How to act in the event of a high turnover in your company?

The Turn-over represents a key indicator of a company's organizational health. In 2023, The average staff turnover rate in France was 14.95%, marking a decrease compared to 2022 (17.44%), but remaining above pre-pandemic levels. This dynamic creates significant costs for businesses, estimated at around 33% of the gross annual salary for each employee replacement. Among the factors influencing turnover, sanity of employees plays a crucial role. The establishment of a psychological support unit thus appears to be an effective strategy to improve the well-being of employees and reduce staff turnover.

Understanding turnover in business

Definition and types of turnover

The Turn-over refers to the renewal of staff within a company over a given period of time. It can be:

• Volunteer : resulting from resignations or retirements.
• Involuntary : linked to layoffs or the end of a contract.

Common causes

The causes of turnover are multiple:

• Difficult working conditions.
• Lack of recognition.
• Limited career opportunities.
• Mental health issues not taken care of.

Impact of turnover on the company

Direct and indirect costs

Replacing an employee can cost up to 33% of his gross annual salary, including recruitment and training costs and lost productivity.

Organizational consequences

High turnover can result in:

• A decrease in team motivation.
• A loss of know-how.
• A deterioration in the company's image.

The cost of turnover for businesses

Turnover represents a significant cost for businesses, which is often underestimated in HR strategies. According to Apec data, Replacing a frame costs on average between 15,000 and 25,000 euros, an amount that includes recruitment costs, training costs, lost productivity, and organizational impact. For non-managers, this cost remains significant: lThe study The Cost of Turnover published by Elevo in 2022 Evaluates it at a minimum of 10,000 euros per start, all profiles combined.

Not all sectors are equal in the face of this phenomenon.

Hospitality, retail and personal services have some of the highest turnover rates, sometimes reaching more than 50% annual turnover, according to a study by Hays. Conversely, industry or the public service have lower rates, generally less than 10%. These differences are due in particular to the difficulty, the precariousness of contracts, or even to the working conditions specific to each field.

This phenomenon also has a direct correlation with absenteeism, especially when it is linked to unmanaged psychosocial risks. According to the Malakoff Humanis 2023 Barometer, absenteeism cost French businesses 25.9 billion euros in 2022. This increased figure is largely driven by the increase in long-term work stoppages due to professional exhaustion or psychological disorders. The link is clear: An unaccompanied, unaccompanied employee is more likely to be absent and then leave the company. In these cases, turnover is the consequence of a degraded work environment.

Moreover, in its June 2022 study, DARES (Direction de l'Animation de la Recherche, des Études et des Statistics) underlines that companies that invest in the quality of life at work, and in particular in psychological support systems, note a combined decrease in absenteeism and turnover. The implementation of concrete preventive measures such as a psychological support unit can therefore have a measurable impact on employee loyalty and the control of HR costs.

The psychological support unit: definition and objectives

What is a psychological support unit?

It is a system set up within the company to offer psychological support to employees facing personal or professional difficulties. It may be composed of psychologists, counsellors or listening professionals.

Main Objectives

The objectives of a psychological support unit are:

• Prevent psychosocial risks.
• Improving the well-being of employees.
• Reduce absenteeism and turnover.

Setting up such a cell requires several steps:

The needs assessment makes it possible to identify the problems specific to the company. Then, the choice of the model involves deciding between an internal unit or using specialized external service providers. Communication is essential to inform employees of the existence of the system and the methods of access. Finally, monitoring and evaluation consist in measuring the effectiveness of the unit and adjusting actions accordingly.

Internal resistances and obstacles to the establishment of a psychological support unit

Despite the obvious advantages of a psychological support unit, many companies encounter internal resistances to its implementation. These obstacles are often of order cultural or financier, and can occur at the level of management as well as employees.

The reticence of HR departments: cost, taboo and corporate culture

The first obstacle to the establishment of a psychological support unit in business often resides in the cost received of investment. HR departments can estimate that the costs associated with setting up such a unit (recruitment of qualified professionals, infrastructure costs, training, communication) are disproportionate to the expected benefits. According to a study conducted by Malakoff Humanis In 2022, nearly 40% of companies admit that they have difficulty financially justifying the implementation of psychological support systems at work. This brake is particularly pronounced in SMES, which often lack the resources to deploy these types of initiatives.

Another important barrier is the taboo surrounding mental health in some businesses. Although the psychosocial risk management (RPS) has become a regulatory priority (via the Labor Code), some organizations maintain a corporate culture that minimizes or ignores the importance of psychological disorders. In these companies, talking about stress, professional exhaustion or burn-out can be perceived as a sign of weakness, which discourages some managers from promoting openness to this type of system.

Finally, some HR departments may consider that a psychological support unit in a company is superfluous or does not correspond to their needs, especially in sectors where economic pressure is strong or in highly hierarchical organizations where priority is given to productivity.

Obstacles for employees: fear of being stigmatized and lack of trust

For employees, the main obstacle to the use of a psychological support unit remains fear of stigma. Many employees fear that their colleagues or managers will see their use of this service as a sign of fragility or incompetence. According to a study by The Institute of Occupational Health carried out in 2021, 35% of employees say they would not dare to seek psychological support for fear of being judged by colleagues or managers. This barrier is particularly pronounced in sectors where competitiveness is high or where employees are subject to stressful working conditions.

Another obstacle is the lack of trust in the system put in place. If the psychological support unit is not sufficient unnamed or transparent, employees may fear that their exchanges are not protected or that they may have a negative impact on their career. In addition, if the support offered is not adapted to individual needs of employees (for example, if the psychologist is not sufficiently trained in the specificities of the professional environment), the impact of the unit may be limited.

How do you remove these obstacles?

To overcome these resistances and facilitate the establishment of a psychological support unit, several levers can be activated, both at the management and employee levels.

• Transparent communication and managerial awareness : to dispel fears related to stigma and taboo, it is essential to open a dialogue. Management should clearly communicate the purpose of the psychological support unit: it is not about dealing with cases of “weakness”, but about taking care of the psychological well-being of employees, which is beneficial for the organization as a whole. In addition, managers need to be trained to identify the signs of psychological distress and to encourage their teams to use the services offered without judgment. Such an approach Denormalize taboos and promotes acceptance support devices.
• Ensuring anonymity and confidentiality : to reassure employees, the anonymity of exchanges must be guaranteed. Psychological support should be completely confidential, with no trace in the HR files. The use of external providers, such as offices specialized in psychological support, can also reinforce this dimension of security and confidentiality.
  Testimonies and feedback : management can organize information sessions Or anonymous testimonies of employees who have used the psychological support unit and who have benefited from it. This feedback can reassure other employees and show the benefits of such a service in concrete terms.
• Progressive integration into corporate culture : for the psychological support unit to be perceived as a fully-fledged tool in HR policy, it must be gradually integrated into the company culture. The aim is for psychological support to be seen as a preventive approach, not only as a response to crises. To do this, it is possible to associate it with actions of prevention of psychosocial risks, such as stress management training or relaxation sessions.

Benefits of a psychological support unit on turnover

La Setting up a psychological support unit contributes to reducing turnover by improving employee well-being, reducing absenteeism, and improving employee productivity and engagement. By offering a space to listen and support, employees feel valued and better supported, which reinforces their commitment to the company.