Why Are People Really Staying? The Truth About Retention

Recently, someone asked me why some companies have a solid retention rate. Instinctively, I rattled off the usual answers—flexibility, benefits, bonuses. But as I spoke, each word felt hollow. The real reasons? Fear of change. "Golden handcuffs." Contractual obligations that make leaving seem impossible.

We’re long overdue for a shift in perspective. Somewhere along the way, we accepted a corporate culture where:
✅ 60-hour workweeks are standard, but the paycheck only reflects 40.
✅ High performers are "rewarded" with more work, not more balance.
✅ The bottom line takes precedence over employee well-being.

We live in a world of instant communication—email, texts, Teams, Slack—yet we’re still operating in a system designed by people who barely had landlines and fax machines. Back then, when you left the office, you left work. No one was calling you at home about a "quick issue."

Now? We’re constantly connected. And as a recovering people-pleaser with zero boundaries, I know how hard it is to see those notifications and not respond. I had to delete every work app from my phone for an entire year just to break the habit.

I wanted to be a great employee. I wanted to help people. But I also needed to rest, to feel human, to actually enjoy my life. Why does it feel like we’re forced to choose—work or well-being—when we should have both? Why does it always come down to a choice between the company’s bottom line or the well-being of its employees? Why can’t success mean both—a thriving business and happy, fulfilled people? It's time for a new conversation about what real retention looks like. Not fear. Not obligation. But workplaces that truly support the people keeping them alive.

I left my last job because I was burnt out, stuck in a stagnant role, and suffocating in a corporate culture that didn’t align with my values. I’ve always thrived in environments with a scrappy start-up energy—where creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving drive success. I love being able to make real changes, create meaningful solutions, and serve both the company and its customers without getting tangled in layers of red tape. And I work best under leadership that recognizes and values my entrepreneurial mindset.

But time and time again, I’ve watched start-ups grow, sell, or get absorbed by larger corporations—only for everything to shift. Suddenly, it’s all about the bottom line, mediocrity over innovation, and policies that prioritize consistency over excellence. Employees who once thrived are now boxed in. Perks meant to reward performance are stripped away in the name of uniformity. Passionate problem-solvers become cogs in a machine. At this point, there are very few corporate perks enticing enough to pull me back. But that conversation got me thinking—maybe the problem isn’t the employees. Maybe it’s corporate culture that needs to change.

What if, instead of forcing people into rigid roles that drain them, we created roles designed for people to thrive? What if companies valued real contributions over outdated structures? What if success wasn’t measured by how much employees endure, but by how well they perform when they feel valued and supported?

The world of work is evolving. The question is—will corporate culture evolve with it? What if we intentionally built workplace cultures instead of slapping together a handful of generic values no one actually follows?

I’m a lifelong learner—constantly diving into self-help books, personality assessments, and human behavior podcasts. Not just for my own growth, but to spark conversations and create stronger connections with those around me. In the past, I integrated these insights into team-building exercises, helping my team understand each other’s strengths and perspectives.

As a manager, this awareness was game-changing. I could see when someone was stuck in a role misaligned with their natural talents. And when we adjusted responsibilities to better fit each person’s strengths, everything improved—efficiency, morale, and even long-term career growth for the employees. It wasn’t about avoiding challenges or chasing perfection. It was about aligning people with work that energized them rather than drained them.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t have to be a choice between what’s best for the company and what’s best for the employee. What’s best for the employee is what’s best for the company.* When people are valued, understood, and placed where they can thrive, success follows—for everyone.

If you’re ready to create a workplace culture that fuels both business growth and employee well-being, let’s connect! Visit our Sessions page to explore my speaking engagements, workshops, and other offerings designed to help businesses build engaged, high-performing teams.

Let’s rethink success—together.

The Energy of Change: How I Rebuilt My Life from the Ground Up

I used to be someone who sacrificed even my most basic need if it meant I could help someone else. I thought that was the point of being on the planet. To sacrifice all to help others, even if it meant that I paid the price. Unfortunately, it created a response to seek external validation and caused me to lose focus on who I was outside those expectations. It is a problematic stance to take as a child and a dangerous one as an adult. This mindset and a strong work ethic made an excellent recipe for burnout with a side of identity crisis.

When I was 20, I got my first adult job doing prior authorizations at a long-term care pharmacy. It paid my bills, and I had fun theorizing what I wanted to do with my life. What I thought was a short stint in pharmacy ended up being an 18-year career. By 26, I was a workaholic; by 30, I was convinced it was my environment and needed to move across the country; by 31, I was convinced it was the 24/7 field I was in and pivoted again. The old saying “everywhere you go, there you are” rang true for me. By 33, I was in the same situation I had been in many times: the people-pleasing, problem-fixing workaholic. This time, I decided I was going to make a change. It was the beginning of COVID-19, and I had plenty of never-ending alone time to make myself face the fact that I was creating problems in my life, so I got a therapist.

By the time I had my first call with my therapist, I had a list of what I deemed significant problems in my life and the parties involved. She asked me what I wanted to work on, and I proceeded to word vomit all over her while sobbing for about forty-five minutes. She calmly said it seemed I was suffering from mild depression and PTSD. We set my goals, confirmed the appointment for the following week, and then hung up. I felt so relieved after that call. There is something freeing about being extremely vulnerable to a stranger who can help you see your issues differently. I had been dreading almost every moment of every day of my life for years. Deciding to go to therapy and get help was the first step on my healing journey. Therapy can be extremely confronting and challenging, but it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Here are the top 3 lessons she helped me learn:

1. Your parents are just people trying to figure out how to live amongst their traumas. Forgive them, heal yourself, and make the changes needed to avoid repeating cycles.

2. Open communication is a key to a successful relationship, where both people can express their needs. Contrary to my deep-rooted belief, reading other people’s minds or having them read yours is not a relationship requirement. Use your words, people!

3. My identity is whatever I decide it is. My identity is not decided by others or by my occupation.

By 2021, I was lucky to come out of COVID on a personal high. Finally able to heal some deep-seated wounds, I expanded my horizons. I bought my first home, completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training, and started to grow roots by expanding my community. I knew I had resolved many issues but felt I was repeating the same cycles in my relationships. I knew I had changed for the better, but why was there so much tension in my relationships? I often felt anxious and overwhelmed even though I was using my coping skills. My friend told me about her energy healer who helped her with her anxiety. I was familiar with the chakras from my yoga teacher training and other research I had done, so I was open to meeting her.

 During my first session with her, she brought up conflicts I had had with people ten years earlier and explained how the emotional energy of those conflicts was still in my energy field. I was shocked and slightly skeptical, but I didn’t tell her about any of those conflicts, and I could not deny that I felt years lighter. My skin glowed, my eyes shone, and I felt like a new person. I made weekly appointments with her, and after a few months, she told me I could do it, too. I signed up for an introductory pranic healing class and never looked back. Energy healing changed my life. Here are the top three things I have learned from energy healing:

 1. Energy healing aligns with holistic approaches by addressing physical, emotional, and mental states. Energy seems a bit weird, but science recognizes the electromagnetic fields generated by the heart and the brain. Is it so odd to believe we have one around our whole body?

2. Everything has an energetic component. Have you ever wondered why a burn deepens after you remove your hand from it? The heat stays in your field after you remove it from the physical object. I have not had a burn mark since I learned energy healing. Have you ever had a particularly emotional day, crashed when you got home, and still woke up exhausted? Your energy is still tied to that experience draining you.  

3. Your beliefs create your energy, which creates your reality. Are you a chaos magnet? Do you believe that you thrive in chaos? Do you think you must work hard for everything, unintentionally making things harder for yourself? I did, but now I believe what is meant for me flows to me peacefully.  

It's okay to be skeptical; a healthy dose of skepticism drives scientific inquiry. Energy healing is about offering another layer of support that complements, not replaces, traditional medicine. Combining energy healing with therapy and yoga shifted my life at a time when I was going through deep burnout. It brought awareness into my life that I had previously ignored. I could no longer ignore that I was on the wrong path in my career and my values had changed. The good news was that I had finally found my passion – teaching people how to incorporate energy healing into their daily routines to transform their lives. I sold my condo, moved across the country, and resigned from my position. It was bittersweet, but I had never felt lighter.

 This last year has been the happiest year of my life. I focused entirely on myself, being intentional, and learning new modalities to continue expanding my life. Pulling my life out of autopilot made me realize how far down the rabbit hole I was, neglecting my basic needs for something that is a blip in the timeline of my life. Here are the top three lessons I’ve learned as a recovered workaholic:

 1. You are replaceable to your company. Every company I left moved on without a second thought while I sank deeper into burnout, starting my next job.

2. Optimizing your physical, mental, emotional, and energetic health is essential to your life, not something you should sacrifice for others.

3. People come into your life for a season, a reason, or a lifetime, so those who are meant to stay will stay and let the others go with love.

 The most cathartic part of this process has been standing in my power and reclaiming my space. Moving forward, I will attract relationships that fulfill me and align with my values. I hope sharing my story resonates with you and gives you the courage to change if necessary.  

Leading by Example: The Critical Role of Leadership in Preventing Burnout in Healthcare

According to the CDC, approximately 50% of healthcare workers reported feelings of burnout in 2023, and 86% of them reported feelings of anxiety and depression. The American Medical Association reported a 4% decline in physicians' feelings of burnout for the first time since the pandemic, at 48.7%. Burnout in healthcare, among many fields, is not new, but are we doing more than just talking about it? In recent years, I have heard countless conversations about the staffing crisis and burnout in healthcare and complaints from leadership about how “no one wants to work anymore.” Has anyone wondered why? Would you want to work in an environment where you feel like you are drowning and no one throws a life vest? I would have been grateful for some floaties at specific points in my career.

In my career, I watched overburdened providers and staff tear up, cry, shut down, or lash out as they reached complete exhaustion and their wit's end and were immediately dismissed. What if that reaction was met with the compassion it deserves, and the employee was provided tools to help them work through it? As a leader, do you prioritize your health and well-being? Leadership plays a crucial role in preventing burnout in healthcare by embodying the values and providing their team with tools to help themselves. Leaders who "walk the walk" set a powerful example for their teams, fostering a culture of well-being, resilience, and support. When leaders demonstrate their commitment to preventing burnout by prioritizing their own well-being and promoting work-life balance, it builds credibility and trust among staff. Employees are more likely to follow suit and engage in self-care practices when they see their leaders doing the same. Leaders shape the organizational culture. They have the choice to either establish a supportive environment that emphasizes mental health and resilience by actively promoting and participating in wellness programs, recognizing signs of burnout, and addressing them proactively, or they can cultivate a toxic environment that leads to burnout in order to boost their profits. I would argue that creating a supportive environment that proactively addresses burnout can boost your bottom line by retaining staff, increasing productivity, and providing better patient care. Extending compassion to your patients is difficult when you cannot feel compassion for yourself.

Leaders who are open about their own challenges and stressors encourage a culture of transparency and open communication. This helps reduce the stigma around mental health issues and makes it easier for staff to seek help when needed. Unfortunately, many leaders lack the resources to support their teams. When I faced burnout, I used podcasts, audiobooks, and took holistic classes to improve my self-care practices and then shared the information with my team. Finding time to research and apply these techniques when dealing with burnout can be challenging since burnout symptoms can take a toll on the body and nervous system. Have you or an employee experienced this? If so, please use the steps below when you are feeling overwhelmed and need a reset:

1. Acknowledge how you are feeling and show yourself compassion. Even superheroes have limits, and everyone must take a moment for themselves. Remember, self-compassion is not a luxury; it's a necessity in the battle against burnout.

2. Close your eyes (or look down) and shift your focus to your breath; slowly inhale to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 4. Repeat this process until the initial wave of emotion has subsided.

3. Allow your breathing to return to normal. Imagine the sun above you, bathing you in its bright sunlight. Inhale the bright sunlight, then exhale, releasing any tension or stagnant emotions. Continue until you feel your body relax.

4. Slowly open your eyes and shift your focus to the present moment. What is one action you can take to help yourself in this moment?

I studied several types of energy work, and it is incredible how much energy we can store from other people and ourselves in our biofield that heightens our emotions and thoughts. You can start healing burnout by providing yourself and your team with tools they can use to address their mental, physical, and energetic health. Small steps like taking a moment to focus on your breath and reset your energy allow you to focus on the present, resolve what is within your control, release what you cannot, and increase your capacity to heal yourself on a deeper level.