Whether companies decide to reform or double down on company values, the fact remains that company culture is inextricably linked to top talent retention and motivation. As RW3 CultureWizard President Charlene Solomon put it, “An organization’s culture isn’t defined only by what leaders say. It’s actualized by what employees experience in everyday interactions and communication throughout the company.”
The RW3 CultureWizard Corporate Culture Survey Report 2025 found a deep disparity between junior and senior employees on the clarity of the values prioritized within global organizations, even across national cultures. A pattern of senior optimism and junior skepticism is evident: we found a 0.9 point difference in Germany and the United Kingdom, and a 0.8 point difference in the USA. This reveals that leadership experience and employee experiences are vastly different, and therefore, company cultural values need to be put into practice in order for company cultural values to resonate.
To better understand impact of workplace culture and the underlying forces behind employee retention, RW3 CultureWizard has defined nine core dimensions of corporate culture that effectively capture organizational values and missions across diverse companies worldwide: clarity of culture, leadership alignment, team dynamics, adaptability to change, innovation, empowerment, managerial support, workplace respect, and strategic alignment. The common thread between these dimensions lies in belonging and inclusion.
A company culture of high turnover is often an obvious indication that an organization lacks stability and productivity. According to a 2024 SHRM survey, 83% of those who rate their workplace culture as good or excellent are motivated to produce high-quality work as compared to 45% of those in poor or terrible cultures. This same 2024 SHRM report revealed that 15% of employees who rated their organization’s culture as good or excellent are actively looking for new jobs, compared to 57% of employees who rated their organization’s culture poorly are actively looking to leave. Perhaps not surprisingly, employees define poor work culture based on poor management, unfair treatment, lack of professional growth, both financially and in terms of development, lack of empathic leadership, and lack of regard for employee well-being. In other words, employee experience matters for retaining top talent.
The correlation between company culture and level of top talent turnover indicates the importance of a clear, empathic organizational culture that prioritizes employee retention strategies. Company values must demonstrate a commitment to a culture driven by retention and the employee experience by continually providing an environment where employees can develop and feel a sense of psychological safety. Top talent is retained by a sense of stability in their roles and leadership while still prioritizing growth and innovation. This is especially true for industries where recruiting and retaining top talent is particularly competitive.
An inclusive environment looms large in the day-to-day employee experience. “Am I welcomed here?” Am I the “only” one? Is there a sense of inclusion, solidarity, and flexibility? A sense of inclusion fosters an environment with creativity, collaboration, and the human experience. A corporate cultural value must be actualized in practice and embedded in all aspects of operations, for employees to fully benefit.
One aspect of inclusion that is critical for employee retention is enabling a sense of ownership among employees, making them feel more connected to their work and the company's success. Ask yourself, do your employees understand what the company stands for, and are they aligned with it? Connection with the overall message and goals of the company, feeling invested in the collective culture, resonates with employees who feel empowered and engaged.
The impact of an inclusive company culture is an environment of engagement, empowerment, growth, and retention. Your corporate cultural values must work towards an alignment with positive employee experience. People stay because they feel appreciated, fostered, and included.
Discover the rest of our findings with the Retention Snapshot.
