Keeping Healthcare Staff : A Qualitative Study of Unit Managers’ Strategies for Staff Retention in Swedish Healthcare

Staff turnover in the healthcare sector poses a major challenge, affecting care quality, continuity, and economic efficiency. This qualitative study explores how unit managers in Swedish healthcare work strategically to retain staff, using JET as an analytical framework. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with unit managers at a regional hospital. The findings show that managers influence staff retention by fostering value alignment (fit), strengthening interpersonal relationships (links), and creating incentives that increase the perceived cost of leaving (sacrifice). Practical strategies include relational leadership, competence development, team-building efforts, and creating meaningful working environments. The study contributes to a broader understanding of how everyday leadership can support sustainable staffing in healthcare.