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Building a Culture of Retention
Micro-Strategies that Keep Employees
April 2026
By Becca Tonn
Have you recently had a valuable employee give notice or quit on the spot—or maybe not return after family leave? If they went to work elsewhere, you’re likely wondering what you could have done to keep them.With unemployment in Southern Colorado hovering between 3 and 4 percent (lower than the state/national average)—and substantial job openings compared to available workers—this tight labor market has employers competing for a limited talent pool.
Somebody cue the superhero music to soften the hammer fall. Workers have options; turnover is expensive for you; retention strategies matter now more than ever.
Low-Cost Retention Strategies
Let’s start with the easiest solution—just ask your staff what they want! Of course, it’s not that simple, but let’s not overcomplicate it, either. According to Troop HR, “Stay interviews are structured, one-on-one conversations aimed at understanding an employee’s job satisfaction, motivations, and potential areas for growth.”
Let’s be honest: a conversation costs you nothing—it won’t decimate your bottom line. In fact, data show it will likely improve it.
“Stay interviews can be a really important retention tool,” says Sherri Manning, Chief People Officer at Olo. Your company may be too large to meet individually with everyone, but have “a plan to triage how you sequence that by looking at top performers or long service folks.”
Schedule time with your directors and managers to ask what they enjoy about their work, where they want to grow, and what challenges they face—then help smooth the path (servant leadership, right?). After you’ve come up with a plan, ask them to meet individually with their direct reports to conduct a stay interview.
“You want to convince that person to stay within the organization because you see them as a valued asset,” says Trevor Bogan of the Top Employers Institute.
Psychological Safety and Team Belonging
Nearly half of employees looking for other options cite company culture as their reason for wanting to leave, according to Haiilo, an employee engagement site. According to Workforce Retention, psychological safety means staff believe they will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up.
“Regular maintenance is something we do to ensure equipment is operating efficiently and won’t break down or cause an injury. So why aren’t we doing something similar for people in the workplace to prevent mental harm at work?” asks Kristy Cork, WSPS Specialized Consultant, Healthy Workplaces.
As leadership researcher Marcus Buckingham famously observed, “People leave managers, not companies.” In many workplaces, retention isn’t simply about compensation or benefits—it’s about the quality of day-to-day leadership.
Often, employers learn about workplace difficulties during the exit interview—clearly too late. Workplace Safety & Prevention Services recommends five tips for improving psychological support and worker retention: take the pulse of your workers often; look at your culture; ensure supervisors and managers support a positive culture; focus on work/life balance; and recognize and reward employees.
Summit aligns education with workforce needs in Pikes Peak region
30 March 2026
(COLORADO SPRINGS) —
The Springs 2026 Regional Career Pathways Summit took place on Monday, March 24, presented by the Pikes Peak Business and Education Alliance (PPBEA) in partnership with regional school systems and the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.
The collaborative event brought together all eight Career Pathway Advisory Boards from across the region, uniting educators, industry leaders, students, and community partners to align education with workforce needs, strengthening talent across the Pikes Peak Region.
“This summit continues to be a powerful space where education and industry come together with purpose,” said Bob Gemignani, director of PPBEA. “By aligning our efforts, we are creating meaningful pathways for students and addressing critical workforce needs for businesses in our region.”
People who attended were able to engage in meaningful collaboration, spanning K-12 education, higher education, and industry. Participants heard from students and workforce leaders, gaining insights that informed the development of strategies to support student success and drive regional economic growth, according to PPBEA.
Colorado Springs summit unites educators and businesses to strengthen regional workforce pipeline
30 March 2026
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Pikes Peak Business and Education Alliance, regional school systems and the Pikes Peak Workforce Center hosted the Spring 2026 Regional Career Pathways Summit on Monday.
The event brought together educators, industry leaders and community partners at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs to align education with workforce needs and strengthen the talent pipeline across the region.
Melissa Scruggs, President and CEO of Financial Talent Group, noted there is a massive need for skilled workers in the community.
She emphasized that connecting businesses with high school students helps build a future workforce pipeline while educating students on their options for college or two-year trade schools.
Lukas Kucera, a 2021 graduate of Sand Creek High School who is now a welder, shared his experience of discovering a career in the trades. He said he did not know what he wanted to do in high school until he took a class that introduced him to sheet metal fabrication and welding.
“As soon as I struck an arc for the first time, I was like, this is awesome, this is something that I, I really wanna learn and I have a passion for.”
Colorado Springs manufacturing company to lay off 134 employees
21 January 2026
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA)
Colorado Springs has job resources available for those affected by the layoffs or anyone needing help finding employment after being laid off.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center in Colorado Springs helps people navigate temporary unemployment and provides comprehensive support beyond just job searching.
“Whether it’s your first job, or maybe a transition job, or maybe again switching complete careers, the Workforce Center can help you through all of the different stages of looking for work,” Erica Romeo, Business Relations Manager at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.
She said the Center assists with multiple aspects of unemployment, including helping with unemployment insurance and managing healthcare transitions.
PPWFC offering funding for employee training
9 January 2026
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWFC) said it has $250,000 available in its Employee Development Funds to award companies that want to increase the workforce expertise of their current staff.
The program is funded through the federal Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), and supports employee training to build a skilled workforce and prevent layoffs. PPWFC said during the selection process, preference is given to in-demand industries, such as health care, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism, cyber security, and to companies whose training leads to expansion of duties for employees.
“This program presents wonderful opportunities for companies in both El Paso and Teller counties,” said Pikes Peak Workforce Center’s Communications & PR Manager Becca Tonn. “We hope a diverse array of businesses and nonprofits will apply for this funding, which is aimed at enhancing economic sustainability through employee training and skill development.”
PPWFC Offers Workforce Training Funds to El Paso & Teller County Employers
7 January 2026
To address ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, the Workforce Center is offering $250,000 in funding to help businesses train and upskill their employees.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center has $250,000 available in Employee Development Funds to award companies who want to increase the workforce expertise of their current staff.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Funded through the federal Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), this program supports employee training to build a skilled workforce and prevent layoffs.
During the selection process, preference is given to in-demand industries, such as health care, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism, cyber security – and to companies whose training leads to expansion of duties for employees.
“This program presents wonderful opportunities for companies in both El Paso and Teller counties,” said Pikes Peak Workforce Center’s Communications & PR Manager Becca Tonn.
“We hope a diverse array of businesses and nonprofits will apply for this funding, which is aimed at enhancing economic sustainability through employee training and skill development.”
Employers have the flexibility to select training programs tailored to their unique business and employee needs.
TRAINING EXAMPLES BY SECTOR
Technical & Industrial Skills
- AC/DC electricity
- Advanced hydraulic
- Advanced programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
- Electrical schematics
- Motors and controls
- Multi-industry systems technician (MIST) programming
- Total productive maintenance (TPM)
Healthcare
- CNA training course
Information Technology & Cybersecurity
- DF01: Mongo DB Developer
- MCA Microsoft 365 Security w/MCE Enterprise Administration
Leadership & Management
- Executive Leadership Training
- Lean manufacturing
- Six Sigma
- Value stream mapping
Innovation and Quality Assurance
- Customized ISO
- Rapid cycle product innovation
Employee training funds available to Pikes Peak region businesses
By Breeanna Jent, 6 January 2026
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is offering funds to help companies in El Paso and Teller counties train and upskill their employees.
The regional workforce center has $250,000 in available Employee Development Funds to help local businesses and nonprofits strengthen their staff’s workforce expertise, the organization said in a Tuesday news release. The funds are available through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which supports employee training.
“This program presents wonderful opportunities for companies in both El Paso and Teller counties. We hope a diverse array of businesses and nonprofits will apply for this funding, which is aimed at enhancing economic sustainability through employee training and skill development,” Pikes Peak Workforce Center spokeswoman Becca Tonn said in the release.
Local employers can select training programs that meet their specific business and employee needs, the release said.
Training programs are offered in a variety of sectors, including technical and industrial skills, health care, information technology and cybersecurity, leadership and management, and innovation and quality assurance, for example.
Employers who are interested in applying for these funds must attend a virtual “How to Apply” session. Register online and find more program information at ppwfc.org/funds-for-worker-training.
Information sessions will be held on Jan. 13 from 2-3 p.m., Jan. 14 from 10-11 a.m. and Jan. 15 from 10-11 a.m.
When selecting awardees, preference will be given to in-demand industries like health care, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism, and cybersecurity, as well as companies whose training leads to expansion of duties for employees, the release said.
Applications are due by 8 p.m. Jan. 30. Funding awards will be announced Feb. 13, and training must be completed by May 22.
