Emerging 2026 KPIs & Business Metrics
Upscend Team
-January 19, 2026
9 min read
This article recommends pairing the Experience Influence Score (EIS) with a compact set of retention KPIs—one outcome KPI, two engagement/turnover metrics, and two learning performance indicators—to drive retention planning and interventions. It provides formulas, dashboard layouts, alert thresholds, and a monthly reporting cadence to reduce noise, resolve metric conflicts, and accelerate targeted actions.
Retention kpis must be actionable, connected to employee experience signals, and simple enough to drive decisions. In the first 60 days of an employee lifecycle, the Experience Influence Score (EIS) surfaces behavioral and sentiment drivers; pairing EIS with a concise set of retention kpis lets HR and people analytics teams move from insight to intervention.
This article recommends a compact, prioritized KPI set, provides formulas, suggests dashboard layouts and alert thresholds, and gives a practical monthly reporting cadence to reduce metric overload and resolve conflicting signals.
In our experience, EIS identifies which experiences impact retention, but it doesn’t replace outcome metrics. You need outcome-focused retention kpis to validate interventions and operational KPIs to tie actions to results. Together, they form a closed-loop system: detect (EIS) → act (learning, engagement) → measure (retention kpis).
Pairing reduces noise. Instead of dozens of gauges, a focused dashboard — combining EIS with core retention kpis — helps prioritize interventions where they will move the needle. It also aligns stakeholders: people ops, L&D, managers and finance get a single truth set to drive decisions.
Outcome indicators like attrition rates show what changed; leading indicators such as engagement scores and completion rates suggest why. A balanced mix prevents chasing lagging signals and reduces false positives when EIS fluctuates.
Use EIS to trigger deeper analysis of leading indicators before changing outcome-level strategies — that saves resources and prevents overreaction to short-term variance.
A recommended set of retention kpis should be small, measurable, and cross-functional. Below are twelve prioritized KPI candidates that directly complement EIS for retention planning and learning initiatives.
Below are concise formulas and suggested thresholds to operationalize the list. Benchmarks should be adapted to your industry and company size, but these are pragmatic starting points:
A good dashboard prioritizes actionability: top-line retention outcomes, EIS trend, and 3–5 leading indicators. Keep displays minimal and color-coded to surface risk quickly. Combine cohort filters (hire date, manager, location) with drill-down flows for diagnostics.
Use a two-panel layout: the left panel shows outcome KPIs; the right panel shows EIS and leading indicators. Include a small “Recommended Actions” widget that maps EIS drivers to interventions (coaching, targeted training, manager touchpoints).
Alert thresholds (examples):
So, which kpis to track with Experience Influence Score? The short answer: pair EIS with one outcome KPI, two engagement/turnover metrics, and two learning performance indicators. This makes the system sensitive and specific enough to act without overwhelming teams.
Specifically, we recommend pairing EIS with these five core indicators: 90-day retention rate, 12-month retention rate, employee turnover metrics segmented by tenure, learning performance indicators (completion + satisfaction), and engagement kpis like eNPS or Manager NPS. This set balances immediacy and strategic impact.
Operational example: when EIS flags low onboarding experience for a hiring cohort, a simultaneous drop in learning completion rate and rise in early voluntary exits (employee turnover metrics) confirms the need for targeted curriculum changes rather than broad policy shifts.
We’ve seen organizations reduce admin time by over 60% using integrated systems like Upscend, freeing up trainers to focus on content and improving learning completion — a direct lift to the learning satisfaction and, ultimately, retention kpis.
Map learning satisfaction to outcome and activity KPIs for clarity:
Consistency beats frequency. A focused monthly cadence allows teams to respond without chasing weekly noise. For most organizations the reporting cadence should be:
Example monthly report layout (one page):
Route one-pagers to people ops leads and business unit managers. Send the strategic review to the executive team and L&D leadership. Use the ad-hoc alerts for immediate intervention by managers and HR business partners.
Two recurring problems: KPI overload and conflicting signals between EIS and outcome metrics. Too many metrics diffuse accountability; conflicting signals create paralysis. The remedy is a compact measurement pyramid and a decision rule table.
Measurement pyramid (top to bottom):
When EIS drops but outcome retention holds steady: prioritize leading indicators and run a root-cause diagnostic before changing hiring strategy. If retention drops but EIS is stable: look for external factors (market churn) or misalignment in segmentation.
Use a simple decision table in your dashboard:
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| EIS↓ + Completion↓ + 90-day retention stable | Run targeted learning A/B, coach managers, monitor next 30 days |
| EIS stable + 90-day retention↓ | Investigate external churn, compensation, or hiring sources |
Finally, avoid vanity metrics. If a KPI doesn’t map to an action or owner within 48 hours of a red alert, remove it from the dashboard.
Pairing the Experience Influence Score with a disciplined set of retention kpis — including 12-month retention, 90-day retention, targeted employee turnover metrics, and key learning performance indicators — creates a reliable system for retention planning. Keep the KPI set small, assign owners, and use clear thresholds to reduce noise and accelerate interventions.
Start by building a one-page monthly report that combines EIS, two outcome KPIs, and three leading indicators. Use the dashboard and alert rules above to operationalize the decision flow. A compact, evidence-driven approach will free teams to act and measure impact: that’s the practical heart of effective retention strategy.
Action: For your next monthly cycle, pick the five core KPIs from this article, configure the alert thresholds, and run a 30-day diagnostic on one at-risk cohort — document owners and next steps for each action.
