A Work Culture Where Employees Stay - Careers in Government

A Work Culture Where Employees Stay

S. Chris Edmonds is a sought-after speaker, author, and executive consultant. He’s the founder and CEO of The Purposeful Culture Group, which he launched in 1990. Chris helps senior leaders build and sustain purposeful, positive, productive work cultures. He is the author or co-author of seven books, including Amazon bestsellers Good Comes First (2021) with Mark Babbitt, The Culture Engine (2014), and Leading at a Higher Level (2008) with Ken Blanchard.

Before the pandemic, a Fall 2019 study by Robert Half International found that 96% of managers say their staff are experiencing some degree of burnout.

Yet in 2024, one in three hiring managers still have concerns about retaining their employees,

with the vast majority (88%) saying they were making plans to hire this year in order to adjust for expected turnover.

What can business leaders do to retain talented, engaged employees?

Communicate openly and frequently

Honest communication is vital. A weekly “state of the business” update will help people feel valued. The news may not always be positive – don’t hide it, share it. You may not have answers; say so. Communicate what you can, especially bright spots.

Model and demand respect

Treat others with respect in every interaction. Don’t demean, discount, or dismiss others’ concerns or hopes. Be kind and civil to everyone, individually, in groups, everywhere. By modeling respectful treatment day-in-and-day-out, you earn the right to demand that everyone else treat others with respect.

What can business leaders do to retain talented, engaged employees?

CHRIS EDMONDS

Listen to and validate concerns

Be open to questions from team leaders and team members. Provide a variety of channels for people to connect with caring leaders and colleagues, including small group video calls with the CEO, a chat feature for one-on-one conversations, calls with trained professionals to address increased demands (like working from home while kids are in school online), etc.

Celebrate aligned efforts, ideas, and accomplishments

Our best bosses were great at this. They kept informed of our progress on projects or with customers. They knew exactly when to connect and say, “Thank you” or write a quick email praising traction. Ideas and efforts don’t always lead to desired results – but ideas and efforts deserve recognition, which can lead to performance increases.

All of these can create a work environment with a higher employee retention rate.