Worker who'd never quit, or be fired

New York

TURNOVER at one of Adventist Health-Care's hospitals, in Maryland, was higher than the market average, costing the group money and, if the research is right, possibly threatening the quality of care. The hospital had recruited well-trained people with all the right credentials and promptly lost the ones who just didn't click.

What went wrong?

Replacing a lost worker costs companies an average of six to nine months' salary, between recruitment and training costs and productivity losses, according to some estimates.

"If you can keep them for two years instead of one, you saved yourself US$6,000 to US$20,000," said Bill Robertson, who was chief executive officer of Adventi…