Corporate culture has been permanently weakened by the health crisis and its profound repercussions. This, due to its international character, has hit the nail on the head and the changes in the organization of work have largely contributed to a structural questioning, by employees, of company culture and their attachment. According to an OpinionWay/Microsoft France study, no less than 49% of employees have “less scruples about applying elsewhere”. Companies must therefore actively think about retention levers, even if 56% of employees surveyed admit to “being afraid of leaving their company” because 44% consider they “like their work less”.
Hybrid work to integrate
Hybrid working has now definitively established itself as the norm in many activities. If some companies have been able to adapt over time, the observation of the exhaustion of real commitment capital between French workers and organizations remains relevant. It must be said that there is a clear difference between companies which have been able to be “deliberate in their transformation” – in particular by calmly supporting their employees in establishing hybrid work – and those which have remained overwhelmed by the impact of these upheavals. Most have failed to recreate a lasting social bond between remote employees, and it is clear that the organizational digital transition has been complex for a good number of them.
Be careful though: many managers still tend to equate hybrid work with offshoring. If remote work, at least partially, is fully anchored in expectations, relocations are not popular today and remain strongly criticized. This trend continues to assert itself in the current geopolitical and economic context, a strong reminder that unbridled globalization has its limits.
Work on the motivations to be carried out for the company
To anchor a solid corporate culture, organizations must no longer neglect the source of the original motivations that lead them to join. We are, of course, not only talking about the level of remuneration, even if it remains an obvious decision-making driver. Note that if 74% of respondents from the same study indicate that they joined their company because of “the position offered and job security (CDI)”, 47% believe that the working environment and atmosphere are essential. Moreover, 44% say that it was by taking into account its “image (reputation, prospects for development, financial health, values, etc.)” that they made their decision.
The employer brand, a priority
The employer brand remains a strategic priority for retaining an employee, with remuneration no longer sufficient and valuation on the job market retaining a significant impact (even when the employee is not actively seeking to leave). To build a strong brand, the study is unequivocal: you need to work as much on the working atmosphere (83%) as on the flexibility of the location and working hours. But we must not forget that employees are also very sensitive to the company’s values (social, political, environmental, etc.), with 85% of respondents saying they are particularly attentive to them. Be careful of pretenses, however: in an age of transparency and all-out communication, actions must absolutely match the speech, otherwise there will be immediate sanctions in terms of reputation and disengagement.
Think outside the box in friendly meetings
If there is one practice that is called into question in business, it is meetings, or even the stubborn phenomenon of “meetingitis”. After years of widespread use of videoconferencing, face-to-face exchanges are the subject of renewed expectations. Obviously, it is not a question of reproducing the patterns of the past nor of imposing poorly structured remote meetings. Furthermore, physical distance has long deprived your colleagues of the spontaneity of collective moments: today it is appropriate to restore meaning and joy to your gatherings. It was once common to drag your feet to get to frugal farewell parties or traditional events that had become stereotyped (galette des rois, end-of-year celebrations). The time has come to rebuild team spirit, for example through meaningful seminars, capable of generating real support and inspiring your colleagues beyond the professional framework.
The history of companies and founders remains crucial
In our interviews, it is common to first highlight the history and journey of entrepreneurs, because they are the ones who inspire many players in the ecosystem. These stories are far from trivial for your teams: don’t hesitate to communicate better about them. Do not ignore the difficulties encountered, the opportunities, the encounters, the obstacles, the victories or even the bitter defeats. They bring hope and demonstrate your ability to recognize your mistakes and learn from them. They provide solid benchmarks and sustainably humanize your business. In the same way, you must not neglect the promotion of your team, which must be clearly visible from the outside. In this context, favor lively presentations and embodied visuals on your website and your communication media.
