Paul Tame & Brooke Moran
In today’s fast-moving business landscape, organizations across New Hampshire face a pressing challenge: attracting, engaging and retaining top talent. A strong people and culture strategy isn’t just an HR initiative; it’s the foundation for achieving organizational goals and fostering collective leadership.
A people and culture strategy focuses on intentionally shaping how employees experience work throughout their life cycle, from recruitment and onboarding to development, performance management, health and wellness, compensation and beyond. Done well, this strategy strengthens organizational culture, increases engagement and ensures that employees feel valued and supported at every stage of their journey.
As “The Leadership Circle” defines it, “Culture is the shared beliefs and practices that shape behavior, decision-making, interactions, and leadership effectiveness within an organization.” We think of culture as existing on a spectrum, from toxic to highly effective. Most organizations fall somewhere in the middle, as both ends require intentional effort to cultivate — whether for better or worse. Toxic cultures impede good work, increase turnover and damage reputations. However, when employees feel valued, supported and connected, organizations see measurable improvements in performance, innovation and overall job satisfaction.
A well-executed people and culture strategy ensures that an organization’s mission, vision and values are not just words on a website but a lived experience embedded in daily operations. When employees understand how their contributions align with the organization’s goals, engagement and productivity naturally follow. Yet, Gallup’s 2023 report found that only 33% of employees are engaged at work, with disengagement contributing to an estimated $1.9 trillion in lost productivity nationwide.
Investing in people and culture creates tangible business benefits:
Stronger recruitment. Organizations with a well-defined culture attract candidates who align with their values, leading to better long-term hiring outcomes.
Higher employee engagement. When employees feel connected to their work, they bring more energy, creativity and commitment to the table, driving better business results.
Improved retention. A positive workplace culture reduces turnover, preserving institutional knowledge and decreasing hiring and training costs.
Use these areas as a guide to assess and refine your approach:
Define and embed core values. Clearly articulate your organization’s values and integrate them into hiring, performance management and daily decision-making. Are these values consistently reflected in behaviors, policies and leadership actions?
Be intentional about the employee experience. From recruitment and onboarding to professional development, performance management, health and wellness, and benefits, ensure that employees feel valued and supported throughout their journey. Does your organization prioritize employee well-being and engagement at each stage?
Cultivate open communication. Establish transparent, two-way communication channels where employees feel informed, heard and empowered. How does your organization measure whether employees truly feel included in conversations?
Develop and grow leaders at all levels. Foster a culture of continuous learning by equipping employees, regardless of title, with the skills to lead, inspire and contribute to a thriving workplace. Every person influences culture, so why not empower them to shape it positively? How does your organization ensure leadership development opportunities are accessible to everyone?
Recognize and reinforce contributions. Implement meaningful recognition programs that celebrate individual and team achievements while reinforcing cultural values. Are employees regularly acknowledged in ways that feel authentic and motivating?
By embedding these principles into your people and culture strategy and aligning them with broader organizational goals, you create a workplace where employees feel a sense of belonging, purpose and motivation — key ingredients for a thriving business.
If this article has sparked your interest and you want to learn more about building a strong organizational culture and/or creating a people and culture strategy, check out the following: “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle”; Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast podcast; WorkLife with Adam Grant podcast; and Path Collective’s free People & Culture Organizational Self-Assessment at path-collective.com/resources.
Brooke Moran, former adjunct faculty member at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, and Paul Tame co-own Path Collective, a Certified B Corp dedicated to elevating the effectiveness of purpose-driven individuals, teams and organizations. Learn more at www.path-collective.com.
