One of the most common problems facing business leaders and managers today is the haphazard workplace culture. This is the kind of culture that takes on a life of its own. It lacks purpose. It feels unstable. Among other things, it adversely impacts morale. What happens in such an environment? People struggle to trust it, not to mention trust those who work in it. Performance and productivity suffer, too, and it’s hard to retain and attract the right hires. According to a Columbia University study, the likelihood of job turnover at an organization with high company culture is 13.9%, whereas the probability of job turnover in low company cultures is 48.4%. Make company culture a priority and it will be your competitive advantage for attracting and retaining top talent. Figure out what you want, create strategies that will help you get it, and make sure you’ve got the right people on board to empower and sustain it over time.

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1. Decide What You Want
In what kind of culture will your people be and do their best? Studies show that accountability is key to building ownership, engagement and goal achievement. But having a sense of purpose and community are also vital in a workplace culture, particularly to millennials, and other hires today who want to feel like they’re part of a group of people making a difference or solving major challenges in our world.

2. Be Strategic
Develop goals that will support the culture you want to create as well as the major strategies and activities that will contribute to its success. For example, if your goal is a nurturing culture of accountability, establish strategies that align with that goal. For every strategy ask, “What’s the goal?” If it’s anything that may undermine the culture you want (nurturing and/or accountable), then it isn’t the right strategy—go back to the drawing board and design one that is.

3. Have The Right People
When it comes to a workplace culture, you can have a solid vision and all the strategies in the world to support it, but, without the right people on board, you’ll never fully create it. That’s because if people aren’t the right fit and don’t share the values of the company and desired culture, these employees will end up disengaged or, worse, stir up trouble among those who are. So hire and retain your people keeping in mind the culture you want. Make sure those you onboard know the goals and vision of your organization and that they have the values, skills and talents that can support it. With those who are already employed, give them the feedback, tools and resources they need to keep contributing to and remain engaged in the culture you want.

What roadblocks prevent you from designing your workplace culture?​