![8 Retention Strategies to Keep Your Best SEO Talent From Fleeing 8 Retention Strategies to Keep Your Best SEO Talent From Fleeing](https://moz.com/images/blog/8-Retention-Strategies-to-Keep-Your-Best-SEO-Talent-From-Fleeing.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=clip&dm=1705417142&s=0ce045685836f0bb60b8946dd57178cd)
Understanding that retention strategies are unique to each individual is the key to keeping your team intact.
Tailor management to individual employees
To effectively retain someone, you must first understand what motivates them. The classic question, “Where do you want to be in 2 — 3 years?” is cliché but essential.
Responses vary; one might aspire to only do keyword research with a balance between family and work life, while another might aim to become the manager of the SEO team. For the former, job security, a predictable routine, and flexibility for family time are crucial. Training, new challenges, and opportunities to grow are essential for the latter.
Equally important is understanding what demotivates your SEO team members. Ask them what would upset them, and commit to avoiding those triggers. You create a tailored environment conducive to retention by directly addressing both motivators and demotivators.
What do they actually want?
When training managers at Hallam, I emphasize specific questions to help understand what an individual seeks from their work. Having recently trained two new managers in our SEO team, I’m reminded of the lasting relevance of these questions.
We’ve identified that employee desires often fall into these categories:
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Job title: The most common response, as many aspire to a better title and the perks it brings, which often includes aspects of other categories.
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Money: A classic response, but not usually the first one mentioned.
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Responsibility: The opportunity to work on different internal projects.
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Status: Similar yet distinct from job title, it’s more about the sense of importance than the title itself.