Retention & Engagement: Building a Culture Where Employees Thrive

From operational headaches to financial hurdles, business leaders and entrepreneurs have a lot of things competing for their attention. While even the best leaders cannot tackle everything that comes their way, there are some things they absolutely cannot ignore. One of the most important things a leader needs to be involved in is their company’s culture. A company’s culture defines a business. It makes all the difference in retaining employees and keeping them happy, which is especially pertinent as companies are still struggling with the fallout from the Great Resignation. Employees want to be a part of a company that recognizes their needs and has clear definable values. They’re also increasingly willing to leave if their current employer doesn’t meet these standards.?

While this has created challenges, it has also presented business leaders with immense opportunities to refresh their company culture, boost productivity, and bolster employee satisfaction. This business transformation process can stave off the worst effects of the Great Resignation. Consider the following critical advice for building a company culture that keeps employees engaged and allows them to thrive.?

Having the Right View of Your Culture

The first mistake some business leaders make regarding their company culture is treating it like it’s siloed away from the products and services they provide. However, this isn’t the case. Corporate culture is a set of shared values and beliefs, influencing behavioral standards and work expectations. When you have a culture that promotes dedication and passion for your employees, you empower them to do their best work, which leads to further success and customer satisfaction. Additionally, a strong company culture can become a recruitment tool by highlighting your values in a way that makes people want to join your company. As a result, it allows you to hire people who are right for your business since they are more likely to resonate with your company’s culture and values.?

Build Connection Among Employees

A good team is always greater than the sum of its parts. Even if all of your team members are highly skilled individually, they need to be able to work together to tackle day-to-day challenges. This requires effective communication all around. Company cultures thrive when they are bound by a mutual understanding and respect for the company's mission, vision, and values. Therefore, businesses must ensure that these elements are consistent and clearly conveyed through official channels. When everyone is working towards the same company vision, people are more focused on their work and are better able to collaborate to meet that vision.?

Creating a united approach to company values also requires trust in your teammates, your leaders, and the company itself. When it comes down to it, trust is the cornerstone of any culture that lasts. When employees trust their leader to guide them on a path they've committed to, it builds ownership and buy-in from employees. Through this understanding, everyone will hold themselves to a higher goal, not their own agenda.?

Never Forget the Human Side of Business

The essential element to building a robust company culture is ensuring that you put people at the center. While your theories and strategies will inform that culture, you're missing the mark if you don't place people at the center of everything you do. The bottom line is that happy and engaged people are more productive, which leads to better quality work and more revenue. If you try to focus just on productivity or revenue, the culture becomes about competition instead of efficiency and long-term sustainability.

The solution to this is simple: focus on ensuring employees’ needs are being met. Build in regular engaging team activities to get people talking about more than just the next big project. Listen to your people rather than just assuming what they want to hear. Celebrate their accomplishments, big and small. Most importantly, be open to change. From technology to policy changes, outside influence will have an impact, whether good or bad. Ensuring employee flexibility lets workers feel like they have a say in their company and it’s processes, which in turn promotes wellbeing, morale, and efficiency.

When leaders build a culture that properly supports employees' needs and values, they ensure that their workforce is resilient and ready for future challenges. Employees are likelier to stick around, work together, and perform at their best when they are supported by an empathetic, engaging, and distinctly human culture. If you’re a leader looking to scale your business or simply withstand the difficulties of an uncertain time, work to create a culture that makes it possible.