What happens at your organization resulting in a cultural evolution that directly or indirectly impacts data outputs? 

Undoubtedly, critical business decisions influence culture and impact employee experiences. Organizations seek to understand what might be happening within their organization, employee engagement, and customer experiences by the turnover they experience. Data on position, tenure, race, gender, and more tell the story. While turnover data helps business decision-makers refocus priorities, the data is still a result of previous and other business decisions.  

Authors Gregory Kessler and Amy Kates of Leading Organizational Design outline that it is impossible to change culture directly and that culture results from decisions made regarding structure, processes, metrics, and talent. People are, for the most part, rational. When the environment changes, they will change their behaviors.

Here are some business factors that influence business decisions that could impact Turnover Data outcomes:

• Consumer Behavior Changes
• Product and Service Relevance
• Jobs and Mandates of the Future
• Process Inefficiencies
• Top-heavy Organizations
• Skill Set Needs
• Financial Health

Organizations must make tough, thoughtful, and meaningful decisions to keep customers happy, products and services relevant, meet compliance demands, and more. These decisions shape the company culture that employees connect with or fall out of connection with. Sometimes employees look for employee experiences and organizations that align with their values, career goals, leadership, and mentor needs, and those decisions contribute to Turnover Data. Regardless of what caused the turnover, various cost elements will be a factor. Examples include:

• Hiring Costs
• Advertisement Costs
• Interview Expenses
• Compensation Demands
• Productivity 
• Training Costs
• Engagement Costs
• Time
• Brand

How do you get in front of it all? Focus on the jobs that need to get done right now. Remove barriers for employees so they can deliver nurture and value to customers. Here is how:

• Get in front of your employees sooner and talk to them about what they need, their ideas, and what will keep them thriving and staying with the organization. Don’t wait until the exit interview.
• Create an environment that boosts productivity. Provide tools, resources, and development. Every employee wants to feel successful.
• Create safe environments where people feel as if they belong. People want to know failing, growing, and trying again is okay.
• Create inclusive and meaningful environments for your employees to empower them to deliver and contribute. 
• Recognize and thank employees for choosing to be at your organization. See and recognize your people and what they offer.

Listening to what our employees tell us they want and need is essential. The times have changed, and how we connect with people in our communities and worldwide are a few clicks and swipes away with modern technology. The world is at our fingertips, and employees can see what is happening everywhere. Organizations have a responsibility to stay relevant or get with the times. Many movements can inspire great ideas to bring to the organization so that people feel seen, heard, appreciated, and motivated to drive the business.

Abraham Gonzales-Pollick, Vice President of Client Development
HR and Organizational Strategy and Design, Employee Engagement, Leadership, and Client Service