Managers should adopt a flexible approach to retaining their staff which takes into account the differences between employees, says a new report.

The One Size Does Not Fit All study published by employee engagement and retention specialist, TalentDrain, has highlighted the need for managers to accept differences between employees with regards to gender, race, age and culture and has called for an end to the blanket approach of conventional retention schemes.

Developed from a study of over 16,000 employees, the report highlights the factors that are important to different demographic groups in maintaining their organisational commitment as well as the individual differences that exist in their needs and motivations.

The authors, Ron Eldridge and Anthony Miles, are now urging managers to create a strategy that suits the organisational culture and is flexible enough to satisfy the needs and priorities of different groups of employees.

"They should provide a 'shopping list' of commitment factors such as salary, career progression; personal growth and work-life balance and discuss these with each employee. These are the factors that influence whether or not people will stay with an organisation but they vary from individual to individual.

"Employees can then select the factors that will press the right buttons for them. The demographic differences reflect the diversity of the UK labour force but they do not mean that certain groups should be treated any differently."

Key findings include the fact that men value career progression and salary more than women who place greater importance on the quality of their working relationships.