3 Ways to Upgrade Your Workplace Culture in 2023

More than ever, employees demand healthy workplace cultures and aren't afraid to leave when they feel undervalued. Some argue that it's generational, some say it's because of the pandemic, and others even say it's only temporary because there is a high demand for skilled employees.

I'm not here to tell you why employees demand better cultures because there is more than one reason. Instead, I'm here to help you improve your retention and employee engagement with 3 low-cost strategies.

Increase employee engagement and reduce turnover by making your team feel valued.

Schedule a consult with me HERE if you need help with any of these strategies. Or just a sounding board before you pitch your idea to the boss.

Strategy 1: Fringe benefits (mental health days, hybrid work options, quarterly parties, etc.)

While all these strategies are low-cost, fringe benefits can run from $ to $$$ depending on the size of the company. Some of the best bang for your buck can come from offering employees extra paid days off, hosting quarterly parties, and improving work/life balance through hybrid work policies.

Some companies now offer mental health days in addition to their sick leave policy, but some employees are averse to taking them because of the name. A better option might be to offer a 4-day work week where departments can decide what days they want/need to be in the office as a group. This can be tricky in some businesses,' but where there's a will, there's a way to figure it out.

Don't underestimate the value of hosted weekly lunches or quarterly parties. While these tend to be pricier, they are great for showing employees that the company cares about them and their families. In addition, a well-done party gives people another reason to brag about your company and refer quality people for open positions.

The last fringe benefit I'll mention is the hotly debated and highly desired hybrid/remote work policy. It demonstrates that you value your employees by saving them commuting time/vehicle wear and tear, and it also shows you trust them to get the job done when no one is watching. You can even tie it into a 4-day workweek option to encourage people to still come to the office. Of course, hybrid and remote work policies are most effective when paired with regular culture-building activities (ideally in person) like BBQs, retreats, and parties.

There can be a lot to consider with any of these options. Start by sending a survey to the whole company to get a feel for employees' desires. Then do your best to give the people what they want by bringing statistics, budgets, and retention projections to the higher-ups. You'll hit a home run whenever you have buy-in at every level. Speaking of buy-in at every level, that brings us to my second way to improve your company culture; leadership development.

Strategy 2: Leadership programs and accountability teams (GiANT Altitude groups, manager training, and employee empowerment)

Leadership is a term often used for managers and executives because they are usually in charge of other people. I would challenge you to expand this to include everyone in your organization. I know what you're thinking; "Why would we put everyone through leadership training when not everyone will be a manager?!" Let me explain why it's not actually that crazy.

Managers and executives are typically trained not in how to do the job but in how to run a project or team. They are taught emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and coaching techniques. Imagine that everyone you manage has learned the art of emotional intelligence, how to resolve conflicts, and how to collaborate with colleagues. How many hours a week would a manager get back when they aren't dealing with interpersonal issues because their teams handle them independently? Most managers spend over 5 hours a week dealing with conflicts on their team. Track your time for the next few weeks and leave a comment with the hours spent dealing with conflicts for other people.

Another benefit you'll see when everyone is being trained as though they will be a manager someday is that engagement will go up, especially in those who are genuinely ambitious about earning promotions and more responsibility. As you know, manager and executive roles are about so much more than ensuring a team completes their work on time. There is a lot of strategy and big-picture thinking that needs to happen in addition to putting out those fires that always seem to come up. Getting promising new leaders in the headspace while still working on a team can give valuable insights now and later as they connect all the dots.

Now that your whole organization is learning to lead themselves through conflicts, your meetings and team collaborations will be much more effective and productive. You can push that engagement to the next level by offering specialized training.

What does impactful leadership training look like? Schedule a free consultation call HERE to see what options might be a good fit for your company.

Strategy 3: Industry-specific training & development programs (tuition costs reimbursement and management tracks)

With the cost of education (and everything else) on the rise, offering specialized training programs can significantly influence your company culture. These programs can be general tuition reimbursement, part of a manager track, or even 3rd party training through lunch and learns. Look at the current and projected talent gaps for your organization/industry as a starting point.

Education programs can take a lot of forms, and their time demand should be considered in relation to the employee's current workload. For example, remote work and online schools can add 1-2 hours back to an employee's day by eliminating commute time. Some schools will also give discounts to organizations that send multiple employees through their degree programs, but it's also essential to consider the program's quality.

Consider Bachelor's degrees or certification/trade programs in specific topics that fit into your current and future talent needs as a priority when brainstorming. These are benefits that applicants and current employees quickly see value in when looking to advance their careers. There's education for even the most niche jobs and having those credentials can feel incredibly validating to employees.

Helping employees feel in control of their career path at your company shows that you care about and value them. But, at the end of the day, that's really why employees leave; they don't feel valued in the company culture.

Wrap-Up: There you have it. 3 tangible ways to start improving your culture and reducing turnover costs. Implementing even one of these benefits into your company's strategic plan will have a massive impact on employee engagement when done well. By implementing fringe benefits like hybrid work, leadership training for everyone, and education paths, you'll see your organizational culture transform faster than you thought possible.

Discover your leadership voice.

Need to brainstorm or want to see what an impactful leadership program looks like? Schedule a free consult call HERE.