2025 is officially here, and human resources departments across the country are hustling to implement their strategies for the new year. While your HR team has likely solidified its 2025 game plan, it’s not too late to make a few strategic adjustments. 

One such change could be to make improving workplace culture one of your top priorities. By cultivating an awesome workplace culture this year, you can reap the following benefits: 

1.  Improve Employee Retention and Save Money 

Gallup reports that voluntary turnover (quitting) costs U.S. businesses about $1 trillion every year. Upfront hiring expenses represent a chunk of those expenses. 

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), businesses spend approximately $4,700 on average to hire a new employee. That figure includes things like marketing the job, conducting interviews, and paying for onboarding.

However, those hard costs are just the tip of the iceberg. When employees quit, it could cost you anywhere from one-half to two times their annual salary. That estimate includes: 

• Lost productivity
• The time of everyone who was involved in hiring and training the new person
• The downstream impacts on the rest of your team when you’re working short-handed

The good news is that you can curb voluntary turnover by investing in your employees and fostering a positive workplace culture. It’s helpful to use Gallup’s estimate to weigh the costs of upskilling an existing team member versus the costs of quitting. 

Suppose that your employee makes $60,000 a year, and the cost of voluntary turnover is half of their annual salary ($30,000). Alternatively, you could incentivize them to stay by investing in your workplace culture and upskilling them. 

Upskilling employees in technical roles costs just $5,000 per person on average. That means you could save $25,000 or more in this example scenario. 

2.            Boost Employee Satisfaction and Optimize Productivity 

Gallup has extensively studied the impacts of employee engagement and satisfaction. As you probably expected, businesses with engaged workforces tend to fare better than those with disengaged or dissatisfied employees. However, the severity of the divide may surprise you.

Researchers compared businesses in the bottom and top quartile for employee engagement. There was an 81% difference in absenteeism, an 18% difference in productivity, and a 23% difference in profitability. 

Businesses in the bottom quartile for employee engagement experienced nearly double the number of call-outs as organizations with highly engaged workforces. They were also less profitable and less productive. 

Your employees are going to get more done each shift if they are satisfied and engaged. On the other hand, if they feel undervalued or disconnected from the organization, they are going to do less and perform below their potential. 

3.            Make the Workplace Somewhere Everyone Wants to Be 

Think about your own professional journey for a moment. What was your favorite job, and what made you eager to show up to work every day? It’s a good idea to reflect on your least favorite position as well. What factors discouraged you from showing up and giving your all?

You want the workplace to be somewhere everyone wants to be. A positive workplace culture creates a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience for everyone, including you and the leadership team. 

People who feel valued will also be more motivated and engaged. This sort of environment fosters collaboration and innovation. It creates a sense of community where team members share ideas and achieve more together. 

Get out and talk to your employees. Speak to individuals in different departments and roles so you can obtain multiple perspectives. Find out what they like about working there and what changes would make their professional journeys more enjoyable. Your goal is to create a culture that everyone is eager to be a part of. 

Create a Magnetic Work Environment in 2025

Businesses with great workplace cultures are less susceptible to turnover. They’re also better positioned to retain their most talented employees. 

If you’re ready to build an environment that everyone wants to be a part of, AssetHR can help. Schedule a consultation with our experienced team, and we’ll help you cultivate a magnetic workplace culture.