“Culture” has been the topic of several of my past blogs including “Building an Organizational Culture of Trust and Respect”, “Business Survival and a Team-Based Culture”, and “Performance Appraisals: Creating a Performance Management Culture.” The importance of building a sustainable organizational culture has become increasingly important with the new trend called “The Great Resignation.” What is this new trend? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a record 4 million people quit their jobs in April. In a recent Microsoft report, another 41% of the global workforce is considering leaving their jobs this year.
The days when the average employee would work for the same company for 40+ years before they retired are long gone. Employees are no longer interested in working for organizations that have a predominantly “command and control” management culture. They want to work for organizations that have healthy cultures of engagement, inclusion, and empowerment. If organizations do not take steps to create a culture that allows them to be recognized as an “Employer of Choice,” they will experience high attrition and find it hard to attract new employees.
Here are 5 things to consider that can enhance your organizational culture:
1) Organizational Purpose and Values. This is another subject I have had in multiple blogs including my previous post “Organizational Purpose VS The Great Resignation.” Employees today want, and need, to believe in both the organization and what they do for the organization. This means more than just posting a Mission and Vision statement. It means defining the purpose and values of the organization and then using them as the guiding force for all decisions made within the organization. This gives them an emotional connection to the organization. People will stay with an organization when they believe in the cause and conduct of that organization.
2) Organizational Diversity and Inclusion. These are big topics in society and need to be addressed in a healthy manner. Organizations need to respect the diversity of their workforce and the customers they serve. Development and mentorship opportunities should be available for all employees. Inclusion also means giving employees a say in what happens in the organization. For more on this subject, check out my blog: “Building Organizational Diversity: Seven Steps to Success.”
3) Organizational Leadership Style. The old “command and control” leadership style of the past is no longer tolerated by the new workforce. Managers will have high attrition rates when using this dictatorial leadership style. Employees also rate them on sites like “Glassdoor” to warn off other potential employees from suffering the same fate at the hands of these antiquated managers. Managers need to be trained on how to motivate and lead with inclusion. For more on this topic, read my blog: “The 8 Be Attitudes of Motivational Leadership.”
4) Organizational Flexibility. With the vaccine being readily available to those that want it, organizations are asking employees to come back to the office. The problem is that employees no longer want to spend the time or money commuting back and forth from work. They have had a taste of the benefits of working virtually and they like it. Organizations need to offer flexible schedules to entice employees to return to the office. This might mean starting with only a couple of days a week at the office or adjusting schedules, so people do not have to sit in rush hour traffic. Organizations should take a serious look at what they can do to accommodate more employees if they want to retain them in the future.
5) Organizational Philanthropy. Employees are looking at what the organization is doing to give back to the community. They want to know that the organization stands for more than just making a buck. If your organization is not already doing food drives, cleaning up beaches, or fundraising for a worthy cause, you should consider doing something. Ask the employees “In What Ways Could We Give Back?” This will help employees to truly connect with the organization as well as to impact a good cause.
The future of organizations will depend on their ability to retain their greatest asset: their employees. Organizations that want to proactively retain employees will consider and implement a plan on how they can improve in the 5 areas listed above. Doing so provides a strategic advantage against competitions in the future.
Interested in learning about employee engagement? Join us for a complimentary 1.5-hour webinar, Managers Matter: Remote Employee Engagement, on August 18, 2021, at 9:00 AM.
Download a free copy of Dale Carnegie’s Creating Cultures that Engage and Retain Millennials and Gen Z white paper.