Here’s a challenge for you leaders. Can you describe your company culture without mentioning your perks and benefits? If you can’t, it’s time to think about what your company is really offering its employees. Companies love to showcase all their shiny bells and whistles to entice prospective employees. After all, who wouldn’t want an amazing gym or a ping-pong table in the break room? However, as wonderful as these things are, they are just features of your workplace.
Features don’t make culture—the behaviors of leaders and employees do. But too often, leaders focus on perks and benefits instead of a supportive culture. This creates a hostage situation. Employees only stay at your company because they don’t want to lose the perks. They’re not engaged or excited about work—they might even hate their job. As a result, companies focusing on perks tend to have high turnover rates.
If you can relate to this problem, shift away from enticing new employees with benefits. Instead, focus on creating a positive culture that supports employees. Encourage everyone at the company to treat others with respect. Show potential hires an office full of people who are engaged and excited to be at work. Then, they’ll be interested in working for you, perks or not.
