Turnover Contagion: Why Strong Teams Stay and Others Walk Away

The departure of a trusted team member can feel like a seismic shift within an organisation. But beyond the immediate emotional and workload burden, there’s a more insidious risk that leaders often overlook—turnover contagion.

Coined by researchers studying workplace behaviour[i], turnover contagion describes how one employee’s exit can trigger a wave of departures, destabilising entire teams and even the broader company culture. However, teams that are naturally resilient—those built on trust, shared purpose, and strong relationships—are far better equipped to resist this effect. Instead of letting uncertainty take over, these teams pull together, reaffirming their collective commitment rather than questioning it.

The Psychology Behind the Exodus

Humans are social creatures, and the workplace is no exception. When a respected or long-tenured colleague leaves—whether voluntarily or due to layoffs—those left behind experience a breach in the psychological contract with their employer. Suddenly, they’re left wondering: Am I next? Is this still the right place for me?

Research supports this phenomenon. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology[ii] found that employees are significantly more likely to start job hunting if a close colleague resigns, particularly if that colleague was someone they trusted or viewed as a mentor. The uncertainty and increased workload left in the wake of a departure can heighten stress levels, further prompting employees to look elsewhere for stability. However, teams that have built strong internal bonds—where people feel deeply connected to their colleagues and their shared mission—are more likely to withstand these shocks, maintaining cohesion rather than succumbing to uncertainty.

Why Leaders Should Take Turnover Contagion Seriously

If left unchecked, turnover contagion can lead to a culture of quitting, where frequent resignations become the norm rather than the exception. This has a compounding effect:

• Lower morale – Remaining employees may feel abandoned or demoralised.
• Increased stress – With fewer hands on deck, workloads become heavier.
• Reduced productivity – Teams struggle to function efficiently as they adjust to new dynamics.
• Damage to employer brand – If employees leave in clusters, it signals instability to potential hires.

But there’s another side to this story: teams with a strong foundation of mutual trust and shared identity can actually emerge stronger from these disruptions. If team members feel they are part of something meaningful and well-supported by leadership, they are less likely to question their place in the organisation just because someone else has left.

[i] Felps, W., Mitchell, T. R., Hekman, D. R., Lee, T. W., Holtom, B. C., & Harman, W. S. (2009). Turnover contagion: How coworkers' job embeddedness and job search behaviors influence quitting. Academy of management journal, 52(3), 545-561.

[ii] Brockner, J. (1992). Managing the effects of layoffs on survivors: Survivor’s guilt and reactions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77(4), 618-627

Image credit:  Kurt:S - https://www.flickr.com/photos/testlab/21496317363/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129867571.