114 Stay Interviews: Guiding Meaningful Conversations for Retention of High-Quality CRPs

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Clinical Research Professional (CRP) shortages and high turnover rates directly impact the conduct of studies. A strategy for improving CRP retention is using Stay Interviews (SI), which are intentional exchanges between CRPs and leadership to enhance transparency and trust. Importantly, SIs are entirely separate from performance evaluations. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Representatives from seven academic medical centers formed a collaborative workgroup (WG) as part of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Clinical Research Professionals Taskforce (CRPT) Special Interest Group (SIG). The purpose of this workgroup was to develop a Stay Interview (SI) toolkit that will empower leadership to retain high quality staff by engaging employees in open and responsive conversations about motivations to stay in their current roles. Tools previously used by collaborating institutions were evaluated and aligned to establish a sharable guide for SI best practices. Training resources to support leaders in effectively using SI tools were also developed to accompany the toolkit. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Discussions of current tool use among group members highlighted 2 categorical use cases: continuous integration to promote workforce engagement and retention; and targeted use to address acute workforce challenges. The WG identified the need for a standardized conversation guide as well as leadership tools to support effective use of the guide. From the examples collated, the group crafted a 14 question SI guide with additional probing questions that can be tailored to the work environment. Questions fell into 4 key themes: likes/dislikes, motivations, workplace influence on work life, and professional development barriers and opportunities. Anecdotally, SI use in other industries suggests that wide adoption is likely to reduce CRP workforce turnover and improve job satisfaction. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: SIs are designed to build trust and strengthen relationships, fostering positive change by acknowledging issues, understanding motivations, and increasing engagement. Leaders can make immediate actions: clearing obstacles, providing new resources, and increasing recognition. Our next step is implementing a pilot to gather workforce metrics.