Among the list of reasons people are quitting their jobs, four of the top reasons include: “lack of opportunity to advance, excessive overtime hours, a work environment that does not encourage teamwork and a boss that doesn’t allow you to work flexibly,” according to EY’s global study in work-life challenges across generations. And given that “more than one-in-three American workers today are Millennials,” according to the Pew Research Center, Millennials’ nontraditional career aspirations and attitudes are fiercely shaping the workforce.

Clearlink, an award-winning digital marketing and sales company based in Salt Lake City, caught on to this shift and actively encourages its Millennial-driven employee base to shape and own company culture. Here’s how the company does it and how other Utah companies can learn from it:

1. Work-life balance.

Generally, Millennials are willing to “take a pay cut, pass up a promotion, or even relocate to manage work-life demands better,” according to EY’s global study. Reporting on multiple surveys, The Washington Post notes, “What millennials most want is flexibility in where, when and how they work.”

At Clearlink, work-life balance is a reality. Clearlink employees can adapt their schedules based on the demands of their personal lives. Whether employees need to adjust their work schedule for classes or to pick up their kiddos from school, companies should understand that employees work to live, not live to work. When you treat your employees with empathy, you will be rewarded with loyalty—it’s that simple.

2. Growth and professional development opportunities.

A survey conducted by Jumpstart:HR reports job candidates in the U.S. prioritize “opportunities for growth and professional development” when applying for jobs. Further, research by Right Management shows “North American employees report two-thirds of managers fail to actively engage in their career development.”

Aside from clear career paths for every position and regular career conversations, Clearlink brings opportunities to employees (like hosting our very own marketing conference), while also sending employees outside the office to learn. To really learn and grow, employees should attend and present at industry conferences near and far.

3. Employee recognition and incentives.

A study conducted by TINYpulse makes it clear that retention is directly linked to employee recognition, yet their findings reveal “a significant majority of employees (79 percent) don’t feel strongly valued for the work they put in.’” Additionally, Blackhawk Engagement Solutions found that “64 percent of Millennials want to be recognized for personal accomplishments.” Ongoing employee recognition efforts are a must for companies worried about employee happiness and retention efforts.

At Clearlink, every year top employees are rewarded with a trip of a lifetime. They pick the destination, activities and travel companion. But recognition doesn’t have to be something so huge—it can be a matter of taking an employee to lunch or simply verbally acknowledging accomplishments in meetings.

4. Workplace friendships.

Harvard Business Review reports that having close friendships at work “boosts employee satisfaction by 50 percent,” and further, employees with a work BFF “are seven times more likely to engage fully in their work.”

One of many ways Clearlink works to facilitate strong teams and workplace friendships is through team-building activities. We’re not talking about trust falls, here. Whether it’s a cooking class, a museum visit or a sporting event, encourage your teams to choose a fun activity to do together.

5. Community service opportunities.

Clearlinkers work hard and play hard, but they give back to the community, too. From planting 1,200 trees (one for every employee) to spending a day volunteering at the Humane Society of Utah to walking from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City in order to raise $40K for clean water initiatives in Rwanda, engaging in activities that support the community is an everyday occurrence for Clearlink employees.

You don't have to donate a large amount of money to make a difference, though. Start by assessing what your employees or teammates have a passion for, and let them choose their community service activities. Employees will be more invested in the community activity if they have a say in it.

Let your team shape the culture

Start small, encourage dialogue in a forum setting (don’t rely on anonymous surveys alone!) and actively listen to what your employees are telling you—the good and the bad.

Creating a company culture employees praise isn’t impossible. Millennials, in particular, value flexibility and incentives, but cool perks alone can’t make up for a poor company culture. Try establishing a culture committee full of employees from all over the company; executives shouldn’t be the only ones in on culture-shaping. From there, decide on subcommittees that focus on areas like employee perks, relationship-building and community involvement.

To learn more about opportunities at Clearlink, visit clearlink.com/join.

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