The Strategic Advantage Top Workplaces Are Using in 2021
BY DOUG CLAFFEY
People often ask me what separates
Top Workplaces from the rest. And
while they outperform average organizations
on many levels, there’s one
key distinction: Top Workplaces leaders
know that creating a workplace
culture where employees are highly
engaged is a competitive advantage.
And they make it a strategic priority,
day in and day out.
Nationwide, less than a third of
employees are truly engaged at work.
But it’s a different story at Top Workplaces.
Of the 57,000 organizations
we’ve surveyed since 2006, Top Workplaces
achieve almost double the engagement
rate. Those companies that
score in the top 10 percent on our surveys
see engagement levels above 85
percent.
Recognition and bragging rights
aside, employee engagement translates
into stronger retention, higher
productivity, and better performance.
But employee engagement is the outcome
of a healthy workplace culture.
In today’s business environment, employee
culture distinguishes the
world’s most valuable companies. It’s
where value is created or destroyed.
In fact, culture is the only remaining
sustainable competitive advantage.
Great business strategies can be
copied, but culture cannot. When an
organization’s culture fails, it’s only a
matter of time before it becomes public
and costly.
Every organization has a culture.
Some are intentional, some accidental.
Companies that say culture is a
priority but don’t back it up are just
fooling themselves. This is how leaders
lose their jobs and how companies
cease to exist.
Leaders at Top Workplaces are intentional
about defi ning and forging a
unique culture that directly supports
specifi c business goals. Not that all
cultures are the same. Even among
Top Workplaces, some thrive on high
energy and fun, while others benefi t
from quiet intensity. So ask yourself:
What defi nes your workplace culture?
How do you know?
Are you happy with it?
Is it helping or hindering your
business objectives?
Whenever I ask leaders these questions,
the answers spur terrifi c discussions.
The challenge is understanding
how to measure culture and how to
change it. The most tangible measure
of culture is employee engagement.
Great workplace cultures fl ourish
when a team of talented people share
an organization’s values and embrace
its objectives. We look at these key factors
in engagement:
Motivation: As an employee, do
you feel you are giving your best?
Commitment: Do you want to
stay?
Referral: Would you recommend
the organization to others?
Strong cultures become self-sustaining:
they attract like-minded
people who will thrive in that environment.
That’s why Top Workplaces
can be picky about who they bring onboard,
whereas other organizations
have to pay more money to keep people.
Speaking of spending, isn’t it
strange that some organizations have
training budgets and hiring budgets,
but not budgets for culture and retention?
Training and consulting soak up
money and time but tend to not change
behaviors.
Today we see companies using
technology in smart ways connect
with their employees and move the
needle on employee engagement. This
new breed of solutions — inspired by
social media and backed by neuroscience
— open the lines of communication
and enable organizations to craft
a culture that supports business strategy
and is resilient to changes in their
market.
Creating a great workplace culture
requires raising the level of trust
and connection among employees so
they commit their best every day. Top
Workplaces do this, and they do it consistently
well. So when leaders at aspiring
organizations ask me how they,
too, can capture this advantage, my
answer is this: get intentional about
your workplace culture.
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 36 AN. 22-28, 2021 BTR