Can a business succeed without competent employees? Highly unlikely. Yet, companies small and large tend to have relatively little control over retention of top talent. If employees want to leave, they will.

But little control doesn't mean no control. What's more, employers and managers have some effective tools and tricks at their disposal to see trouble before it arrives and take action to head off employee disengagement and turnover.

What can you do?

Some typical red flags go up when employees are disengaged and disgruntled; have a way of being on the lookout for them. You can also measure engagement among employees. To head off retention problems, ensure that you're avoiding common causes of disengagement and low retention. And, finally, be a good employer by offering nontraditional benefits.

Based on a survey of 700 experts who were asked a series of engagement and retention-related questions, accounting and payroll software provider Patriot Software offers a detailed roundup of their suggestions and best-practices.