Amtrak Achieves 95% Retention Rate, Reduces Hiring Costs by $2 Million, and Expands Workforce by 5,000+

The Opportunity

With over 80% of Amtrak's 23,000+ workforce in frontline roles with limited digital access, the organization sought to bridge the gap between agreement (frontline) and management employees. Their goal: deliver consistent experiences and resources across all employee segments while growing their workforce.

The Solution

Amtrak launched "Your Say!" — a rebranded survey campaign reaching employees through multiple channels. The approach featured:

• Distribution of 5,500 promotional items across 75 locations
• Survey access through mobile devices, iPads, and computers
• Communications via pay slips, timekeeping machines, crew meetings and rooms
• Messaging across 500 stations and facilities

The organization responded to employee feedback with decisive action. New benefits arising from this feedback included:

• Additional medical plans with parental leave
• Enhanced dental coverage
• Healthcare navigation concierge
• Supplemental health plans
• Financial wellness platform
• Guaranteed health contributions through 2029

Career development saw equal attention. Amtrak consolidated 1,000 salary ranges into 68 clear bands, updated job descriptions, and linked skills to performance. Additionally, a new recognition platform was launched to honor and appreciate employees.

The Impact

Subsequent surveying showed that Amtrak’s data-driven actions yielded substantial gains in workforce stability. Overall retention strengthened by 1.5%, while voluntary turnover decreased by approx. 2%. The impact on new employees proved particularly significant, with first-year turnover dropping by approximately 7%. These improvements, combined with a 40% increase in internal mobility, led to $2 million in reduced hiring costs.

Survey response rates increased 6% across all segments, pushing the engagement index to 80%. Agreement employees, representing the majority of the workforce, saw a 2% rise in engagement. This translated directly to customer experience, with the Customer Service Index on long-distance trains lifting 2.6%. Intent to stay held strong at 89%, while satisfaction with benefits rose by 10%.

Professional development initiatives resonated with employees, as Growth and Development scores increased 4-7% in four of five survey categories. The new recognition platform's impact manifested in concrete numbers as well: 16,485 employees logged in, generating 21,963 e-card interactions and 14,240 service pin distributions in just nine months.