Employees are less happy with their jobs today and the task to retain key performers is tougher than before, research by consulting firm Mercer confirms. Prithvi Shergill, chief HR officer at HCL Technologies, concurs and quotes a survey that states high performers are three times more likely to seek a new opportunity today than they would a year ago, an Economic Times report said.

Last year, Citi India launched a breakthrough strategy for retaining high-performing women officers. Their strategy helps new mothers secure performance ratings during their six months' maternity leave, the report said.

At Microsoft, the talent strategy is built around two key stakeholders — high potentials (4 per cent of the employees) and key talent (another 16 per cent of employees). The key talent component was introduced last year.

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