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According to a PwC study from May 2022, one in five employees plans to quit this year. In the US alone, more than three million people resign each month, and that rate has persisted despite signs of a slowdown in hiring.
Simply put, it remains a seller’s market for labor, which means companies of all sizes must focus on retaining high-performing employees as part of a smart growth strategy. And that’s broadly true — even for early-stage companies that don’t have the resources of the larger incumbents in their industries.
Luckily, increasing direct compensation isn’t the only way to attract and retain talent: successful organizational culture transformations can generate big returns in this area too, and at a lower cost. And such transformations don’t have to focus solely (or even primarily) on simply creating a better place to work. Improving employee retention can also involve increasing the size of the pie shared by low-level employees, as long as those efforts start at the top…with you and your leadership team.
Not sure how to proceed? These three volumes offer unconventional ideas for positive culture change and actionable roadmaps if you’re ready to embark on such a journey.
Related: Turning the tide at the Great Resignation
Can business transformations start at home? Should you? Husband, father, entrepreneur and business coach Patrick Cummings thinks so, and it is the common thread of this remarkable guide.
You already know that balancing work and family life is not easy. Cross that out: It can feel almost impossible to be an active member of a household when you’ve got so much on your plate professionally, but Cummings knows it’s possible because he lives it every day. He takes readers on a deeply personal journey that has led to a life without regrets and “what could have been”. It’s a journey of valuable lessons for any entrepreneur or business leader working to make organizations healthier, happier, and more engaging for current and future employees.
See also: Guide the great company culture
As a leader, you need to present your “true you,” not an empty suit. You have to do great work, of course, but more importantly, you have to empower every member of your team to fulfill their potential.
This may feel like an overwhelming question when your current culture accepts inauthenticity and mediocrity. If your business has managed to be “just good enough” for years, you may not see a clear path to change.
It may be that you just need to get a new perspective. That’s the thinking that Foster’s (literally) unconventional treatise on strengthening organizational culture offers—by encouraging “taking business out there” and helping a team transcend outdated social and corporate conventions to thrive on its own terms . It’s a must-read for any professional who knows it’s important to lead by example but isn’t sure where to start – a roadmap to both personal fulfillment in the C-suite and authentic, transparent leadership , which helps break down barriers within teams.
Arguably the most tactical title on this list, Schmidt’s is a guide to achieving exponential growth and fostering a results-driven internal culture that attracts and retains top talent, largely through dominating Google’s organic search engine. Take his advice and your company will stand out from the crowd, at least for the people who matter most: high potential candidates.
Like it or not, Google dominates virtually every industry. You just can’t run a business without a great web presence. A mediocre website paired with an infrequently updated LinkedIn page and a Twitter handle that isn’t getting any engagements is no longer enough. Potential customers, investors, employees… all have higher expectations.
This globally trained SEO and marketing expert will take you on a crash course in SEO that will be the envy of your business. Along the way, you will learn about digital marketing strategies that can do more than just sell juice: used correctly, they also help market your company to talented candidates and develop internal processes that appeal to and inspire current employees. The possible result: a more visually appealing company that is running at full speed – internally as well.
Related: A brand expert offers five essential marketing tips for 2022
