Introduction
In our analysis, we examined turnover trends over a two-year period (2023–2024) across a workforce of around 4,500 employees. We identified clear patterns in departure behavior – broken down by age, gender, seniority and role.
The key takeaways? Turnover rates remain high among younger employees, voluntary resignations are the main driver – and both years reveal pronounced seasonal trends.
This analysis helps answer some central questions:
- How do turnover rates differ by age group and gender?
- Which job families are most affected?
- Are there recurring seasonal patterns?
- What actionable recommendations can be derived for employee retention and stability?
Key findings
A slight decline in the turnover rate from 19.8% in 2023 to 17.3% in 2024.
Clear differences between job families – some roles show significantly higher rates.
Distinct seasonal peaks – especially in the months after summer.
Understand turnover patterns – and stay one step ahead of them!
Definition of the turnover rate
The turnover rate is defined as the percentage of employees who leave the company within a given period. It is calculated using the so-called Schlüter formula:
(Number of departures / (Headcount at start + New hires)) × 100
The analysis refers exclusively to permanent full-time and part-time employees. Working students, interns and external service providers are excluded.
Pool sample overview
This analysis is based on internal employees with permanent full-time and part-time contracts. Working students, interns and external service providers were excluded.
- Headcount: 4,525 employees (December 2024)
- Period: January 2023 – December 31, 2025
- Gender: Male: 60% Female: 39% Non-binary/not specified: 1%
- Age groups: 20–29 years: 1,480 | 30–39 years: 1,844 | 40–49 years: 750 | 50+ years: 490
- Location: Germany
- Contract types: 90% full-time / 10% part-time
Part 1: Over time
Our analysis shows a downward trend in turnover from 19.8% in 2023 to 17.3% in 2024 – a positive signal that could point to better onboarding, employee engagement or organizational stability.
Key findings
The turnover rate fell from 19.8% in 2023 to 17.3% in 2024. This decline may have been influenced by internal organizational changes, natural attrition and economic factors such as the stagnation and political instability in Germany since 2023.
With the analytics tools from peopleIX, you can dive deeper into turnover trends and pinpoint the root causes of attrition precisely.
Uncover the root causes of your turnover!
Part 2: Voluntary vs. involuntary departures
To learn more about the turnover trend, we split departures into voluntary and involuntary categories.
Key findings
Quarterly correlation: Voluntary and involuntary departures often rose and fell at the same time.
Monthly pattern: No clear correlation.
Voluntary departures: Peaks in March, May, June and October.
Involuntary departures: More frequent in the first half of the year, often driven by restructuring.
With insights from peopleIX, you can monitor your turnover data and track both voluntary and involuntary departures in real time.
Get a clearer view of your turnover patterns!
Podcast deep dive
Why turnover undermines Employee Lifetime Value (ELTV)
What does high turnover really cost? This episode looks at the impact of resignations on ELTV.
Part 3: Seniority and turnover
When analyzing turnover by tenure, we see that employees with less than two years at the company have the highest departure rates, primarily due to involuntary departures.
Key findings
Employees with more than 2 years of tenure show significantly lower involuntary turnover (around 30%). The differences between seniority groups highlight the greater vulnerability of new joiners, while experienced employees are less affected by layoffs. Senior positions also show no clear seasonal patterns, which could point to a different labor-market logic for these roles.
With data from peopleIX, you can analyze turnover patterns by seniority and develop targeted retention strategies for at-risk groups.
Reduce turnover in at-risk groups!
Part 4: Seasonality of turnover rates
Turnover rates show seasonal patterns, with higher rates at the start of the year and a decline in the second half.
Key findings
Turnover rates are higher in the first two quarters and then drop significantly. This is especially evident with involuntary departures, which suggests that companies adjust their staffing structure in the first half of the year.
Use the new feature from peopleIX to compare different periods and better understand the turnover trends in your company.
Track your seasonal turnover cycles!
Part 5: Turnover rates by department and function at a glance
Key findings
In 2024, the highest turnover is in Finance& Accounting as well as Sales & Marketing at 23.2%, slightly lower than in 2023. General Management rises to 18.8%, while Operations falls from 18.6% to 14.6%. People & Culture drops to 13.8%, and IT shows the largest decline from 14.6% to 7.8%. Engineering remains stable at 9.6%. Turnover stays high primarily in commercial and leadership roles, while technical and support functions are more stable.
With these deep insights, HR teams can build proactive retention programs and reduce turnover in a targeted way.
Get a clearer view of your turnover patterns!
Part 6: Turnover by age group
Younger employees (20-39 years) more often left the company voluntarily, while older age groups (40-59 years) showed higher involuntary departures.
Key findings
Younger employees (20–39 years) leave the company voluntarily more often, while among 40–59-year-olds involuntary departures are more common – likely due to targeted restructuring and layoffs.
With the powerful segmentation features from peopleIX, you can track turnover rates by age group and implement personalized retention strategies.
Reduce age-related turnover today!
Further in-depth analyses
When looking at turnover by age group, the picture is clear: younger employees (20–39 years) leave the company voluntarily more often, while older age groups (40–59 years) are more affected by involuntary turnover.
- Cost of turnover: How do the costs of voluntary and involuntary departures differ?
- Impact on performance: Do top performers leave the company more or less often?
- Key positions: Which roles are particularly affected by turnover?
Understand turnover. Recognize risks. Act strategically.
With peopleIX, you can spot the patterns behind turnover, identify risks and actively counteract them – data-driven and forward-looking.