Definitions of retention from the limited number of sources which define the term
| Source and title | Definition |
| Retention | |
| Human resource management textbook: Managing Employee Retention: A Strategic Accountability Approach | ‘the percentage of employees remaining in the organization. High levels of retention are desired in most job groups’26 |
| Research in nursing and health: The Nursing Practice Environment, Staff Retention, and Quality of Care | ‘the proportion of full-time staff nurses employed on a unit at the beginning of the study and remaining on the unit at the end of a 1-year period’27 |
| Employee retention | |
| Human resource planning: The Race for Talent: Retaining and Engaging Workers in the 21st Century | ‘the effort by an employer to keep desirable workers in order to meet business objectives’23 |
| International Journal of Advance Research in Computer Science and Management Studies: Review paper—study on employee retention and commitment | ‘a technique adopted by businesses to maintain an effective workforce and at the same time meet operational requirements’24 |
| Journal of Economics, Management and Trade: Human resource management practices and employee retention: a review of literature | ‘the hierarchical arrangements and practices utilised as a part of the organisation to keep key workers from leaving the association’25 |
| Volunteer retention | |
| Independent research organisation report: Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers | The percentage of volunteers involved with the organisation 1 year ago who are still involved today.28 |