There’s an ongoing issue that damages organizations’ reputations, which needs to be resolved.
 
And it’s persisted over the years, plus more recently, given the uptick in layoffs:
 

• Candidates complaining about being ghosted by employers, when applying for open positions.

 
Frequently reporting that they never again hear from a company after a screening call, or an interview, despite being promised that they would.
 
This is obviously a terrible idea if organizations want candidates to remember their experience positively.
 
Because just a few bad reviews from unhappy candidates, mixed-in with even great employee reviews, sends a mixed message.
 
And damages an organization’s reputation, regardless of how engaged the employees are, or how great the culture.
 
Yes, it’s true that candidates ghost employers too.
 
But one employer thinking badly of a candidate, does not create the same level of potential damage to a brand, when compared to the impact a few disgruntled candidates can have.

Who subsequently post about their interview experiences with an organization, on a review site such as Glassdoor.
 
Yes, everyone is busy, and it can be difficult to run a tight recruitment ship, but it is possible, and it’s important, whether using internal or external recruiters.
 
So that, even when rejected, candidates still talk positively about the organization.
 
As with all change, leaders must be behind it, and make it clear what is expected.
 
Because when you have both candidates and employees raving about the great culture, applicants know they can look forward to a positive experience, whether hired or not.

​After a few years of economic growth and prosperity, layoffs have again, unfortunately, been making headlines since last year.
 
In fact, according to layoffs.fyi, which has tracked tech layoffs globally since the pandemic:
​

• More than 150,000 people were laid off in 2022, across more than 1,000 tech companies.

And, as talk of an economic downturn and recession continue to loom, there is the possibility of more in the future.
 
They are obviously a disruptive and emotionally challenging experience for those affected.
 
With a substantial impact in terms of financial stability, confidence and even a person’s sense of identity.

Made even worse when not sensitively handled, as many organizations reportedly have recently failed to do.
 
Yet the impact is not confined only to the affected employees alone.
 
Although their well-being is undeniably of paramount importance, compared to any harm to the organization.
 
Particularly when not well-handled.
 
Because layoffs can also have a detrimental effect on the morale of the remaining employees, and on the reputation and culture of the organization.
 
Regardless of how engaged or committed the employees may have been, or how great the culture.

And from which recovery could take years.

Yet, there are alternatives for organizations, without resorting to layoffs when times get tough:
 

• Reduced work hours or voluntary furloughs.
• Offering voluntary layoff packages.
• Implementing hiring bans.
• Enacting salary freezes, and reduced bonus payouts for a few quarters.
• Scaling back on other expenses such as business travel or real estate holdings.

 
None of which are ideal, but which beat being laid-off, particularly if communicated sensitively and effectively.
 
And which offer several advantages, including preserving morale and motivation, and retaining valuable knowledge and skills within the organization.
 
Not to mention enhancing the organization's reputation as a responsible and ethical employer.

The responsibility to provide solid training and coaching for its people leaders, falls firmly on an organization’s leadership.

As does subsequently holding them accountable. ​

​Because the importance of an employee’s direct manager in whether employees are engaged cannot be over-emphasized.
 
In fact, according to Gallup, 50% of Americans have left a job because of their manager, at some point in their career.
 
There are, however, still unfortunately any number of bad behaviors that flourish uncontrollably in many organizations.
 
None of which should be acceptable in a healthy culture.
 
But, according to a Bamboo HR survey of 1,000 US employees, one in particular stood out as the worst, with over 67% in agreement:

A manager taking credit for their employees' work.
 
It is not only infuriating, but also trust destroying.
 
In addition to the fact that it can impact an employee’s career, since they potentially miss out on promotions and raises.
 
Because senior leaders are not aware that it is the employee and not the manager, who did the work or had the cost-saving idea.
 
Whatever the reasons for it happening, the fact that it continues means that the culture allows it.
 
Through the existence of a competitive environment, or one where employees do not feel safe speaking-up about the behavior.

But make no mistake, it is unconscionable and shameful behavior.
 
Leading to high turnover and other costly problems associated with disengaged employees.
 
So, it’s important to not allow your culture to be a place where it happens.

​There are any number of ways for leaders to build trust.
 
Which is an essential component of having engaged employees, which leads to caring cultures:

Including being open about even minor mistake or imperfections.
 
Because doing so invites reciprocity, and this two-way street is essential when building trust and forging good rapport.
 
Building an environment where people feel safe to make mistakes, take risks and speak up.

Critical for any organization that wants to be innovative and successful.
 
We are all humans, and pretending to be perfect damages authenticity, because not one of us is.
 
Being real and seen as someone who makes mistakes and has faults, makes a leader seem human and approachable.

Allowing people to, in turn, be themselves.
 
Start small with insignificant details, especially at the beginning:
​

• Saying you didn’t sleep well the night before.
• Mentioning how you were late to a lunch with a client last week.
• Talking about the great movie you watched recently.
• Admitting that you forget a prior conversation, as you’ve been so buried in another project.

 
This sets the stage for open communication, that's rooted in authenticity.
 
And a positive, successful culture, led by a real human, and not someone pretending to be perfect.

​Nowadays, the importance of employee engagement is well known.
 
And there are many considerations to achieving it.
 
But the connection to trust may be less well known, although it makes perfect sense.

Because employee engagement, by one definition, has been described as the emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and its goals.
 
Which shows-up as the above-and-beyond that employees are willing to go, above what’s minimally required.
 
It is determined by the level of trust employees have in leadership.
 
And it is critical.

Because, if there's no trust, there is no engagement, employees will likely see their jobs as a paycheck, and nothing more, plus they will always be willing to speak to a recruiter who calls with a new opportunity.
​
In fact, if you think you have an employee engagement issue, it's actually more likely that you have a trust issue.
 
And disengagement is a symptom of that.
 
Because leaders operating in a trustworthy manner enjoy higher engagement levels.
 
How can leaders show they are trustworthy?

• They must be engaged themselves – it is critical to model the behaviors they want to see
• Show employees that 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 trust 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢
• Be transparent and communicate frequently
• Invite employee feedback
• Keep their word
• Always have their employees’ backs
• Create an environment where employees can do great work

 
Create trust and engaged employees and caring cultures will be the outcome.

According to a recent Glint report, feeling cared for at work is more important to employees than it was before COVID.
 
They want to know their leaders genuinely care about them, certainly their direct managers, but also the CEO.
 
And to know that they are seen as a person, and not just a number.
 
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨.
 
There are many ways of showing you care.
 
But the simplest place to start is to get to know your employees, and build a genuine relationship.
 That doesn’t mean you’re expected to suddenly become best friends with one another.
 
It does mean taking the time to learn about them:
 
🚩 Their interests
🚩 Their families
🚩 Their kids’ sports
🚩 Upcoming special events
 
Then remembering the details to ask about next time you see them.
 
It won’t happen if you stay behind a desk every day.
 
💠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 10 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠.
 
Then, when you bump into them around the workplace, talk to them, and follow-up on the conversation you last had.
 
If employees feel that you care, it kicks-off a reciprocity of wanting to show-up and do a good job in response.
 
𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠.

Of course, there’s more to caring than chatting about weekend plans or celebrating special events.
 
But getting to know your employees on an appropriate, personal level is a great place to start.

​There are any number of issues that can undermine an organization’s efforts to engage its employees.
 
One of which is a failure to embed a set of core values into every aspect of the business.
 
It’s critical to get them right, since so much depends on them:
 
✅ Describe “How we do things around here”, the code of conduct for an organization, what is allowed as a culture.
✅ Guide an organization and its people toward its mission, since they're a set of principles or fundamental beliefs.
✅ Ensure employees know exactly what is expected of them, and what behaviors they should model.
✅ Serve to attract like-minded people to the organization and deter those who will not be a good fit.
✅ Drive decision making – Just ask: “Does this make sense given our values?”
 
While it’s true that most leaders understand their importance, and, indeed, have made sure they're in place.
 
Often, that's as far as it goes, and, frequently, no-one even knows what the values are, if asked.
 
Even though they may be hanging right behind them, in a nice frame on the wall.
 
🚩 This fits with a Gallup finding that only 27% of employees strongly agree they believe in their organization’s values.
 
🚩 Yet a recent ihire survey found that 75.5% of employees say it’s very important to work for a company with a set of core values.
 
So, there is a definite disconnect.
 
𝘽𝙪𝙩, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
 
Such as onboarding, training, feedback, recognition, performance evaluations and meetings.
 
Otherwise, organizations just may as well not bother, because just having them means nothing if they're not “lived”.
 
However, if they are embedded in everything and organization does, employee engagement will increase.
 
And engaged employees stay longer, are absent less, are more productive, and provide better customer service.
 
In addition, they become brand ambassadors, driving great candidates to want to come and work at the organization.
 
So, now may be the time to develop or revamp your core values.

The role of leaders in engaging employees is crucial.

In fact, without leadership support and buy-in, employees cannot be engaged, and a great culture isn’t possible.

𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩.

It is the starting point of all employee engagement work, and great cultures.

There are any number of ways to show employees you care:

✅ Getting to know them and building genuine relationships.
✅ Leading with honesty and transparency.
✅ Showing appreciation for their efforts.
✅ Allowing for mistakes, without employees fearing retribution.

With the current job market and businesses competing for talent, doing this has never been more important.

Because the days of employees being content to show-up to collect a paycheck are long gone.
Now, not only do employees want meaningful work.

They also want to know that their leaders genuinely care.
​
Without it, whatever else is put in place, simply will not work long-term in engaging employees, leading to higher retention and attracting great candidates.

​For some time now, employees have been leaving their current organizations for greener pastures.
 
In a market that has allowed for easy movement, and a search for exactly what they were looking for.
 
Meaning that the focus, for good employers, should continue to be ensuring they have the things in place that will make employees want to stay.
 
Regardless of whether the economy may be shifting to slightly less employee-friendly.
 
There are some fundamental practices needed to engage employees, and create a great culture:
 
🚩Recognition, transparent communication, and development opportunities, as well as caring leaders.
 
🚩Ensuring the right people are in the right jobs, and meaningful work.
 
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙮, 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩-𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨.
 
Even though they will not, by themselves, engage employees and make them want to stay.
 
Nonetheless, they cannot be overlooked.
 
💠 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙮, 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩.
 
If that's in place, it’s a strong starting point.
 
𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳: 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵, 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘣𝘺 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺.
 
💠 𝘼𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨, 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡.
 
One employee may need medical benefits, while another does not.
 
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴.
 
Such as a cafeteria plan, which would offer more flexibility than a traditional insurance plan.
 
Showing you care enough to provide options, based on their own personal needs.
 
💠 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙚, 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚.
 
It’s true that having the ability to set their own hours or work from home can be a major plus for most employees.
 
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺; 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘴.
 
Bottom line, leaders need to take the time to find out what motivates each individual.
 
Get these baseline requirements in place, and employees will be less likely to leave.
 
𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮.
 
And will become your organizational ambassadors, talking about what a great place you are to work, attracting top talent.

​Have you ever started a job, and not one person appeared to be expecting you that day?
 
Except for perhaps the hiring manager, who offered you the job, but you're not sure, since they're nowhere to be seen.
 
You showed-up early, but it wouldn’t have mattered if you were late, since no-one knew you were coming.
 
❌ You were escorted to a random, empty desk, and were told that it was 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮 ok for you to sit there.
❌ After an hour or two sitting there, you may have been handed a laptop, that hadn’t been set-up for you yet.
❌ Eventually, your new boss ran out of a meeting, and showed you to the right desk.
❌ Maybe even hastily introduced you to your new co-workers.
❌ Before running off again, having thrown the employee handbook at you, and told you to read it for the morning.
❌ Interrupted at some point by someone (you have no idea who), giving you some new hire forms to complete.
❌ Lunchtime came but you had no idea where to go, or even if this was the regular lunch time at this organization.
 
And on and on…
 
💠 Welcome to your new job!
 
Fortunately, this type of experience was more common in the past.
 
And today, thankfully, many companies now do a much better job of welcoming new hires.
 
Still, according to HBR, 22% of companies have no formal onboarding program at all, while 49% have only a partially successful process.
 
Yet it’s critical, since the first few hours and days set the tone for them.
 
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙮.
 
Better yet, think beyond a few days.
 
✅ And instead, provide a robust onboarding experience, over a minimum of 90 days, or, even better, six+ months.
✅ As opposed to just a paperwork-focused orientation.
✅ Even better, the best organizations begin their onboarding before the new hire’s first day.
 
𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙢 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚: Onboarding is a critical practice to ensure new hires feel welcome and fully integrated into their new roles and organizations.
 
If not in place, they will be less productive, more stressed, and feel disconnected from their teams.
 
Making them more likely to quickly look for work elsewhere.