Working hard to hire talented agents while watching others walk out the back door will suck the motivation out of anyone who plays the recruiting game.In the long run, recruiting and retention cannot be separated–every successful recruiter is also good at retaining the agents they want on their team.If you’re struggling with retention, here is a simple framework Dave Mashburn shared in a podcast from the archive:Happy and Engaged Agents. Researchers have demonstrated that happy and engaged workers are more profitable, more creative, and enjoy what they do. And, they tend to stay in the place where they’re experiencing these things.Meaning/Purpose/Relationships. Researchers have discovered that workers who have a meaningful vision of the future, a sense of purpose (why their work is contributing to the vision), and great relationships are the happiest and most engaged.Convert these concepts into a simple checklist to use during business planning or coaching sessions with the agents on your team.☑️ Engaged: Does this agent seem engaged and happy in the work they’re doing?☑️ Meaning: Does this agent possess a meaningful vision of the future for themselves and the team?☑️ Purpose: Does this agent see how their work contributes to the meaningful vision they’ve identified?☑️ Relationships: Does this agent have great relationships with others on the team?When an agent defects to a competitor, they’ll typically be struggling in one or more of these areas.