Creating a culture within an organization helps retain employees.

• Author: Huhtala, Sari
• Position: Northern Ontario Business Awards - Brief Article

Creating a culture, one that inspires fulfillment, courage and a sense of community, may be the solution to retaining the most valuable asset to your organization, your employees.

The information-based economy has shifted management challenges to a new level, says Tania Carriere, a speaker at Northern Ontario Business Awards Back to the Basics in the Digital Age conference.

Carriere, a senior consultant in leadership, transformation and strategy, travels across North America and is an expert at facilitating dialogue, which enables groups to develop a unified approach to the strategic goals necessary for implementing change at any level.

Leaders once challenged by managing the tasks of people are now realizing in today's knowledge economy people are central to the organization and in order to retain employees they need to create an environment that embodies cause, courage and community, Carriere says. Essentially, these three items contribute to employee retention.

If employees feel they are working towards a cause, like they are contributing to something greater than their own gain, they will feel a sense of fulfillment and invest the passion that will enable them to perform at their highest potential, Carriere says.

"Fulfillment is the one thing (employees) are seeking all of the time," Carriere says.

Unlike a mission, which asks the question "What are we going to achieve?" cause forces one to ask why they are doing a specific job. Present a cause that will provide employees with a sense of ownership, she suggests.

There are a few simple ground rules to follow in creating a culture to help retain employees.

First, play fair and pay fair. Recognize the value the employee contributes to the organization. It is impossible to connect to anything if one feels devalued, she notes.

Second, be certain to have a sound business strategy that anticipates change. Next, ensure the...