Company culture and coaching – thoughts on retaining and attracting talent during the ‘great reshuffle’

Insights for our latest Work Trend Index Report. Employee expectations are changing – to retain top talent effective leaders are focused on company culture.

The ‘great resignation’ – aka the ‘great reshuffle.’ Whatever you call it, this phenomenon reflects a simple truth. Over the past couple of years most of us have re-evaluated our priorities both personally and professionally. It’s a natural and reflexive response to the strains and stresses of living through a global pandemic.

Data from our global Work Trend Index Report shows the majority of workers are feeling exhausted. As I noted in my last article on LinkedIn, people’s workdays have gotten longer with more emails, DMs and calls. No wonder, then, that we see employees have a new calculus when it comes to their evaluating whether their current jobs and prospects are ‘worth it’.

For me, there are two key things that we, as people leaders, need to be cognizant of as we look to keep our teams strong and keep top talent engaged. First, the great reshuffle isn’t over. In fact, 43% of workers say they are considering a job change in the year head.?If you look at Gen Z workers, it’s 58%. Second, ensuring our teams come out ahead at the end of the great reshuffle will take more than competitive salaries. It’s going to take a truly great company culture to attract and retain the best talent.

How can we, as people leaders tip the scale of this ‘worth it equation’ and play our part in creating a great company culture? For me, the importance of coaching cannot be overstated. Not only for executives but for people at all stages of their career. Coaching is about helping people develop skills and accomplish challenges in a measurable way.?And unlike a mentorship, effective coaching isn’t about one experienced person providing advice and life experience to a more junior person (as valuable as that can be). Rather, effective coaching is about two people working together. The coach is more focused on asking questions and helping the person who is being coached address challenges in their own way, in a way that works best for them. So coaching is about building skills, rather than communicating answers, so that the employee is better equipped to take on new challenges. This is where the real magic happens.?In this model, employees feel empowered to find their own path for accomplishing a goal or solving a challenge. And coach and employee alike both accept that no one person has all the answers. Or that there is only one way of getting things done effectively. ?So, if you’re looking to foster a collaborative culture where people embrace learning and adapting, coaching is 100% essential.?

“The coaching we’re talking about—the kind that creates a true learning organization—is ongoing and executed by those inside the organization. It’s work that all managers should engage in with all their people all the time, in ways that help define the organization’s culture and advance its mission. An effective manager-as-coach asks questions instead of providing answers, supports employees instead of judging them, and facilitates their development instead of dictating what has to be done” - Herminia Ibarra ?Professor of Organizational Behavior at London Business School; Anne Scoular ?Associate Scholar at the University of Oxford’s Sa?d Business School?

For any organization looking to become more innovative, coaching can be a powerful tool.?The Harvard Business Review published an article detailing Microsoft’s own transformation and delved into coaching as one way we sought to create an innovative workplace characterized by a ‘learn-it-all’ mindset. ?

In my experience, coaching is most effective when it is recognized as integral part of a company’s run-of-business. At Microsoft, coaching is the second pillar in a broad leadership approach we call “Model, Coach, Care.” Coaching is key in helping employees feel empowered and feel a stronger sense of purpose and engagement in the work they’re doing. Here’s a great LinkedIn learning session , if you want to learn more about this approach.

For people leaders out there who are interested in honing their coaching skills, I’d say keep learning and keep practicing. Being an effective coach takes continual work and commitment, and a mindset that slows us down and is curious.?Its definitely worth the effort!

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