Hey friend,

Hiring is expensive. And if you think that’s where the cost ends, I have some bad news—retaining employees is a whole other ball game.

Companies spend so much time wooing candidates (fancy job posts, slick interviews, promises of unlimited snacks) only to drop the ball once they’re actually hired. And then, poof—they’re gone.

But what if I told you there’s a way to actually keep people engaged and make all that effort worth it?

Enter Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV)—a metric that isn’t just another HR buzzword but actually helps you understand how much value an employee brings to your company over time.

At BuddiesHR, we believe engagement isn’t about sending out a yearly survey and hoping for the best. It’s about designing an employee journey people actually want to be part of—from onboarding to offboarding (yes, even exits matter).

And guess what? We’ve got Slack add-ons that make it ridiculously easy. So, let’s break it down.

What is Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV)?

ELTV is the total value an employee brings to a company during their tenure. Think of it like customer lifetime value, but instead of measuring how much a customer spends, you’re measuring how much an employee contributes.

🔹 Hiring Costs → That pricey recruiting process.
🔹 Onboarding & Training → The time spent getting employees up to speed.
🔹 Productivity & Innovation → The magic employees bring to their work.
🔹 Alumni Advocacy → Yes, ex-employees can still be valuable! (And no, this doesn’t mean stalking them on LinkedIn.)

Measuring ELTV helps companies figure out where they’re losing people and why—so they can fix the leaks before all their top talent swims away.

Designing an Employee Journey That Actually Works

Step 1: Onboarding (a.k.a. “Please Don’t Regret This Job”)

Fact: Employees who have a great onboarding experience are 69% more likely to stay for three years.

But let’s be honest—most onboarding sucks. It’s either a paperwork avalanche or an awkward, unstructured mess.

Ever had a new hire ask, "Who am I supposed to be talking to?" Or, even worse, start their first day with no laptop, no meetings, and no clue what they’re supposed to do? Yeah, same.

It’s embarrassing. And completely avoidable.

How BuddiesHR Helps:

✅ Alfy (Matching): Because nothing’s worse than eating lunch alone. Alfy pairs employees for coffee chats so they actually get to know their coworkers.

✅ Linky (Directory): Who does what? Where do I find them? Linky makes it clear so new hires don’t feel like they’re lost in a corporate maze.

✅ Stany (Standups): No one likes pointless meetings. Stany helps teams run efficient standups, so new hires know what’s going on (without needing another Zoom call).

Step 2: Development & Growth (a.k.a. “Give Me a Reason to Stay”)

If an employee feels stuck, they’re already halfway out the door.

Growth isn’t just about promotions. People want to learn new skills, take on exciting projects, and not feel like they’re in a dead-end job.

Ever had someone leave because they felt like they weren’t growing, only to see them absolutely thrive at another company? It stings. (Especially when you realize you could’ve kept them if you just asked what they needed.)

How BuddiesHR Helps:

✅ Pulsy (Survey): Want to know what employees actually think? Pulsy collects feedback so you can act before it’s too late.

✅ Ticky (Tracking): Let employees track their own progress and goals, so they feel like they’re moving forward—not in circles.

Step 3: Engagement & Recognition (a.k.a. “A Little Praise Goes a Long Way”)

People don’t just work for a paycheck. They want to feel seen.

If no one acknowledges their efforts, they’ll start updating their LinkedIn faster than you can say, “We’re like a family here.”

I once had an employee tell me, "I feel like I could disappear for a week, and no one would notice." Ouch. That’s when I realized recognition isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s essential.

How BuddiesHR Helps:

✅ Clappy (Kudos): Public recognition made easy. Celebrate wins in Slack so good work doesn’t go unnoticed.

✅ Billy (Birthdays): Don’t be that manager who forgets birthdays. Billy ensures employees feel special on their day (without HR scrambling for last-minute cake).

Step 4: Offboarding (a.k.a. “Let’s Not Burn Bridges”)

Offboarding isn’t just about collecting a laptop and saying “good luck.”

How someone leaves your company impacts your brand and future hiring. Former employees can become boomerang hires, referral sources, or even clients.

I once saw a former employee refer three incredible candidates after leaving. Why? Because they actually had a great offboarding experience and still wanted to see the company succeed.

How BuddiesHR Helps:

✅ Pulsy (Survey): Get honest feedback from exiting employees to improve your workplace.

✅ Linky (Directory): Keep alumni connected to your network for future collaborations.

The Bottom Line: Why BuddiesHR?

Most companies think they’re good at engagement.

But let’s be real—sending out one pulse survey a year and calling it a day isn’t enough.

Engagement happens every single day, and with BuddiesHR, it’s actually easy to build a culture where people feel connected, recognized, and valued.

And let’s talk about tech fear for a second. Many leaders hesitate when it comes to new tools. I get it—learning another platform sounds exhausting. But here’s the thing:

👉 We expect our employees to grow and evolve, yet we resist doing the same?

Embracing automation and smarter HR tools isn’t about making your job harder—it’s about making it easier (while also making you look like an absolute rockstar leader).

If you want to stop the constant hiring cycle and actually retain your employees, let’s talk.

BuddiesHR has the tools to help you turn engagement into action—because when employees thrive, so does your business. 🚀