“Every resignation letter comes with a hidden invoice.”
The real cost of losing great staff in wellbeing
By Samantha Newton, HR Consultant, Ethical Practice Advocate & unapologetic HR Queen
Why This Series Matters
It’s tempting to treat staff turnover as “just part of running a business.” But in wellbeing, the cost isn’t just financial, it’s emotional, reputational, and deeply personal. When someone leaves, the ripple spreads: clients, colleagues, culture. It’s never just an empty chair. It’s a bill you didn’t expect.
Why Listen to Me?
Because I’ve seen the invoices no one budgets for. I’ve been called into businesses where one departure sparked a domino effect, missed bookings, lost clients, and exhausted teams. I’ve also helped owners design simple, people-first practices that made staff want to stay, saving them thousands in hidden costs.
“Turnover doesn’t hit once. It lingers in refunds, rotas, and reputations.”
Photo by Bradyn Trollip on Unsplash
What Happens When It Goes Wrong
A wellbeing centre I supported lost their receptionist, on paper, “just admin.” In reality, she was the hub. Within 10 days:
- Appointment reminders weren’t sent.
- Two clients left scathing Google reviews after being double-booked.
- Practitioners spent hours firefighting instead of focusing on treatments.
By the end of the month, the business had lost more in refunds and missed bookings than it would’ve cost to give her a pay rise.
“Staff don’t just take their notice. They take your systems, your client trust, and sometimes your future revenue.”
Photo by The Nix Company on Unsplash
What Happens When It Goes Right
Now picture a small pilates studio. Instead of letting admin staff churn, they focused on retention. They introduced flexible hours, built schedules around staff strengths, and involved their team in decision-making. The result? Turnover flatlined. Clients noticed the stability. Within six months, loyalty rose on both sides of the desk: staff and customers.
The Hidden Costs of Turnover
- Financial: Advertising, training, lost productivity.
- Emotional: Morale dips, resentment builds.
- Reputational: Clients lose confidence when faces keep changing.
The average replacement costs 30–50% of a salary. In wellbeing, where margins are slim, that’s the difference between thriving and surviving.
Sole Traders, Listen Up
Think you’re immune because you’re solo? Not quite. Every time you burn out, cancel clients, or drop a collaborator, you pay the hidden invoice too — in lost income, strained trust, and opportunities you can’t win back.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Reflect Before You Act
- Who was the last person to leave your business — and what did it really cost you?
- If your best practitioner resigned tomorrow, how many clients would follow?
- How many “hidden invoices” have you already absorbed without naming them?
What to Action Today
- Calculate the full cost of your last staff departure (ads + training + refunds + lost clients).
- Ask your team what would make them want to stay long-term.
- Choose one low-cost change that strengthens loyalty now, before it’s too late.
Free Resource
Want to see where staff turnover is already draining you?
👉 Email Sam for her free Staff Retention Cost Calculator.
Summary
Turnover doesn’t just sting once. It leaves dents in your finances, cracks in your culture, and scars on your reputation. Retention, on the other hand, saves money, morale, and momentum.
“Recruitment is a gamble. Retention is insurance.”
Photo by Lucy Williams Photography
Let’s Get Your House in Order
If you’re tired of hidden invoices landing in your business, this is exactly the kind of problem I solve for wellbeing owners every day. Together, we’ll keep your best people, protect your clients, and stop money leaking out of unseen cracks.
Here’s what working with me gives you:
✅ Clarity on the real cost of turnover in your business
✅ Practical, low-cost retention strategies that stick
✅ Confidence your team — and clients — aren’t one resignation away from leaving
Book your free 15-min HR SOS call. Because meaningful work needs meaningful protection.
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“Your energy is sacred. So is your team. Guard both.”
Main – Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
About the Author: Samantha Newton
