Talent Retention: A Key Business Strategy for 2026

Organizations that invest in growth, training, and strong systems will be the ones that maintain stability and outperform their competitors.

Investing in People and Systems: Mitigating the Hidden Cost of Talent Loss

Organizations often treat training, compliance, and management systems as initiatives aimed solely at meeting standards or avoiding audit failures. In 2026, however, there is an even more urgent reason to broaden that perspective: the risk of losing human capital.

As economic conditions tighten and the job market remains fluid, the cost of employee turnover is rising — and with it, the stakes for businesses that rely on consistent quality, safety, environmental, and compliance performance.

The True Cost of Losing Talent

Replacing a departing employee is far more expensive than many realize. A recent analysis estimates that in 2025, replacing a single employee can cost between 50% and four times their annual salary — when factoring in hiring, onboarding, training, lost productivity, and hidden costs such as knowledge loss and morale impact. (Applauz)

One data point: many employers now report that turnover costs their organization $36,700 or more annually — and for larger firms, total turnover-related losses can surpass $100,000 in a single year. (PR Newswire)

In industries governed by strict standards — whether for quality, safety, environment, food safety or information security — high turnover doesn’t just affect staffing. It undermines institutional knowledge, interrupts continuity, and increases the risk of non-conformities, audit failures, or compliance lapses.

Why Employees Leave — And What Training + Systems Do About It

Turnover is driven not only by pay or benefits, but increasingly by opportunity — or lack thereof. Employees who don’t see growth, training, or a path forward are more likely to leave. In contrast, organizations that invest in development tend to keep talent longer, preserve institutional knowledge, and maintain operational stability.

Investing in training is necessary because: 

  • Career Growth and Skill Development: Offering structured training and certification opportunities (e.g., ISO-standard training) signals to employees that the organization values their growth. That increases engagement and loyalty.
  • In today’s remote and hybrid environment, e-learning helps organizations lend a helping hand to employees with rich development opportunities. E-learning can increase retention rates by 25% to 60%. (Forbes)
  • When employees don’t feel challenged and, as a result, feel stagnant in their roles, they can get the itch to leave. A study found that 83% of workers who had recently resigned or were planning to do so in the near future said they no longer felt like they were growing in their position. (Cengage Group)

In 2026, the most resilient companies will see compliance, quality, and talent retention as interconnected pillars of performance. To help organizations strengthen these capabilities, DNV is offering discounted training programs through our end-of-year promotion: https://www.dnv.us/assurance/Training/end-of-year-sales-dnv/

Talent Management as Part of Your Strategy for 2026

As we look ahead to the next few years, “talent risk” — losing experienced, qualified staff — will emerge as a core business risk, especially for companies reliant on high standards of quality, safety, environment, or compliance. Ignoring it can result in unplanned costs, operational disruption, and weakened system integrity.

By treating training, management systems, and compliance infrastructure as part of a broader talent-management strategy, organizations can:

  • Keep institutional knowledge intact
  • Reduce costs related to hiring and onboarding
  • Maintain consistency across sites and functions
  • Build a culture of continuous improvement and employee development

Training, digital tools, and systematic management don’t just support compliance or certifications — they’re a strategic investment in people, in stability, and in long-term success. With replacement costs skyrocketing and labor markets uncertain, organizations that prioritize learning, growth, and system stability gain a competitive edge.

In 2026, the smartest companies will treat compliance, quality, and talent retention as deeply interconnected — because losing people isn’t just a human concern, it’s a business risk. 

At DNV, we support this approach with a wide range of training programs — now available with a limited-time promotion: https://www.dnv.us/assurance/Training/end-of-year-sales-dnv/

 

Sources: Applauz, PR Newswire, Forbes, Cengage Group.

12/10/2025 6:21:00 PM