b"Great leaders build and drive great cultures, whichopen, two-way communication. They allow oth-leads to employee engagement. They know itsers to talk as they sincerely listen and, in turn, their number one priority, and its something thatthey share information and concerns. This allows cant be delegated. So, they must lead and be in- companies greater insight to avoid problems and vested in the process. also creates a flow of ideas.Of the many factors that contribute to employ- Earned Trust also leads to a strong culture of en-ee engagement, understanding what your peo- gagement.Thismeanskeepingitrealatwork. ple need tops the list. To build relationships withPeople mean what they say and can be trusted them, you will need to support and grow themto do what is expected of them. They live the val-to have a major impact on engagement and re- ues they espouse every day, which can be seen in tention. A tool called the Growth Guide, availabletheir day-to-day actions.inyourTalentDashboard,willhelpyouunder-stand what employees need to be successful andUnhappyemployeescostAmericanbusinesses provide tailored coaching so that they feel caredover $550 billion each yearit literally pays to about and want to stay.ensure your people are happy and engaged at Culture is powerful, and like brand, youre goingwork. Your people are your most valuable asset. to have one whether you like it or not. The bestInvesting in company culture and employee en-organizations to work for are the ones that rec- gagement shows serious ROI. An analysis by Aon ognize this and actively strive to push the rightHewitt reports that for every 1% increase in em-buttons every day to build a positive climate andployee engagement, you can expect to see an ad-a culture of engagement. ditional 0.6% growth in sales for an organization.Shared Mission is important to a strong culture.In many ways, COVID forced leaders to become This is a clear vision that everyone in the groupmore structured and deliberate in how they en-believes in and can easily articulate. Its the bea- gagewiththeirteamstobuildandmaintaina con that all eyes are on as the group makes theirstrongculture.Somecompaniescommittedto way on their journey together. This mission pro- continualimprovementinthisareascheduled vides a common language, shared stories, and aregularengagementmeetingstobringallof strong sense of purpose. theirleaderstogethertodiscussengagement topics and build strategies for improvement. People Development is also important. Managers who hire the right people, and set them up forWorkplaces with trusting cultures are more pro-successbyclearlycommunicatingexpectationsductive, highly engaged, and have a happier work-and providing the right balance of support andforce. Trust is also the foundation that the most autonomy,pavethewayforstrongemployeesuccessfulcompaniesintheworldbuildupon. engagement. They care about their people, buildArecentGreatPlaceToWorkstudyobserved individualizedrelationships,transparentlyshareFortunes 100 Best Companies and noticed that information, coach both strengths and weakness- organizations who place stock in a high-trust cul-es, and provide meaningful feedback. ture see 3x the return on their bottom line than Having a Valued Voice allows employees to trustthose that dont create that culture.their coworkers and leaders, and participate in Culture is powerful, and like a brand, you're going to have one whether you like it or not.133"