How to Create a Work Culture that Attracts and Retains Top Talent

A good charity culture is essential to attract and keep the best people. A study featured on HRNews shows that employees who feel they are a good fit for their role and who are happy with their organisation’s atmosphere are 36% more productive than those who don’t. So what can you do to build up a work culture that supports your employees and encourages them to stay?  

Focus on purpose 

Nobody wants to feel like they’re just another cog in the machine. That’s why it’s so important to focus on your charity’s mission and vision. The goal is to show how each team and individual contributes to it. Here are some tips:  

• Share the charity’s vision and objectives during the onboarding process to help each new employee understand how their personal targets relate to the bigger picture.  
• Regularly communicate the impact of each team’s work. 
• Use performance reviews to discuss how personal achievements have contributed to your charity’s success. 
• If possible, connect with the communities that your charity supports to get an insight into the impact of your work on the ground. Then communicate this to employees.  

Be transparent 

Transparency helps to build trust and satisfaction. Running a charity isn’t always plain sailing, but it’s important that you don’t hide the low points. Instead, use regular team catch-ups to celebrate successes together and to analyse what isn’t going as well as expected. Consult with teams directly to find out what can be done to overcome challenges. The more involvement individuals have in overall decision-making, the more valued they will feel and the more likely they will want to stay.  

Deliver on your promises 

Building a strong workplace culture is also about practising what you preach, both in terms of goals and values. If you say that you’re a diversity-friendly employer, show how you’re delivering on this by putting in place hiring processes that remove bias. If one of your goals for the year is to reach out to a new donor audience, put all the wheels in motion to make it happen. And if you don’t succeed in doing so, be honest about why.  

Invest in personal wellbeing 

Promoting a culture of physical and mental wellbeing has never been more important. And as the world slowly emerges from Covid-19, employers are continuing to focus on ensuring that their staff are well supported in this regard. Is there anything more that you could do to improve your employees’ wellbeing? You’re probably already thinking about how your charity is going to handle office-based and remote work going forward. Be sure to communicate this to your staff as early as possible and be as flexible as you can.  

Have a hunch that a team member might be struggling? Ask them if you can offer support. If your charity has links to a counselling service, make sure that all employees know how to access it. If not, encourage them to seek guidance from their GP and stress that you will do everything you can to support them from a work perspective. 

Recognise and reward achievement 

Not being recognised for your hard work makes you feel demotivated and less willing to stay with your organisation. That’s why it’s important to show genuine appreciation for your employees’ input. You might consider putting in a formal reward and recognition programme. But if this doesn’t sit well with your culture, make sure that you’re using every opportunity to celebrate achievements.  

Be sociable 

Covid-19 has left many of us feeling isolated and missing the human interaction that we were previously used to. While many of your employees might welcome a flexible or hybrid working arrangement, it’s important to keep the social element of your charity’s work alive and to encourage team bonding. Consider hosting a cross-team event, and if your team is dispersed, be sure to put some time in for social interaction online.  

Invest time in promoting a good work culture and you’ll reap the rewards 

Remember that work culture isn’t something that happens automatically. It involves work and dedication from both employers and employees. But if you make sure that you’re promoting your values from the very start of every staff-member’s journey, you’ll be onto a winner. The key is honesty, recognition of good work and a focus on wellbeing.