We often see a familiar reaction in companies when a few employees display disengagement, conflict, or underperformance, the whole department is sent for team building. But is this reflexive, one-size-fits-all solution actually effective or is it masking deeper organisational issues?
The Importance of Company Culture
In the wake of high-profile corporate failures like the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal, there’s been a global reckoning about the true cost of ignoring company culture. As the Financial Times writer Robert Armstrong famously put it, “Culture is there, and it matters. If we ignore it, there will be more Dieselgates in the future.” Culture is no longer a soft issue. It has become a board-level concern tied directly to employee engagement, ethical conduct, and long-term resilience. Shareholders and regulators now expect ESG disclosures to include non-financial report on employee satisfaction, mental well-being, and talent retention. This signals a shift from financial capitalism to inclusive capitalism.
When Surface Solutions Fall Short
When Surface Solutions Fall Short as in sending everyone to a team-building session when the root issue lies with a few can: Undermine trust between employees and management Create resentment among unaffected staff Waste time and resources while leaving core issues unaddressed Instead, we must recognise that organisations are made up of human beings and not “human doings.” Today’s leadership challenge lies not in charisma, but in creating psychologically safe, ethical, and data-informed work cultures.
What Truly Drives Employee Engagement and Retention
That said, here is What Truly Drives Employee Engagement and Retention: Moving from the “Great Man” theory to a democratic, system-based leadership Acknowledging cognitive bias and using evidence-based decision-making in management process Strengthening two-way communication between management and employees Prioritising well-being, diversity, and resilience over productivity alone Creating clear & fair workloads Reducing organisational uncertainty
Rethinking Culture and Reframing Solutions
Rethink Culture and Reframe Solutions as employee engagement cannot be solved with broad gestures alone. It requires: Honest 1-on-1 conversations Targeted coaching and leadership accountability Diagnostics that uncover hidden gaps in values, communication, or policies To attract and retain talent in a values-driven market, companies must stop asking “How do we get things done around here?” and start asking “How do we care for the people who get things done?”
Conclusion
To attract and retain talent in a values-driven market, companies must stop asking “How do we get things done around here?” and start asking “How do we care for the people who get things done?”
