Great Resignation? Culture Matters.

A review of Glassdoor data from April to September 2021, found “toxic work culture” as the single most important reason why people quit their jobs … by some estimates, 10 times more prevalent than pay in predicting turnover. (Jennifer Liu, “This is the biggest reason people quit,” CNBC, makeit, January 14, 2022) Ms. Liu continues that among the components of “toxic work culture,” are lack of commitment to DEI, disrespectful behavior, questionable integrity, managers who mistreated people, and an environment where people worked against instead of with each other.

We all can be pretty confident that these dynamics were not listed in the articulated values of the impacted organizations. To the contrary, a betting person would say that their values were probably things like: promote DEI; treat people with respect; do the right thing; be a team. It is this disconnect, between the talk and the walk, that leads to workplace dissatisfaction and eyes wide open to other opportunities.

Culture establishes the values/lenses/practices that are foundational to the organization. It is developed intentionally or unintentionally through behaviors, expectations, and rewards, permeates every action and every decision, and either promotes or detracts from an environment where people of all types and from all backgrounds feel and are able to contribute to their highest levels without artificial impediments or barriers. Attracting and retaining motivated and high performing people has, is and always will be about the environment in which they operate and the choices that they have. Our choice as organizational leaders is whether we will be transparent about the culture we choose to create and hold ourselves and others accountable to meeting those expectations.