According to a research by Top-Consultant.com:
"* Consultants want to secure better remuneration. Once applied across the firm this can prove very expensive—and easily negated by a competitor's counter-move. 51% of firms taking measures to improve retention in last 12 months have raised remuneration.
* Consultants want greater influence over the projects they are assigned to. This is likely to lead to more time on the bench and lower utilisation rates if applied across the firm—but could be selectively targeted at staff deemed to be 'at risk' of leaving.
* Consultants want a change in culture so that evening and weekend work is discouraged and work/life balance is improved. Looks like the most cost-effective measure, but needs leadership and buy-in from the most senior figures in the firm.
By contrast, overcoming a problem of 'Early Leavers' is predominantly a question of tackling management problems within the organisation.
'Early leavers' cited lack of face-time with management, lack of guidance, poor management/consultant relationships, uninspiring leadership as top factors for leaving.
Long-serving consultants are most likely to move on because of a lack of career development and uninspiring consulting assignments.
'Long-servers' cited a lack of actual career progression combined with a perceived intransparency in their intended career path; plus dissatisfaction with the variety and challenge of assignments being won. "
Which reiterates that one of the key drivers for retaining intelligent and hard working people is to give them high quality work. People need to be engaged by their work, their superior and peers and their organizations. In that order.