Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, constituted the largest demographic in the United States (U.S.) workforce in the early 2020s. The higher education industry noticed an increase in millennial-aged employee attrition, particularly during and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the semi-structured interviews of 22 current and former millennial higher education employees from across the United States, this phenomenological qualitative study aimed to shed light on crucial retention factors of this generational group. Interview questions focused on five key retention factors from the literature: (a) salary and compensation, (b) opportunities for recognition and reward, (c) provision of professional development opportunities, (d) work-life balance, and (e) personal connection to the institution(s) mission(s). Through the theoretical frameworks of Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Motivation and Luthans's Hierarchy of Workplace Needs, the findings in the study indicated the importance of salary alignment with Millennial employees' education, experience, and demands of the position. Study participants also emphasized the importance of workplace flexibility, which was granted during the COVID-19 pandemic and then rescinded. These findings indicated an imbalance in workplace motivators and an absence of basic needs to prevent job dissatisfaction. To prevent further attrition, higher education leaders could use the study's findings to evaluate the support available to millennial-aged employees to help them retain institutional knowledge and to provide increased consistency for college students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]