New workplace culture wellness program aims to reduce ‘Great Resignation’

By Holly Fisher

Ben-Jamin Toy and Dr. Troy Hall. Image provided.

Dr. Troy Hall is reframing the conversation around the “great resignation,” in which millions of Americans quit their jobs last year in search of better opportunities. Instead, Hall prefers the term “recalibration.”

“When people quit, they’ve recalibrated to something more appealing to them,” said Hall, author of Cohesion Culture: Proven Principles to Retain Your Top Talent. “Employees quit, but they didn’t just stay home. Technology provides a unique opportunity for organizations to ‘recalibrate’ to conduct work differently than in many previous decades. Employees sought after opportunities that gave them both autonomy and meaningful work. They ‘recalibrated’ as well.”

Now Hall is helping employers think differently about retention and this idea of recalibration. He teamed up with Ben-Jamin Toy, founder of the team building company On Purpose Adventures, to establish the trademarked Cohesion Culture program. Their mission is to share their culture wellness vision with organizations around the globe that are ready to invest in their most valuable asset: their people.

“Culture is the pulse of what the organization is doing,” Hall said. “It’s what gives employees a sense of belonging, makes them feel valued and indicates a shared mutual commitment. But building that kind of culture requires more than a big salary and a benefits package. It takes intention.”

In his book, Hall outlines the best practices and methodologies to help organizations create a place where people find purpose and pursue their passion. Businesses can take this work a step further with the Cohesion Culture program. Building on the principles in Hall’s book, it’s an online course with five modules of leader training, hands-on activities, workbook exercises and weekly challenges.

Toy has worked with organizations around the world to create purposeful, unconventional and effective team building. When Hall witnessed one of the On Purpose Adventures programs, the alignment between the two organizations was obvious. Blending team building programs with the strategic framework of Cohesion Culture has resulted in timely and effective programs for a variety of businesses.

“Cohesion Culture conveys the critical message to employees that they truly matter and that they’re so much more than a cog in the machine,” Toy said. “This individual connection is critical in forming a team that feels valued, in turn evoking a sense of belonging and dedication.”

By default, businesses pour time, money and resources into attracting and retaining new customers. Though that’s an important business function, Hall said, employers can’t simply bypass their employees for the sake of new customers only.

“Organizational leaders have to treat employees like the great human asset they are,” he added. “You have to get the order right. Definitely the consumer is the reason for the business, but without the employees being treated right you don’t get the final outcome you want — and that’s engaged employees.

“Employee engagement is a direct result of having a cohesive experience,” Hall said. “It’s about being bonded to others. Employees need to believe what they do contributes to the bottom line.”

Organizations spend upward of 50 percent of a salary to replace the employee who left. There’s the financial and time cost of hiring, training and onboarding a new employee, not to mention the fact that employees who leave take valuable expertise and organizational intelligence that can’t be replaced overnight.

The Cohesion Culture brings to light the importance of employee engagement as a means of retention. The program itself is a blend of concept and practice with engaging activities and immediate opportunities for application, Hall said.

Launched less than a year ago, the Cohesion Culture program is already garnering national attention.

Ubay, a mid-sized financial cooperative operating in Michigan, began implementing Cohesion Culture strategy just nine months ago. Kudos, a global recognition platform serving businesses in more than 80 countries, named United Bay Community Credit Union (Ubay) a “Best Culture Leader.”

Diane Abbonizio, president and CEO of Ubay, spoke to the surprisingly quick efficiency of the program, but also commended its straightforward, effortless structure. “Cohesion Culture guides staff development for both new and tenured employees on a journey of self-discovery, relationship building and fun,” she said. “The course is easy to follow, and the time investment is minimal when compared to the results you will begin to see from day one.”

Learn more about the Cohesion Culture program at cohesionculturecourse.com. Request a free copy of Cohesion Culture: Proven Principles to Retain Your Top Talent at www.cohesionbook.com.