Retention

Definition

The corporate art of convincing employees not to leave, usually attempted only after they've already accepted another offer. Retention strategies include counter-offers, pizza parties, and the classic "but we're a family" speech.

Example Usage

"The retention strategy was a 3% raise and a handwritten note from the CEO. I was touched. Not enough to stay, but touched." - A departing employee with a nice card

Related Terms

Advanced

job architecture

The structured framework defining job levels, career paths, and salary ranges across an organization. Essentially the blueprint that explains why someone with the same job title makes $20k more than you.

👥 Human Resources

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lgbt

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compensation philosophy

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👥 Human Resources

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resume

That document you spend hours perfecting to summarize your entire professional existence into one or two pages, which recruiters will skim in approximately six seconds. It's supposed to showcase your skills and experience without lying too obviously, formatted in a way that's both ATS-friendly and human-readable. The verb form means to continue something you paused, like your career after explaining that two-year gap.

👥 Human Resources

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progressive discipline

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👥 Human Resources

Advanced

red-circled employee

An employee whose salary exceeds the maximum of their pay range, typically marked with a red circle in compensation systems. They're earning more than their job is worth, usually grandfathered from a previous role, and won't see raises until the range catches up.

👥 Human Resources

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