Employee retention isn’t built with perks, programs, or forced fun.

It’s built in the moments where leaders choose to listen, trust, and let teams be themselves.

In this mini-episode of Relationships at Work, Russel Lolacher shares a simple Christmas decorating story that explains why his team stayed together for nearly 12 years — and why high retention is never an accident or a “unicorn.”

This episode breaks down:

• Why autonomy matters more than engagement initiatives
• How leaders accidentally push people away by enforcing conformity
• What retention really looks like in everyday leadership decisions

If you’re serious about keeping good people — not just hiring them — this episode reframes what employee retention actually requires.

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