With some new proposed employment regulations on the horizon, it’s more important than ever for companies to put time and effort into creating cultures where their employees feel a sense of belonging.

HBR.org discusses these new employment regulations in their article, but here are the basics:

  • The Federal Trade Commission is proposing a ban on noncompete clauses.
  • Local jurisdictions are proposing (and some have passed) that employer transparency about salary ranges, when posting both external and internal openings.
  • The Securities and Exchange Commission will be requiring publicly traded companies to disclose details on spending for things like training and development, DEI, benefits, etc.

Employers are worried that any of these items could potentially give their competition leverage to make better offers.

The author of the HBR.org article, Charles G. Tharp, reminds us that,

“company culture and providing purposeful work
in support of a compelling mission
is what really creates competitive advantage
when it comes to talent acquisition and retention.
Forward-thinking leaders will devote increased attention
to these aspects of the employee experience
that are hard for competitors to replicate.”

We couldn’t agree more! It really is imperative to create a culture where employees feel that they belong.

If you’ve been following our Psychological Safety posts, you’ll have an understanding about the importance that culture plays in retaining (or losing!) employees.

Research has shown that:

  • People who believe their leaders care about them, show greater loyalty to the leaders, share differing opinions in ways that further innovation, and are less likely to leave.
  • People who believe their leaders value their contributions, are more aligned behind the vision, more likely to move initiatives forward, and are less likely to leave.

While the research separates these out, we’ve seen the combination of demonstrating both CARE and VALUE is a game-changer in creating a culture of belonging.

If you’re concerned about retaining your employees, consider whether or not you’re showing them that you care about them and that you value their contributions.

Today, we’re giving you some simple ideas to get you started.

You’ll notice that many of these are similar to examples we’ve shared in our recent posts, and that’s because our work is all based on building a foundation of psychological safety and belonging. And, demonstrating that you genuinely care for and value the people you work with, is a great way to build that sense of safety and belonging.

To Demonstrate Care*:

  • How was your weekend?
  • It’s nice to have you back! Are you feeling better?
  • It’s great that we could come together for this meeting, unless there is an emergency, I’d like to request that we all put away distractions so that we can be fully present for one another.

*Note: It’s important to understand what “care” means to different people on your team and the amount of privacy they’d prefer.

To Demonstrate Value**:

  • Thanks so much for the great effort on that product launch, team. Your relationship skills, beautiful photos, and creative sales sheets helped us to gain some wonderful PR placements.
  • I appreciate the background and experience you each bring to the table. I’m curious what you each think about this idea. Let’s all provide input on the benefits and concerns we have, as well as any suggestions that could make it a winner.
  • What’s the work you love to do? Are there any areas of development or aspirations you’d like to start discussing? What would support from me look like?

**Note: It’s important to understand how/when people on your team like to receive praise and then honor that.

This week, try one or more of these with your team, your colleagues, even your family members, and let us know how it goes!

If you’d like support
in retaining your employees
contact us today.