Build People Who Could Leave and a Culture They Don’t Want to

Developing your employees is an essential part of retaining them, though it is not the determining factor for what will make them stay. The organization’s culture can either make or break an employee’s experience there, which is why it is so important to build the kind of culture that people actually want to be a part of.

You can help shape a more productive company culture by intentionally training your employees at every level. Investing in your team is about setting them up for success and helping them grow. Although this does not guarantee that they will remain at the organization, it does increase the likelihood. People do not like to feel unprepared on the job, so by building them up and developing their skills, you are equipping them to overcome any challenges they may face. Not only does this help them feel more comfortable within their role, it also cultivates an environment that values growth and performance.

There will be times when you have invested heavily in an individual’s development and they leave the organization. While you hope to retain your top performers for as long as possible, sometimes there are external factors at play, such as their family relocating to another city. Other times, you will have developed them so well that they unlock new opportunities elsewhere. Instead of viewing this as your own loss, you should think of it spreading your leadership legacy beyond your own organization.

After all, investing in someone’s development will never be a negative thing. Employees will learn from you and apply those lessons wherever they are and in whatever they are doing. You should be proud of how far the individual has come and how far they will continue to go. So keep your focus on developing top performers and fostering a positive workplace culture. People naturally gravitate toward your organization and you are more likely to retain them when you have a great culture. So, develop people so well they could leave and lead so well that they choose to stay.

-Meghan Slaughter