Business

5 Tactical Employee Retention Strategies for SBOs

Published

3 years ago

May 13, 2023

In today’s competitive job market, employee retention has become a top priority for organizations of all sizes. But what are the most tactical and practical ways to increase employee retention? Let’s dig a little deeper.

Try These Employee Retention Strategies

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), it typically costs a company six to nine months of an employee’s salary to replace that employee. For perspective, that means it costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 to $45,000 in recruiting, training, and hiring costs to find and onboard an employee making $60,000 per year.

“Some employees find better paying jobs while others go back to school. Sometimes it’s their choice and other times they follow a spouse who’s been transferred to another state,” Enrich explains. “Whatever the reason, it has been well documented that employee turnover is costly and disruptive.”

Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and strategies at an employer’s disposal for increasing employee retention. Here are a few:

Offer Better Salary and Benefits

Why do most employees leave? Robert Half’s data says 38 percent of employees move on to another job due to “inadequate salary and benefits.”

Thus, one of the most effective (and obvious) employee retention strategies is to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. This includes not only a fair salary, but also perks like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

By providing these benefits, you can show your employees that you value their work and are committed to their well-being.

Give Employees a Clear Path Forward

Make sure you’re providing clear opportunities for career growth and development. This can take many forms, including training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement paths. When you invest in your employees’ professional development, you help them feel valued and motivated to continue growing within your organization.

Lead By Example

Offering benefits and development opportunities is only part of the equation. The role that managers and leaders play in employee retention cannot be overstated. In fact, a recent study found that 75% of employees who voluntarily left their place of employment did so because of their direct superiors.

To create a positive and nurturing work environment, it’s important for managers to communicate openly and frequently with their team members. This includes offering regular and consistent feedback for a job well done. It’s also key for those in management and leadership positions to lead by example and communicate a strong commitment to the company’s mission and values.

Invest in Culture

As a business owner, you can support employee retention by fostering a sense of community and belonging within the workplace. This can be accomplished through various team-building activities, volunteer opportunities, and fun, inviting social events.

By creating a strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose, employees are more likely to feel connected to their colleagues and invested in the success of the organization.

Tailor Your Approach

Of course, not all employee retention strategies will work for every organization. It’s important to tailor your approach based on the unique needs and preferences of your team members. This may include conducting regular employee surveys to gather feedback on what is working and what could be improved.

You should also be proactive in addressing potential retention issues before they become major problems. This can include identifying employees who may be at risk of leaving and taking steps to address their concerns or provide additional support.

For Best Results, Know Your Employees

If you’re a small business owner, you know how difficult it can be to retain top talent. With larger organizations offering more resources and benefits, it can feel like an uphill battle to keep employees engaged and committed for the long term. But as you can see, there are a number of employee retention strategies that you can implement to help keep your team members happy and motivated.

Ultimately, the key to successful employee retention is creating a workplace culture that values and supports its team members. By offering more competitive compensation and benefits packages, providing opportunities for career growth and development, and fostering a positive and supportive work environment, you can improve retention rates, bolster the bottom line, and build a strong and committed team.

Business

How Galen M. Hair and Insurance Claim HQ Use AI to Fight Insurance Companies and Win for Policyholders

Published

6 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Key Takeaways:

Galen M. Hair founded Insurance Claim HQ in 2020 with a single commitment to represent policyholders, never insurers. The firm has since recovered over hundreds of millions for more than thousands of clients across nine states and Washington, D.C.
Insurance Claim HQ pairs aggressive courtroom advocacy with a client success team, free educational resources, and community disaster relief efforts that reflect Galen M. Hair’s belief that legal work should serve people beyond the case file.
Insurance Claim HQ is now integrating AI into claims evaluation and operations, using the same tools insurers rely on to minimize payouts.

The path to founding one of the country’s most recognized property insurance law firms started with a pair of work gloves and a truck full of supplies. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Galen M. Hair was among the volunteers who showed up in New Orleans to help gut flooded homes and distribute essentials to displaced families. The experience reshaped how he understood loss, recovery, and the gap between what insurers promise and what they deliver. That gap would become the foundation of his career.

In 2020, Galen launched Insurance Claim HQ in Metairie, Louisiana. Weeks later, Hurricane Laura made landfall. While most new firms would have been overwhelmed, Galen and his team spent their days running inspections for clients and their nights feeding hundreds of displaced residents in the hardest-hit areas. That combination of legal expertise and grassroots care became the firm’s identity. Today, powered by Hair Shunnarah Trial Attorneys, Insurance Claim HQ has recovered over hundreds of millions for more than thousands of clients nationwide.

A Firm Built Around One Principle

Galen did not set out to build a general practice. He built a firm that would stand exclusively with policyholders against the companies that insure them. Insurance Claim HQ has never represented an insurance carrier, and that single-sided commitment runs through every decision, from legal strategy to hiring to how the front desk answers the phone.

That focus has also shaped the firm’s internal culture. Galen consolidated his team into a single building to strengthen collaboration and alignment. “We evaluate our company culture weekly, not quarterly,” he says. “Success is ultimately measured by happy clients.” The firm employs a dedicated client success professional whose only role is to listen to clients and make sure they feel heard, an uncommon structure in an industry where communication is one of the most frequent complaints.

Galen’s leadership through adversity reinforced this approach. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when hiring across the legal industry stalled, and uncertainty defined every decision, he kept the firm steady by focusing on what he calls the “true value proposition” of the work. “The challenge is separating yourself while the entire world enters into financial, political, and public health turmoil,” Galen explains. “You have to draw in the right members, showing a unique value proposition that is more than just a paycheck and specializing.”

The results speak to the model. The firm recently secured an $11 million hurricane verdict. Clients regularly refer friends and family after experiencing the combination of aggressive litigation and personal attention. Galen holds licenses to practice in Louisiana, Florida, Massachusetts, and New York, and the firm now represents policyholders in nine states and Washington, D.C.

Turning AI Against the Insurers Who Use It

Galen’s latest focus is on artificial intelligence, and his reasoning is straightforward. Insurance carriers have spent years using automated systems to evaluate claims, flag inconsistencies, and reduce payouts. Galen decided that if technology was going to be used against policyholders, his firm would use the same tools to fight back.

At Insurance Claim HQ, AI now supports early claim analysis and documentation review. The firm cross-references historical imagery, inspection records, and environmental data to identify which claims will withstand scrutiny and which will not. That discipline saves clients time and frees attorneys from hundreds of hours of manual file review. AI-driven legal tools also help the team synthesize policy language and prior court decisions across jurisdictions, allowing attorneys to build arguments faster and with greater precision.

The technology extends into operations as well. Automated intake systems route inquiries, schedule consultations, and collect preliminary information without adding friction for people already dealing with loss. Marketing systems deliver personalized educational content to homeowners before they make costly claims mistakes. According to industry research, the global AI in insurance market was valued at $4.59 billion in 2022 and is projected to approach $80 billion by 2032. Insurance Claim HQ’s difference lies in deploying these tools selectively, always in service of the client.

Galen is clear about the limits. “People are worried AI is going to replace everyone, but that’s not exactly what’s happening,” he says. “It’s augmenting and supplementing you.”

Beyond the Courtroom

Galen’s impact extends beyond case outcomes. After Hurricanes Laura and Ida, his team delivered supplies and hot meals to affected communities. He hosts the Level Up Claims podcast and an annual summit aimed at bringing transparency to property insurance law, giving attorneys, adjusters, and policyholders tools they can use long before they ever need a lawyer. The firm publishes free claim guides and disaster preparedness checklists through its website.

“Navigating the complexities of insurance can be overwhelming, but with the right guidance, claimants can level the playing field,” Galen says. That statement captures a firm that measures success not by growth, but by how many people it helps rebuild.

About Galen M. Hair
Galen M. Hair, Managing Partner at Insurance Claim HQ, is a nationally recognized property insurance attorney known for aggressively representing policyholders across the U.S. With thousands of families helped and a reputation for high-stakes litigation wins, he has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star and one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Learn how to protect your property from disaster at www.insuranceclaimhq.com.