3 Signs Your Company Culture is in a Rut & How to Fix it
When it comes to company culture, even the most successful companies can find themselves stuck in a rut. But it can be difficult to tell when things aren’t working like they should be, and even more difficult to tell if your company culture is to blame.
However, there are three key signs that can show your company culture needs some work. Read on to learn what those signs are, and how you can improve.
1. Low Retention Rates
If your company culture is poor, a low retention rate (or high turnover rate) is going to be your first clue. In a recent study, 87% of human resource leaders said improved retention was a critical priority. Are you hiring based on shared ideals and values? If not, that’s where your low retention rate is coming from. Why would employees want to keep working there if their coworkers and leaders don’t share their ideals? Feeling a sense of belonging is essential to the human experience, and it absolutely extends into the workplace. Employees who don’t fit in as well are 12% less likely to see themselves staying with their current employer.
In addition, 14% of HR leaders say lack of executive support is an additional obstacle to improving retention. So even if you are trying to get your culture out of the rut, you may be facing extra resistance.
2. Low Engagement Rates
A recent study by Gallup revealed that 16.5% of employees are actively disengaged. All things considered, that may seem fairly low. However, when you know that active disengagement costs between $450 billion and $550 billion per year in the U.S., you start to pay close attention. And if your company culture is stagnating, you might have much higher than 16% of employees disengaged.
In fact, only 1 in 150 employees who say their organization does not have a set of values are fully engaged. Those values are what define and drive your company culture. They ensure your employees know what they’re working for and gives them purpose. If you’re seeing very low engagement rates at your organization, take a good look at your culture and values.
3. Low Application Rates
You appeal to talent through your company culture, and more specifically, your employer brand. If you’ve only been seeing the bare minimum of applications trickle in at your workplace, it may be time to have a good hard look at your culture. In fact, 80% of U.S. jobseekers reported they were more likely to apply at an organization that has recently won a great workplace award.
What’s even more shocking is 69% of employees would not take a job with a company that had a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed. When you’re looking for the right talent, if you’re not managing your culture and employer brand, you could be shooting yourself in the foot.
The Solution? Corporate Social Responsibility
Low retention, engagement and application rates are going to take a serious toll on your organization over time. If you don’t get your company culture out of that rut, the damage may be irreparable. You need to find something that reignites your employees’ passion for their job and fast. Fortunately, there’s a solution to all of your problems: corporate social responsibility (CSR).
By investing in corporate responsibility programs like employee volunteer programs or matching gifts, you will attract, engage and retain the right talent for your organization. Here’s how it works: Your employees have values and ideals, and your company does as well. CSR provides your employees with opportunities to make a difference in the world and the causes they care about. Providing paid time off for volunteering or hosting a company volunteering event can be a great way to engage employees off-site by giving them a chance to step out of the office, bond with co-workers and help the community.
You may be surprised to learn that 76% of Millennials say they would take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company, and we expect the next generations to be on board as well. Today’s employees are eager to make a difference through their work, and CSR provides them with that opportunity. It’s that one additional asset companies need to attract and retain talented employees. And while most of us don’t have the time or energy to make company culture a 24/7 priority, investing in CSR is a way to get your culture jumpstarted!
About the author: Liz Bardetti, is the Marketing Director at CyberGrants with seasoned advertising and marketing professional with 15+ years experience, including work for Gatorade, Welch’s and most recently, CyberGrants.