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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Engage with the Community / Employee retention in ...
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Employee retention in Dynamics 365 CE teams

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Posted on by MikeBlidchenko 4

  1. What specific strategies could you recommend for minimizing staff turnover in Dynamics 365 CE teams, especially given the high demand for such specialists?
    Employee retention beyond documentation and shadowing would be useful...

Categories:
Dynamics 365 general
  • Suggested answer
    #PowerPradeep365 Profile Picture
    #PowerPradeep365 2 on at
    Employee retention in Dynamics 365 CE teams
    Great question—and definitely a challenge many of us are facing with Dynamics 365 CE talent being in such high demand.
    Beyond the usual documentation and shadowing, here are a few strategies I’ve seen work well to keep CE teams engaged and committed:

    Rotate and Enrich Roles
    Let team members explore different modules (Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, etc.) or even Power Platform components like Power Automate or Power Pages. It keeps the work fresh and helps them grow without leaving the org.

    Invest in Certifications and Career Paths
    Support certifications like MB-210, MB-230, or PL-200, and make sure there’s a visible path from Consultant → Senior → Architect. People stay when they see a future.

    Create a Culture of Learning and Recognition
    We’ve had success with “Lunch & Learn” sessions, peer-led demos, and even internal hackathons. Recognizing contributions—especially around innovation or client wins—goes a long way.

    Prioritize Flexibility and Well-being
    Remote/hybrid options, flexible hours, and mental health support are no longer perks—they’re expectations. Burnout is real in high-demand roles like CE specialists.

    Use Data to Spot Risk Early
    If you’re using Power BI or CoE Starter Kit, you can track engagement, app usage, and even signs of disengagement (like reduced collaboration or missed deadlines). It helps you act before someone walks.

    Stay Interviews > Exit Interviews
    We’ve started doing informal “stay interviews” every few months—just to check in on what’s working, what’s frustrating, and what might tempt someone to leave. It’s been eye-opening.
    Would love to hear what others are doing too—especially if you’ve found creative ways to keep CE folks motivated and growing!
     
  • Cyrille Nembot Profile Picture
    Cyrille Nembot 10 on at
    Employee retention in Dynamics 365 CE teams
    This is a brilliant question and I believe Jonas has compacted it well. It is a difficult one to tackle. However this is my input.
     

    1. Competitive Compensation & Benefits

    • Benchmark salaries against industry standards (e.g., Radford, Payscale, LinkedIn Salary Insights).

    • Offer performance bonuses or profit-sharing for key contributors.

    • Provide retention bonuses for critical team members.

    • Include upskilling allowances (e.g., certifications, conference attendance).

    2. Career Growth & Development

    • Create a clear promotion path (e.g., Junior Consultant → Senior Consultant → Solution Architect).

    • Support Microsoft certifications (e.g., MB-210, MB-220, MB-230, MB-500, PL-200).

    • Implement mentorship programs pairing junior staff with senior experts.

    • Rotate team members across different D365 CE modules (Sales, Customer Service, Marketing, Field Service) to prevent stagnation.

    3. Engaging & Challenging Work

    • Assign high-impact projects (e.g., AI integrations, Power Platform automations).

    • Encourage innovation time (e.g., 10-20% time for R&D on new D365 features).

    • Avoid burnout by balancing project workloads and preventing excessive overtime.

    4. Strong Leadership & Culture

    • Ensure managers are trained in empathetic leadership (not just technical skills).

    • Conduct stay interviews (not just exit interviews) to understand employee concerns.

    • Foster a collaborative culture with knowledge-sharing sessions (e.g., "Lunch & Learn" on Power Automate tips).

    5. Work Flexibility & Well-being

    • Offer hybrid/remote work options (critical for tech talent retention).

    • Promote work-life balance (e.g., no after-hours emails, flexible schedules).

    • Provide mental health support (e.g., counseling, stress management programs).

    6. Recognition & Rewards

    • Publicly acknowledge contributions (e.g., "Consultant of the Month").

    • Implement peer recognition programs (e.g., bonus points redeemable for gifts).

    • Celebrate project successes with team events or bonuses.

    7. Proactive Retention Strategies

    • Monitor turnover predictors (e.g., disengagement, declining productivity).

    • Counteroffer strategically when high performers consider leaving.

    • Build a talent pipeline (so turnover doesn’t cripple operations).

    8. Exit Analysis & Continuous Improvement

    • Conduct structured exit interviews to identify turnover patterns.

    • Track regretted vs. non-regretted attrition to refine retention strategies.

    Final Thought

    Since D365 CE experts are in high demand, retention requires more than just salary adjustments. A mix of growth opportunities, meaningful work, strong leadership, and flexibility will help keep your team engaged and loyal.

  • Jonas "Jones" Melgaard Profile Picture
    Jonas "Jones" Melgaard 4,615 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at
    Employee retention in Dynamics 365 CE teams
    Hi @MikeBlidchenko, I have moved your question to the engage forum, hope you don't mind.
    Retention is difficult, and highly dependent on how you are building your team, regionality or if you are a customer or vendor.
     
    Retention is a combination of access to new technology and a good team spirit. Compensation is good, but someone will always pay higher is my experience.
    Try to match personality in your team, not just the skill set. Here I'm thinking utilizing DISC profiles. 
    Especially if you are a customer, then it's almost impossible to match compensation with consulting.
     
    Upwards mobility, depending on location, might also be important. Is there a promotion path in your CE team?
     
    If you are outsourcing your team, especially to one of the big 3-4 letter agencies, then it's "just part of the game". It's common, at least when I used it, to see members be at a client around 1.5-2 years before either leaving the agency or moving to another client.
     
    These are just what I can come up with, but if I cannot sleep I'll write some more pointers down.

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