At-Risk Employees
Definition
Count of employees actively flagged as flight risk by managers, based on engagement signals (skip-level surveys, manager 1:1s, counter-offer activity, tenure-curve risk). A leading indicator that complements the lagging `hr.voluntary_exits` number. Common pitfall: stale flags that never get cleared — at-risk lists tend to drift toward "every senior IC ever" without manager discipline. Best practice is a quarterly refresh with explicit add/remove notes and an action attached to each flag.
Why it matters
Converts manager intuition into a board-readable risk count, and pairs naturally with `hr.retention_initiatives` so the board sees risk and response together. A rising at-risk count without rising retention activity is a yellow flag.
How it's calculated
Count of currently-flagged active employees on the retention watchlist. Flag criteria are company-defined but typically include: declining 1:1 engagement, missed comp expectations, counter-offer activity, or manager-flagged tenure-curve risk. Convention: flags expire 90 days after entry unless renewed. How to interpret it
Read alongside `hr.voluntary_exits` — at-risk count should lead exits by 1–2 quarters. Concentration in one team or level is more diagnostic than the absolute number. Sustained at-risk count above ~10–15% of headcount typically warrants a targeted retention program (industry folk-wisdom, not citation-grade).
Source
imboard Editorial
Stage relevance
Typically owned by
Related KPIs
Count of employees who resigned during the period (initiated by employee, not the company). The numerator of the `hr.voluntary_turnover_rate` calculation and the headline "are we losing people" number boards anchor on. Common pitfall: ambiguous "mutually agreed" exits — companies sometimes log managed-out exits as voluntary to keep the visible number low. Define the test: if the employee initiated the conversation and there was no formal performance trigger, it is voluntary; otherwise log as termination.
Voluntary exits over a trailing period, expressed as an annualized percentage of average headcount — the headline attrition number on the HR scorecard. Anchored to the Mercer US Turnover Survey methodology (Mercer reports voluntary vs involuntary turnover annually). Common pitfall: comparing a single quarter's annualized rate against an annual benchmark — short-window annualization is noisy. Best practice is trailing-12-months for benchmark comparison and trailing-3 or trailing-6 for trend reads. Per #1426: stage-specific industry norms here are folk-wisdom unless tied to a specific Mercer or comparable published cut.
Narrative on the programs and actions in flight to retain key talent and reduce voluntary turnover — refresh grants, comp-band adjustments, manager training, career-pathing programs, and similar. The response side of the `hr.at_risk_count` and `hr.voluntary_turnover_rate` story. Common pitfall: listing perks (snacks, swag) instead of actions tied to retention drivers. Best practice is to name the initiative, the at-risk population it targets, and the leading-indicator metric you'll watch.
Narrative on key hiring difficulties, attrition concerns, comp-market pressure, and market-driven talent risks that the board should weigh in on or be aware of. The "watch this" companion to `hr.talent_highlights`. Common pitfall: sanitizing this section to avoid uncomfortable conversations — but talent challenges are precisely where boards add the most value (warm intros, comp benchmarking, executive search). Best practice is to name the specific role, team, or risk and the ask explicitly.
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