Turnover Is Not an HR Problem
Why blaming HR guarantees you never solve turnover
When turnover rises, companies turn to HR. They launch engagement surveys, increase salaries, introduce flexible work policies. And nothing changes. Why? Because they are solving the wrong problem.
The Attribution Error
Attributing turnover to HR is like blaming the thermometer for the temperature. HR measures and manages the process. But the root cause sits in the behavioral system — specifically in leadership behavior.
Turnover is the output of a behavioral system. If you want to change the output, you have to change the input — and the input is leadership.
What Leadership Behavior Drives
Leadership behavior determines how decisions are made, how communication flows, what gets rewarded, and what gets punished. These behavioral patterns shape whether people feel aligned with the system or not.
When leadership behavior is inconsistent, unclear or contradictory, the system creates friction. People adapt — or they leave. The ones who leave first are usually the ones you can least afford to lose.
If your best people keep leaving and your engagement scores keep dropping, stop looking at HR. Start looking at leadership behavior.
Reframing the Problem
The LHRP Framework treats turnover not as an isolated metric but as a signal within a connected behavioral system. Leadership shapes hiring, hiring shapes retention, retention shapes performance. Turnover is what happens when one or more of these connections break.
Fix the behavior. Fix the system. The turnover will take care of itself.