The talent retention in 2026 It requires reviewing what the company offers and why people choose to stay. Salary, development opportunities, and work organization are aspects that HR can analyze before a resignation occurs.
Inflation once again provides context for this review. The INE (National Statistics Institute) published a year-on-year CPI of 4.9% for September on October 14th. For companies, the question is how to respond with clear salary criteria, listen to their teams, and determine which measures make sense in their specific situation.
What the 2026 data says about wages and employment
The INE note on the CPI for September 2026 places year-on-year inflation at 4,9 %, 0.6 percentage points higher than in August. This is a measure of consumer price trends. It is not a turnover rate and does not allow us to deduce how many people will change jobs.
Salary also appears in studies of job preferences. In its May publication on Employer Brand Research 2026, Randstad notes that 61.1% of Spaniards prioritize salary when choosing a company. The Randstad's information on salary and company choice It also includes the work environment and work-life balance among the attraction factors.
The two data points have different scopes: one describes prices and the other reflects stated preferences. Neither proves that a specific salary increase will prevent someone from leaving. To make a decision, HR needs to compare them with the realities of their positions, their budget, and the experience of their staff.
What does it mean to retain talent in a company?
Retaining talent involves creating conditions that encourage the people the organization needs to continue developing within it. This requires understanding the reasons for departures and distinguishing between voluntary changes and other terminations of employment.
A resignation might be due to a better salary, a career opportunity, or personal circumstances. Exit interviews provide information, but they come after the decision has already been made. Regular development conversations allow for an earlier understanding of expectations and obstacles, without promising results the company cannot deliver.
Five measures to improve talent retention from HR
1. Review the salary policy using consistent criteria
Compare equivalent positions, responsibilities, and experience. Document how progression within each band is decided and when conditions are reviewed. Before granting an exception, consider the impact it will have on others with similar roles.
An external offer may force a quick decision. It's important to assess whether a counteroffer addresses the reason for leaving, whether it's sustainable, and how it aligns with internal equity. In our analysis of counteroffers and wage policy decisions under pressure We explored this dilemma through a practical case study.
2. Turn professional development into concrete agreements
Ask the person what they want to learn and what responsibilities they can take on. Agree on a skill to develop, a project to practice it on, and a date to review progress. For the plan to be useful, you also need to define the timeframe and available support.
Training can be combined with internal mobility, mentoring, or participation in projects in other areas. It is preferable to explain what opportunities exist and what requirements must be met to maintain indefinite expectations of promotion.
3 Review workload and autonomy
He INSST, in its guidelines on work-related stress, It proposes prioritizing organizational and collective interventions. These include reviewing positions, shifts, and breaks, clarifying responsibilities, and improving communication channels. These are preventative guidelines; not a formula that guarantees reduced turnover.
HR can coordinate this review with management and the occupational health and safety department. If there are insufficient resources to carry out the planned work, priorities and coverage should be reviewed. Flexibility should be designed according to the tasks and actual capabilities of each position.
Monitoring absences can provide organizational context, but sick leave does not indicate an intention to leave the company. Our article on Work absenteeism in 2026 and its management from HR It explains how to interpret that indicator and plan coverage without confusing different situations.
4. Listen with a purpose and close the actions
One-on-one conversations and brief surveys help pinpoint problems that an overall indicator might miss. Ask about expectations, difficulties in performing the job, and support needs. Explain the purpose of the data collection and limit access to only what each manager needs to know.
Then communicate what will be reviewed, who will do it, and when there will be a response. If a proposal is not feasible, explain why. Listening without providing feedback leaves the team unsure whether their input has had any impact.
5. Use data to test hypotheses
If departures are concentrated in the first few months, review the selection process, the communicated expectations, and the onboarding process. If they occur in a specific role, analyze its conditions and the opportunities available. These patterns guide questions; they don't, on their own, prove a cause.
To learn more about this method, see our content on People Analytics in HR and data-driven talent management. A useful analysis begins with a question and quality data, without needing to build a predictive model from the outset.
How to measure employee retention and turnover
Define the period and population before calculating percentages. As an internal indicator, the voluntary rotation It can be measured by dividing voluntary departures by the average workforce for the period and multiplying by 100. Document how you calculate that average to maintain consistent comparisons.
Hypothetical example: 12 voluntary departures in a year with an average workforce of 240 people is equivalent to 5 %. This is an illustrative calculation, not an observed rate in Spanish companies nor a recommended target.
The cohort retention This answers another question: how many people from an initial group remain at the end of the period. If 90 out of the initial 100 people remain, the retention rate for that group is 90. New hires are not added to the initial group for this calculation.
| Indicator | What to observe | What is it for? | Caution |
| Voluntary rotation | Departures on average staff | Compare the evolution using the same criteria | Separate output types |
| Retention of a cohort | Permanence of the initial group | Continue onboarding or development | Do not include new additions to the cohort |
| Reasons for leaving | Stated reasons | Ask questions and set priorities | Do not attribute a single cause to the entire staff. |
| Actions of the plan | Responsible party, deadline and result | Check what has been executed | Distinguishing execution from effectiveness |
Interpret the rates in conjunction with the number of people: in small teams, a single departure can significantly change the percentage. Maintain an analysis scale that does not unnecessarily expose individuals and avoid converting health information or personal circumstances into attrition risk scores.
Mistakes to avoid in a retention plan
It's a mistake to react only when someone else makes another offer. It's also a mistake to apply the same measure to positions with different needs or to attribute all departures to salary without verifying it.
To evaluate an intervention, record what changed and when. A temporary drop in turnover might coincide with changes in the market, staffing, or activity. Look at several periods and combine data with qualitative information before attributing the result to a specific measure.
Frequently Asked Questions about Talent Retention in 2026
Simply raising salaries is enough to retain talent.
It depends on the reasons influencing the decision. Reviewing compensation may be relevant when there's a salary issue, but it doesn't resolve development expectations or working conditions. Each team's situation needs to be assessed individually.
What is the difference between retention and rotation?
Cohort retention measures the persistence of an initial group. Turnover reflects departures relative to a reference population. Since they can use different denominators, they should not automatically be treated as complementary percentages.
How to start a plan in an SME
Choose a specific question, review the outputs, and discuss it with your team members. Then agree on a feasible action plan, a responsible person, and a review date. A simple, consistent chart can be more effective than many indicators without a defined purpose.
Develop your skills in people management
Designing compensation criteria, interpreting indicators, and coordinating development plans connects the company's strategy with the work of HR. These are skills that require both analytical ability and communication skills with people and managers in each area.
If you'd like to delve deeper into these tasks, the EIP program includes salary policy, People Analytics, and Human Resources planning. Review its content and requirements to assess how it aligns with your career goals.
Learn about the Master's in Human Resources at EIP and request information
