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Partnering with SME companies throughout East Anglia, Michelle Denny Recruitment is a recruitment agency which specialises in personalised recruitment consultancy services in Norfolk and Suffolk to help you discover that elusive new member of staff at a budget that suits you.

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With different campaign options to meet your requirements and innovative marketing strategies to captivate worthy candidates, we'll present you with a refreshing, no-fuss approach to recruitment. Whether you need a comprehensive recruitment drive with full support, or a simple campaign to find you candidates to review in-house, we'll work with you as an extension of your team, to understand your business and the people within it. 

Clients

THIS WAY TO HIRE

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We'll introduce you to companies with job opportunities across Norfolk, Suffolk and beyond that share your values and understand your career aspirations so you can feel confident in your job search. With guidance, support, constructive feedback and consistent communication as standard throughout our approach, Michelle Denny Recruitment Consultancy looks beyond your CV to discover what makes you, you!

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With a clear direction, straightforward application process and ongoing recommendations, we’ll provide you with the ultimate match-making service to help you find the right job, in the right company, with the right team. Learn more, view our current vacancies and upload your CV to register for upcoming roles too.

Candidates

THIS WAY TO A NEW JOB

Improving Employee Retention from Day One: A People-First Approach

  • Michelle Denny
  • Sep 15
  • 4 min read

Most people think retention is about what you do after someone’s settled in. The reality? It starts the moment they accept your offer, and it doesn’t stop.


If you want to hold onto great people, you need to do more than just hire well. You need to build the conditions that make them want to stay. And not because they feel stuck, but because they feel clear, connected, and valued.


At MDR Consultancy, we don’t see recruitment as a finish line. It’s the start of the employment journey. And we partner with clients who want that whole journey to matter.


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So, what does retention look like in real terms and how do you improve it from day one?


1. It is more than onboarding, it’s about belonging

Yes, onboarding matters. A lot. (And if you haven’t read our recent blog on onboarding mistakes, it’s worth a look.) But even with a solid welcome, retention takes more than a checklist.


It’s about whether the new hire feels like they belong. That happens through culture, relationships, and how people communicate. It’s so much more than in the induction manual.


Retention starts when people feel:


  • Trusted to do what they were hired to do

  • Encouraged to ask questions and offer ideas

  • Included in team conversations (even the informal ones)


Belonging isn’t just a buzzword it’s what turns a hire into a loyal employee.


2. Be clear about what growth actually looks like


“Plenty of room to grow” sounds great in an interview. But if there’s no structure, feedback, or transparency about what that really means, people lose interest quickly.


That doesn’t mean every role needs a five-year progression plan. But it does mean people want to understand:


  • What success looks like in this role

  • What’s possible if they deliver

  • How and when that’s reviewed


One of the most preventable reasons people leave is lack of progression. Often the reason we hear from candidates is it’s not that they weren’t performing well in their role, it’s that no one ever told them how they could develop.


Tip: Set up regular 1:1s that go beyond task updates. Make development part of the conversation from the start.


3. The line manager makes or breaks the experience


We could go on forever about this and there will be a blog on this very subject coming soon but let’s get this message out there…. You can have the best intentions as a business, but if the line manager relationship isn’t right, retention suffers. As we’ve been saying for years. “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers”


According to CIPD research, the line manager is the single biggest influence on employee experience. Not just in performance, but in whether people stay or go.


Managers don’t need to be perfect, but they do need support.


So, ask:

  • Are your line managers confident in managing performance and feedback?

  • Do they have the tools to support wellbeing, workload and development?

  • Do they know how to build trust and accountability?


If not, don’t leave them to figure it out alone. Supporting your managers is supporting your retention strategy. As we mentioned, further blog to follow!


4. Give employees what they actually value not just what you think they want


Free coffee and birthday doughnuts are nice. But people stay where they feel respected, supported, and heard.


Retention is often linked to:

  • Flexibility: Autonomy over when, where, or how they work

  • Recognition: Knowing their work matters (and why)

  • Voice: Feeling they can speak up and shape change

  • Balance: Having time and energy left for their life outside work


If you’re not sure what matters most to your people, ask. A simple pulse survey or check-in can highlight what’s working and what needs attention. Just be ready to listen to what comes back.


5. Watch your warning signs


Retention issues rarely come out of nowhere. There are always signs.

Some of the biggest red flags:


  • A new hire goes quiet after their first month

  • More sick days than expected

  • Tense team dynamics that no one’s addressing

  • High performers starting to disengage or pull back

  • Feedback drying up on both sides


You don’t need a full engagement survey to spot these. You need managers and leaders who are willing to look up and pay attention.


Tip: Encourage honest conversations early. You’d rather learn something’s not working while you can fix it not at the exit interview.


6. Make retention part of your hiring strategy


If you only think about retention after someone’s joined, you’re always playing catch-up.

Instead, start asking the right questions during the hiring process:


  • What kind of environment does this person thrive in?

  • How does our culture support that or not?

  • Are we clear on what’s needed long-term, not just today?


You can also build retention into your candidate experience by showing people what they can expect beyond the offer. What will their first 90 days look like? How will we invest in them? What does success actually mean here?


When candidates see that you’re thinking beyond day one, it builds trust from the start.

 

Final Thought


Retention isn’t just about perks or pay it’s about purpose, clarity, and connection.


If you're serious about hiring well, you need to think beyond placement. And if your recruitment partner isn't supporting you to do that, you're only getting part of the service.


At MDR, we believe good hiring should stick. We don’t just fill a vacancy; we support you in building teams that lasts.

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