How to Craft an Effective Employee Retention Letter Step 1: Start with a Professional Introduction. Step 2: Establish the Employee's Value. Step 3: Detail the Retention Bonus Terms. Step 4: Address Resignation and Termination Scenarios. Step 5: Include Legal and Administrative Clauses.
The lesson is this: In proposing a retention bonus or agreement to your employer, you should first emphasize (a) why it would be in the interests of the employer, and, then (b) what benefit will come about to the employer if it offers the retention bonus.
Another common “red flag” in a retention agreement is the stipulation that the employee's receipt of the bonus will be determined in the employer's “sole discretion.” You do not want to put this type of power in your employer's hands.
The typical bonus amount can range from 1% to 15% of an employee's salary, usually depending on a number of factors such as industry, company performance, and individual or team accomplishments. The average bonus for employees continues to rise over time. In 2020, the average employee bonus was only 8.1%.
Generally speaking, a retention bonus ranges from 25-95% of the employee's base salary. The company must offer an amount that is meaningful to the employee for it to properly incentivize him/her to sign the retention contract.