Company Culture: Focus on what matters most

Q. How can my company navigate retention amid the Great Resignation? 

A. It’s no secret that the American labor force is experiencing a significant change over the past few years. Questions of how we work, where we work, and most notably, why we work have come to the forefront for Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z individuals. 

As a leader in your organization, ask yourself what matters more to your company, people or profits? In the same way diet and exercise relate to losing weight, workplace culture is the leading indicator to the lagging indicator, bottom-line profit. Employees who feel valued, supported and clear with their role are more likely to work harder, smarter and longer.  

Here are three ways to utilize culture as your best retention tool: 

Create clarity – Providing visibility around culture code creates buy in. It is one thing to tell your employees; it is another thing to show them. Do each of your employees have a specific role description? Is there a set mission and vision for the company and does each employee understand how their role ties into that directly? 

Recognize and reward – Less than one-third of U.S. workers receive weekly recognition for their work. Recognition can be as simple as a deliberate compliment on someone’s work ethic, attention to detail or commitment to excellence. Sometimes the heartfelt “I see you and how hard you give yourself to this work” can go leaps and bounds beyond a gift card.  

Think outside the box – The Great Resignation forced companies to get creative with their hiring and incentivization structures. Where could your company transform how it attracts and retains top talent? Are there roles that could become virtual opportunities or requirements that could be shed like degree requirements or specificities?  

Scott Stone is president of Community Conscious Consulting. You can reach him at 248-842-1070 or Scott@CommunityConsciousConsulting.com.