Attrition: meaning, definitions and examples

Attrition is typically used in business contexts to describe a gradual reduction in the number of employees or customers over time. This term often implies a more passive or natural process where no active effort is made to replace the losses.

• The company faced high attrition rates last year, leading to a significant loss of experienced staff
• The customer attrition rate has increased due to poor service

Turnover is commonly used in business and HR contexts to talk about the rate at which employees leave and are replaced. While it can also be used to discuss inventory or financial transactions, it generally focuses on people in a professional setting.

• High employee turnover is affecting the company's productivity
• The turnover rate in the retail sector is traditionally high due to seasonal employment

Churn is mostly used in the context of customer service and subscription-based businesses. It refers to the rate at which customers stop subscribing to a service or stop buying from a company. The word often carries a negative implication as it indicates loss and instability.

• The telecom industry is working hard to reduce churn by offering better customer service
• Our churn rate has doubled this quarter, and we need to identify the reasons behind it

Depletion is frequently used when discussing resources, such as natural resources or financial reserves. It refers to a reduction in quantity or availability and often has a negative connotation.

• The rapid depletion of the forest is causing environmental concerns
• The company's financial depletion is alarming, and urgent measures are needed

This word is often used in a business or organizational context to describe the gradual reduction of staff or employees through natural means like retirement or resignation. It focuses on the slow and continuous nature of the reduction.

• The company is managing its cost through natural attrition.
• The department's staff has been reduced by attrition over the past year.

Erosion is typically used in a geological or environmental context to describe the gradual destruction or wearing away of something, usually land or rock, due to natural forces like wind or water. It can also be used metaphorically to describe the gradual decline or destruction of something intangible, such as values or trust.

• The constant wave action caused the erosion of the shoreline.
• The erosion of public trust in the government is concerning.

Weakening is a general term that can be used in various contexts to describe something that becomes less strong or powerful. This can apply to physical strength, financial positions, influences, or any system that can lose its robustness.

• The patient's condition is weakening despite the treatment.
• There's a weakening of the national currency against the dollar.