Andrea Holyfield, CEO and lead guide at Untethered, sat down for a video interview at Nareit’s REITwise: 2026 Academic Convention in Hollywood, Florida, March 24–26.
Holyfield emphasizes that worker retention challenges are sometimes rooted internally, not externally. As she places it, “the decision is coming from within the home,” pointing to misalignment between expectations and actuality as a main driver of turnover. She notes that discrepancies round success metrics, progress alternatives, and day-to-day expertise can quietly construct till staff start to disengage and finally depart.
A key takeaway is the necessity to redefine the worker worth proposition past compensation. Whereas pay and advantages stay necessary, Holyfield highlights that “their lived expertise is what actually issues to them,” together with consistency in flexibility, expectations, and management conduct.
She additionally underscores the significance of nontraditional progress alternatives, resembling undertaking publicity and management entry, particularly in flatter organizations. Recognition is one other underutilized lever—notably acknowledging strategic contributions, not simply monetary outcomes.
Holyfield advises leaders to look at for early warning indicators of disengagement, together with diminished visibility, elevated clarity-seeking, and a shift from proactive to reactive work. Addressing these alerts early will help rebuild belief and alignment earlier than attrition takes maintain, she added.
