
- Is anything getting in the way of your best work?
- What might tempt you to leave, and what would keep you here?
Listen more than you talk, and follow up on what you hear. A stay conversation only builds trust if something happens as a result.
Is retention a focus for you?
We'd be happy to share what we're seeing across the education and public sectors. Often, the most effective solutions are simpler than expected.
Get in touch with the Dovetail & Slate team:
- Call: 0117 422 9420
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