Leveraging Climate Data for Insights into Staff Turnover and Retention

Session Abstract: Staff are the backbone of higher education institutions, yet their experiences with workload equity, work-life balance, and turnover risk are often underdiscussed. Using workplace climate assessment data from staff members at the University of Michigan (U-M), this research will examine how staff perceptions of role satisfaction, belonging, fairness, workload, supervisor relationships, psychological safety, and professional development intersect with staff’s intentions to leave their roles.

This session will also discuss how staff turnover is related to academic unit functioning, faculty workload, and student experiences, and how retention contributes to academic unit stability and institutional development. The presentation will be informative for decision-making on staff turnover and retention, offering evidence-based recommendations for higher education leaders to strengthen staff support and ensure accessible professional development opportunities.

Keywords: staff, turnover, leadership, climate