Andrea Holyfield, CEO and lead consultant at Untethered, sat down for a video interview at Nareit’s REITwise: 2026 Educational Conference in Hollywood, Florida, March 24–26.
Holyfield emphasizes that employee retention challenges are often rooted internally, not externally. As she puts it, “the call is coming from inside of the house,” pointing to misalignment between expectations and reality as a primary driver of turnover. She notes that discrepancies around success metrics, growth opportunities, and day-to-day experience can quietly build until employees begin to disengage and ultimately leave.
A key takeaway is the need to redefine the employee value proposition beyond compensation. While pay and benefits remain important, Holyfield highlights that “their lived experience is what really matters to them,” including consistency in flexibility, expectations, and leadership behavior.
She also underscores the importance of nontraditional growth opportunities, such as project exposure and leadership access, especially in flatter organizations. Recognition is another underutilized lever—particularly acknowledging strategic contributions, not just financial outcomes.
Holyfield advises leaders to watch for early warning signs of disengagement, including reduced visibility, increased clarity-seeking, and a shift from proactive to reactive work. Addressing these signals early can help rebuild trust and alignment before attrition takes hold, she added.