6 Employee Wellbeing Tips that Will Boost Retention

Employee retention isn't just a people issue – it's a commercial one.

High turnover drains time, budget, and energy. In a competitive consumer product market, culture-first companies that prioritise wellbeing will win the race for talent – and keep it.

Here are five strategies you can action now to boost retention by aligning your people strategy with wellbeing, engagement, and long-term growth.

What We'll Cover:

Why Retention Is a Commercial Priority.
The Link Between Wellbeing & Retention.
5 Employee Retention Strategies That Work.
Wellbeing Isn't a Campaign - It's Culture.
Next Steps for Improving Retention & Wellbeing.

Why Retention Is a Commercial Priority

Replacing a single employee can cost companies six figures. Beyond cost, constant churn affects morale, knowledge transfer, and ultimately, your bottom line.

In today’s climate – where experienced talent is hard to replace and candidates expect more – retention must be a made a priority.

According to our 2025 Consumer Product Salary Guide, 66% of professionals rated benefits (including wellbeing support) as equal to or more important than base salary. A clear sign, then, that wellbeing, flexibility, and reward are central to retention conversations in 2025.

Infographic highlighting that 66% of professionals rate benefits as equal to or more important than base salary — reinforcing the shift in employee priorities toward wellbeing, flexibility, and total reward in 2025.

The Link Between Wellbeing & Retention

Workplace wellbeing is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a strategic lever that directly impacts engagement, productivity, and employee loyalty.

What 'wellbeing' really means in 2025:

Mental health support that goes beyond tick-box EAPs.
Meaningful flexibility (not just remote access).
Financial wellbeing tools and education.
Regular check-ins that aren’t performance reviews in disguise.

Businesses with a culture-first, people-centric approach to wellbeing see up to 41% lower absenteeism and stronger long-term retention.

Visual showing that businesses prioritising wellbeing see 41% lower absenteeism and stronger retention, reinforcing the tangible impact of a culture-first approach on workforce stability and performance.

5 Employee Retention Strategies That Work

There's no one single solution for retention – but there are proven strategies that make a measurable difference.

These five focus areas combine culture, leadership, and structure to create the kind of employee experience that keeps top talent engaged and committed.

1. Audit Your EVP (Employee Value Proposition)

Your employee value proposition, or EVP, is your promise to employees. It needs to reflect what talent actually values – not just what’s trending. In today’s market, that includes clarity on flexibility, progression, and values – alongside salary and perks.

What to Do: Survey current staff to identify gaps between what’s offered and what’s expected. Use this to inform your benefits, culture, and progression messaging. This is key to building a strong employee value proposition that improves retention and engagement.

2. Build Clear, Transparent Progression Pathways

Career clarity is a major retention driver – especially in consumer product environments where change moves fast and roles evolve quickly. Employees are more likely to stay when they can visualise their growth within the company.

What to Do: Introduce visible career maps, and make development conversations part of monthly check-ins, not just annual reviews. You could also highlight stories of internal mobility and progression to make career pathways more tangible.

3. Prioritise Manager Training

People often stay – or leave – because of their relationship with their manager. Great line managers build trust, support wellbeing, and create clarity around growth. But too often, managers are promoted based on performance without the tools to lead others.

Empowering them with the right training transforms engagement, boosts retention, and strengthens culture from the ground up. Investing in leadership development is one of the most strategic employee engagement initiatives you can adopt.

What to Do: Run training focused on emotional intelligence, coaching skills, and inclusive leadership, and equip managers to spot signs of disengagement early.

4. Offer Flexibility With Structure

Flexibility works best when expectations are clear. Too much ambiguity can impact team cohesion, while too little flexibility drives attrition.

However, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to flexible working practices. The right balance depends on role, function, and individual company culture – and can be a powerful driver in reducing staff turnover in FMCG businesses.

What to Do: Develop a flexibility policy with input from your team. Define what good looks like across remote, hybrid, and office-first roles, and revisit it regularly.

5. Celebrate Progress and Purpose

Retention thrives where people feel seen, valued, and connected to a greater purpose. Recognition shouldn’t be reserved for annual reviews – it should be continuous, authentic, and aligned to your mission.

What to Do: Recognise achievements publicly and celebrate behaviours that reinforce your values, not just outcomes. In other words, connect individual goals to your wider mission. This is one of the most effective low-cost retention strategies that is proven to work.

Wellbeing Isn't a Campaign – It's Culture

When backed by consistent action and leadership buy-in, wellbeing initiatives become powerful drivers of lasting change.

Ask yourself:

Is wellbeing embedded in leadership KPIs?
Do employees feel psychologically safe raising issues?
Are managers modelling balance, or burning out?

Companies that hardwire wellbeing into how they operate – not just how they communicate – retain better, recruit faster, and perform stronger.

Next Steps for Improving Wellbeing & Retention

Want to see how your organisation measures up? Download our free Retention Readiness Checklist – a practical tool to help you assess what's working, where the gaps are, and how to take action.

From senior leaders to new starters, your culture is defined by how people feel day-to-day. The best talent strategies combine clear direction, commercial focus, and genuine care.

At Advocate Group, we help consumer product businesses build hiring and retention strategies that drive long-term success – from targeted search and selection recruitment to insight-led EVP consultancy.

Let’s talk about how to futureproof your team.

Explore our services or get in touch for a consultation.

FAQ: Employee Retention & Wellbeing

Looking for more insights? Here's what you need to know:

What Are the Main Causes of Employee Turnover in the Consumer Product Industry?

High turnover often stems from unclear career progression, poor management, lack of flexibility, and wellbeing support that feels performative. In a fast-paced sector like consumer products, employees expect transparency, autonomy, and purpose – not just pay.

How Does Employee Wellbeing Impact Staff Retention?

Wellbeing directly affects performance and loyalty. When employees feel supported – mentally, emotionally, and financially – they’re more engaged and less likely to leave. Embedding wellbeing into your culture, not just your perks, is a proven driver of retention.

What Is an EVP and Why Does It Matter for Retention?

Your employee value proposition (EVP) defines what people get from working with you. A clear, authentic EVP builds trust, attracts aligned talent, and reduces attrition by ensuring expectations match reality – from onboarding through to long-term growth.

How Can We Measure the ROI of Wellbeing Initiatives?

Track key indicators like absenteeism, turnover rates, employee engagement scores, and retention trends over time. Pair this with qualitative feedback from pulse surveys to assess impact and identify gaps. Wellbeing that drives retention always shows up in performance metrics.

What Are Some Examples of Low-Cost Retention Strategies That Work?

Regular feedback, visible career pathways, flexible working frameworks, and meaningful recognition schemes all improve retention without a high spend. The most effective strategies are those co-created with your team and aligned to your culture and commercial goals.

Your Guide to Retention & Wellbeing in Consumer Products