Engagement and Retention: Essentials of Culture and Social Activities

Abstract

This section addresses the topic of cultural and social activities in the context of employee engagement in the workplace. Cultural and social activities are company-organized events designed to improve bonding and communication among team members in a way that will lead to higher levels of employee satisfaction and retention and improved organizational performance.

This chapter looks at the drivers of work satisfaction and provides guidance on finding the right approach for the development of successful cultural and social activities. Recommendations include a bottom-up approach with strong employee involvement, tailoring activities to workforce characteristics, adapting to cultural circumstances, linking events to brand values, maintaining the voluntary nature of events, ensuring management acceptance and support, and maintaining authenticity. A specific example is presented in the form of the retention tool “employee relations,” and the section concludes with practical “dos and don’ts” for managers considering the implementation of cultural and social activities in their own organizations.