The six different types of turnover are voluntary, involuntary, avoidable, unavoidable, functional, and dysfunctional. Voluntary turnover is when the separation occurs when an employee chooses to leave the firm of his or her own accord. Involuntary turnover is when the separation is due to the organization asking the employee to leave. Functional turnover is the departure of poor performers.

Dysfunctional turnover is the departure of effective performers the company would have liked to retain. Avoidable turnover is turnover that the employer could have prevented by addressing the cause of the turnover. Unavoidable turnover is turnover that could not have been prevented by the employer.