QUALITY SYSTEMS AND ANALYTICS
Strengthening Public Health Laboratory Workforces : The Retention Scorecard
By Isaac Eaves , MS , research and evaluation analyst , Quality Systems and Analytics ; Somaye Sarvarzade , MA , senior specialist , Quality Systems and Analytics ; Sudaba Parnian Ahmadi , MS , MBA , senior manager , Quality Systems and Analytics ; Lorelei Kurimski , MS , senior director , Data Science and Management , Quality Systems and Analytics ; and Abigail Raymer , specialist , Quality Systems and Analytics
Recruitment and retention challenges are pervasive across public health laboratories . Since 2016 , the periodic Public Health Laboratory Workforce Survey administered by APHL has consistently highlighted a trend — on average , 37 % of respondents indicate an intention to leave their jobs within four years . This spurred efforts to create a practical tool to help laboratories assess retention practices and develop strategies for improvement .
To address these challenges , APHL , in collaboration with the Knowledge Management Committee , developed the Public Health Laboratory Workforce Retention Scorecard . This innovation assists laboratories in recognizing that retention is influenced by more than just compensation . The Scorecard provides a comprehensive assessment of organizational performance in key areas impacting retention , empowering laboratories to take actionable steps within their control . It moves the focus away from external challenges , such as state government policies on pay , and encourages the adoption or enhancement of targeted strategies to address retention effectively .
Building the Scorecard
A comprehensive literature review identified 10 critical areas influencing retention , which form the Scorecard ’ s main categories :
1 . Work-Life Balance 2 . Competitive Compensation 3 . Rewards and Recognition 4 . Communication 5 . Performance Reviews and Feedback 6 . Workplace Environment 7 . Health and Safety 8 . Career Pathways and Development 9 . Retention Planning 10 . Onboarding and Offboarding
Each area includes detailed sub-themes to provide deeper insights . For example , under Workplace Environment , factors like Employee Engagement are assessed . The tool evaluates these areas using five development levels : None , Minimal , Moderate , Significant and Optimal .
To ensure accessibility and ease of use , the Scorecard was developed in Microsoft Excel , a platform widely available and familiar to laboratory staff . It includes embedded calculations to identify the most and least developed areas within an organization and provides a curated list of resources to guide improvement strategies .
The draft tool was beta-tested by committee members in late 2024 and subsequently fielded by five public health laboratories in early 2025 . Feedback from these trials was incorporated into the final version , ensuring its practicality and relevance in real-world laboratory settings . This comprehensive development process ensures laboratories can readily adopt the tool to strengthen their workforce retention efforts . The Scorecard will also be regularly updated with new information to remain current and relevant .
Laboratories retain full control over their data . The Scorecard is designed for internal use only , with no external benchmarking or data collection by APHL .
How the Scorecard Can Be Used
The Scorecard is a resource for all APHLmember laboratories , designed to identify key factors influencing retention within the control or influence of management and leadership .
Laboratory management and leadership , with representation from across the organization — including operations , technical areas , support services and human resources — may complete the Scorecard collaboratively . This collective approach ensures retention strategies are informed by diverse perspectives and aligned with the needs and priorities of the entire laboratory .
Real-time scoring highlights strengths and areas for improvement , while online resources provide actionable guidance for reducing turnover .
Aligning with Ongoing Efforts
The Scorecard complements APHL ’ s Recruitment and Retention Toolkit , Workforce Profiles and Workforce Development Programs . It aligns with APHL ’ s strategic priorities by supporting workforce development , enhancing member value and support , and promoting data-driven decision making .
By helping laboratories assess their retention practices , the Scorecard highlights that retention is about more than keeping employees for years , it ’ s about fostering a supportive and engaging environment where staff feel valued , motivated and empowered to grow .
Looking Ahead
APHL is planning presentations , and additional resources to support the Scorecard ’ s adoption . Stay tuned for more information on these events and the official launch . g
32 LAB MATTERS Spring 2025
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