Ever wondered why some companies effortlessly retain their top talent while others struggle? In this insightful Q&A blog post, industry leaders, including a CEO & Strategic Talent Advisor and a Marketing Manager, share their expertise on the crucial role of company culture. The first insight reveals how intentional culture retains top talent, while the final takeaway emphasizes that great leaders focus on culture. With a total of twelve valuable insights, this article provides a comprehensive look at how culture influences retention.
- Company Culture Retains Top Talent
- Culture Decides If Talent Stays
- Intentional Culture Retains Top Talent
- Culture of Openness Holds Talent
- Aligned Culture Retains Top Talent
- SuperDupr’s Culture Retains Top Talent
- Jolly Enterprises’ Culture Retains Talent
- Strong Culture Retains Top Talent
- Culture Is Key to Retaining Talent
- Great Leaders Focus on Culture
- Modern Culture Retains Top Talent
- Culture Shift Retains Top Talent
Company Culture Retains Top Talent
Company culture is absolutely critical to retaining top talent. It heavily influences employee satisfaction and engagement. Remember, top talent always has options.
Through my years of experience in HR and now as a strategic talent advisor, I’ve learned that high performers are drawn to organizations where they feel truly heard, seen, and valued. They seek workplaces that allow them to be part of something bigger than themselves—where well-being is prioritized, learning and development are encouraged, and innovation is celebrated.
Whether or not your company is currently facing retention challenges, it’s essential to proactively support a healthy culture. This can be achieved by regularly seeking employee feedback, acknowledging and recognizing wins to boost morale, offering flexible work policies, and ensuring leadership sets the tone for the intended culture.
Emily Golden, CEO & Strategic Talent Advisor, Golden Resources, LLC
Culture Decides If Talent Stays
Here’s the thing about company culture: it’s not just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s the deciding factor for whether top talent stays or walks. People don’t leave companies; they leave cultures that don’t challenge them, value them, or inspire them to grow. If your culture isn’t magnetic, you’ll spend more time and money replacing people than empowering them.
Retaining top talent is about more than ping-pong tables or Friday happy hours. It’s about creating an environment where people feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves—-where their work matters and their voice is heard. At our company, we focus on fostering a culture where autonomy and accountability go hand in hand. When people feel trusted to make decisions and supported when they push boundaries, that’s when you see them thrive.
Here’s an example: when we launched our AI initiatives this year, it wasn’t a top-down directive. We invited our team to lead the charge, test tools, and innovate ways to deliver better outcomes for our clients. The result? Higher engagement, fresh ideas we’d never have come up with on our own, and a team that feels empowered to make a difference. That’s the kind of culture that retains top performers-not because they have to stay, but because they want to stay.
The bottom line? Talent stays where they feel they can grow. If you’re not building a culture that invests in people’s potential and rewards their contributions, you’re building a revolving door. Prioritize your culture, and you won’t just retain talent—you’ll build a team that’s unstoppable.
Jay Feitlinger, Founder + CEO, StringCan Interactive
Intentional Culture Retains Top Talent
In my experience, company culture is absolutely critical in retaining top talent. It’s the foundation of how employees feel valued, included, and supported within an organization. A strong culture goes beyond surface-level perks or one-off initiatives—it’s about creating an intentional environment where people can thrive, bring their authentic selves to work, and see their contributions matter.
I’ve seen firsthand how a lack of intentionality can undermine efforts to retain talent, particularly in areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). At one organization, I was tasked with developing their first DEI strategy. While I envisioned a comprehensive approach addressing race, gender, abilities, and other intersecting identities, their focus was narrowly centered on socioeconomic status. While that’s an important component of DEI, it felt more like a performance tactic than a genuine effort to build an inclusive culture. This misalignment between their approach and my values ultimately influenced my decision to leave. Employees, especially top performers, can sense when culture is inauthentic or driven by optics rather than substance.
For organizations looking to retain top talent, intentionality is key. Culture must be more than a checklist or a PR strategy—it needs to be authentic, consistent, and aligned with employees’ values. Leaders should focus on actions that reflect a genuine commitment to inclusion and engagement, not just performative tactics. Top talent wants to feel seen, heard, and supported, and when culture falls short, no amount of superficial effort will keep them engaged or loyal.
Marcia Torres, CEO & Founder, Imagen Talent Solutions
Culture of Openness Holds Talent
From my experience, company culture is the key to holding onto good talent. A culture of openness and communication is paramount. This is when employees are more likely to stay loyal to the organization. A culture where feedback and collaboration are not just encouraged but embraced builds a sense of belonging and loyalty in employees.
I have learned that one of the keys to keeping top talent is creating confidence in leadership. Employees need to be assured that their leaders are transparent, fair, and truly invested in their success. This is established through regular communication, following through on commitments and providing space for individuals to voice their thoughts and problems without fear of retribution. When employees trust their leaders, they commit to their work more fully and have longer-term visions for the company.
Purpose is another critical component of culture. High-caliber talent typically gravitates to roles where they can add value. Aligning company-wide goals with your people’s personal values and future job aspirations can make them feel like they are a bigger part of the overall mission of the organization. For example, consistently linking an employee’s work to higher level organizational success helps confirm their value to that team and increases their engagement.
Ideal corporate culture also reflects professional growth opportunities. I find that employees are significantly more inclined to stick around if they believe the company is investing in them long-term. Such as: mentorship programs, training opportunities, support for pursuing new skills. Employees are but one “customer” who benefit from this approach; the other “customers” of a strong learning infrastructure are long-term employees or career-minded individuals who will never know the value of learning infrastructure until the culture embraces learning.
For anybody who wants to work on retention, my first piece of advice is to take a long, hard look in the mirror and get an honest sense of your company culture. Consider how employees would answer whether they feel heard, trusted and supported. Help foster open discussions with your team to discuss how the culture can improve, and address these needs in a real way. When you focus on trust, purpose, and collaboration, it becomes an environment that top talent wants to work in and is inspired to stay and grow.
Ryan Hetrick, CEO, Epiphany Wellness
Aligned Culture Retains Top Talent
Company culture is absolutely critical in retaining top talent. In my experience, employees who feel aligned with their company’s values, mission, and work environment are far more likely to stay engaged and committed. Culture fosters a sense of belonging and purpose, which is essential for retention-especially for high performers who are often courted by competitors.
When I speak to candidates as a recruiter, a good company culture is often at the top of their wish list for their next job. Many are willing to leave even a high-paying role if the culture is toxic or misaligned with their values. A culture that prioritizes recognition, inclusivity, and flexibility helps employees feel valued and supported, even during challenging times. Retaining top talent starts with building a culture where employees feel empowered, respected, and genuinely connected to the company’s success.
Margaret Buj, Interview Coach and Talent Acquisition Manager, Mixmax
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SuperDupr’s Culture Retains Top Talent
In my experience, company culture is fundamental to retaining top talent. I’ve built a culture that prioritizes innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. By engaging our team in strategic partnerships and projects, such as updating Goodnight Law’s digital presence to improve conversions and automate processes, I showed them their work has tangible impact.
Creating a diverse environment where talent can thrive is crucial. For example, our collaboration with The Unmooring, a digital magazine that amplifies underrepresented voices, reinforced our team’s commitment to meaningful work. This sense of purpose and belonging keeps our turnover low and morale high.
We focus heavily on process optimization, which not only improves client outcomes but also energizes our team by eliminating tedious tasks. Implementing data-driven strategies for clients across industries has given our team room to engage in more creative and strategic work, reinforcing their value to us and encouraging long-term retention.
Justin McKelvey, Founder, SuperDupr
Jolly Enterprises’ Culture Retains Talent
Company culture is absolutely pivotal in retaining top talent. We focus on creating an environment where employees genuinely feel like part of a family. This sense of belonging encourages our team members to be passionate about their work, contributing to our incredibly low turnover rates.
One telling example is our emphasis on internal communication and support, highlighted by our regular company events like the Christmas party and Trunk or Treat, which strengthen team bonds and morale. Our award system, such as the ACE Award, recognizes those who embody our mission and values, fostering a culture of appreciation and growth.
Another key element is offering opportunities for learning and development. By encouraging employees to take on different challenges and supporting them with training, we ensure they are engaged and motivated. This approach not only retains talent but also nurtures leaders within the organization, positively reflecting on our business growth and community reputation.
Ryan Eten, Marketing Manager, Jolly Plumbing
Strong Culture Retains Top Talent
In my experience, company culture is one of the most critical factors in retaining top talent. High performers aren’t just looking for an attractive salary, they want to feel valued, supported and part of something meaningful. A strong culture that aligns with their values and fosters a sense of belonging can be a game changer.
When employees see their contributions recognised, feel respected and experience a healthy work environment, they’re more likely to stay, even when competitors offer tempting packages. Conversely, a toxic or misaligned culture can drive even the most loyal and talented team members out the door.
Retention isn’t just about perks or salary—it’s about creating an environment where people can thrive personally and professionally. That means leaders must walk the talk, embedding the company’s values into everything from communication to decision making. When culture is authentic and well maintained, it strengthens loyalty and keeps top talent engaged and motivated to stay.
Natalie Lewis, Founder and Director, Dynamic HR Services Ltd.
Culture Is Key to Retaining Talent
Company culture is everything when it comes to retaining top talent. People stay where they feel valued, aligned, and supported. Culture shapes how employees experience their work—whether it’s an environment of trust, recognition, and growth, or one of burnout and disconnection. Top performers don’t just want a paycheck; they want purpose, connection, and the belief that their contributions matter. Culture delivers that.
Chris Dyer, Keynote Speaker on Culture, Leadership Speaker
Great Leaders Focus on Culture
Most leaders prioritize achieving results over cultivating a strong organizational culture. However, truly exceptional leaders stand out by their commitment to intentionally creating a healthy, vibrant culture. Why do great leaders focus so much on culture, while others fixate on short-term results?
The answer lies in the nature of culture itself. Investments in culture rarely deliver immediate results, making it an unattractive strategy for those seeking quick wins. Yet, the best leaders understand that culture is one of the most powerful long-term strategies for sustained success. A strong and healthy culture not only drives performance but also helps organizations retain top talent—a critical ingredient for enduring growth and success.
Ryan Gottfredson, Leadership Development Professor and Consultant + Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author, Cal State Fullerton/Ryan Gottfredson, LLC
Modern Culture Retains Top Talent
We need to expand our ideas of “culture” and “workers”. The reality is that an estimated 29% of work done across our Enterprise organizations is done by non-employees. That means that our culture needs to be built with a blended, dynamic team in mind. Not only are we working to attract top employee talent, now leaders need to think much broader about the kinds of skills they need to tap on part-time, fractional, and an advisory basis.
We know that many of our most desired skills—empathy, creativity, innovation—are held by folks who are increasingly underrepresented in our leadership teams and board rooms. These folks, primarily women, BIPOC professionals, and caregivers are racing to Independent work faster than any time in history. How do we build a culture that entices them to stay as employees or keeps them in with different terms as non-employees so we get the benefits of diverse points of view?
This new modern playbook requires a four-fold focus for leaders: evangelize the mission, make business objectives blatantly clear, facilitate ways of working that values people, and energize a broad set of workers from various backgrounds. This cultural approach requires a harmony between the tight ties of Human Resources, to the effective plans of Procurement, and the strategic role of the Business Leader.
A modern culture built to retain top talent is now defined as blended team optimization, with the outcome of everyone working in their highest and best use. Onward!
Brea Starmer, CEO/Founder, Lions & Tigers
Culture Shift Retains Top Talent
The world of work is changing. Employees’ priorities are shifting, and workplace culture must shift too, if companies are looking to retain top talent today and tomorrow. The data shows that:
1. Happy employees are 12% more productive and outperform their competition by 20%.
2. Operating income may increase by 19% when workplace culture is healthy.
The best workplaces for today and tomorrow are prioritizing culture.
Angela Howard, Founder and CEO, Call for Culture
