As Featured on Boston 25 News: Using Connection to Attract And Retain Talent

After the pandemic shutdowns, many companies ready to rehire are wondering, “Where are the workers? How do we attract and retain them?”?

Boston 25 News reached out to Boston Business Growth founder and Pinnacle Business Guide Debra Thompson to help address these questions. View the Boston 25 News report here.??

“Do you have a strong culture? How do you know I’ll fit? What are the conditions of work? How are you going to train me?” These are the types of questions that Debra says employees are asking.??

According to Debra, one of the most important parts of attracting and retaining good workers is a company’s culture. Building and keeping a strong culture involves 5 key points of connection: company, work, peers, manager and self. To learn more about how to strengthen your company’s culture with these points of connection, read on.?

Company Connection

One of the first points of connection is how a company communicates the company values and direction. For example, Deb shares that up to 66% of leaders in the workplace think they know what company information updates that employees need, but only 31% of employees agree with them.?

One way to address this disconnect is to share company updates that stick — updates that are to the point, upbeat, inspiring and that instill confidence and trust. Bring your company values and goals to life so your employees can see what they look like and everyone can work towards them together.?

“You really have to sell your company,” Debra says during the interview. “You have to know your company’s values. And look for people who are aligned with them.”

Work Connection

According to Deb, employees who are offered opportunities to take on new challenges are more likely to stay with the company. She encourages employers to make career growth an attainable option. She also recommends showcasing conquering problems at work (to acknowledge vulnerability).

Peers Connection

When employees feel a genuine connection to their peers, it lessens isolation and increases fulfillment. So, intentionally introduce new hires to coworkers so they feel connected.?

Encourage collaboration and prompt them to ask their team members for help. That way, your employees can feel more connected, supported and productive.?

Manager Connection

Did you know that more than half of departing workers leave their jobs because of their managers? That’s a significant statistic — especially if you are in a leadership role.?

One way to improve this connection between employees and managers is to humanize managers. Further, encourage managers to intentionally recognize their workers’ achievements, while offering positive feedback. Again, a supportive, connected environment is a more productive one.

Self-Connection

Lastly, it’s important that employees feel connected to themselves. That is, employees should be able to be their “authentic selves” while they are at work. In fact, the more authentic a person feels at work, the more proud they are to be at their company.?

So, encourage your teams to have fun with each other. During challenging times, highlight individual and group resilience. Everyone should feel like they have each other’s backs.?

Empowering A Culture of Connection

When you’re asking “Where are the workers?” or “How can I retain my workers?” simply examine your company’s culture. In what ways can you make it stronger by implementing the 5 points of connection? If you focus on these elements of your culture, you may just find the workers you want are more than willing to stay.?

Are you trying to strengthen your culture and the engagement of your employees? Boston Business Growth is a member of the Pinnacle Business Guide community. We are a community of entrepreneurial guides with real-world, hands-on experience running businesses. Our passion is to help other entrepreneurs build successful businesses.?

If you have questions about strengthening your company culture and increasing the engagement of your employees, contact us at Boston Business Growth. We can help you build a culture you and your employees love.?