Navigating Workplace Culture Stability During Adverse Situations: Tips for Leaders

Navigating Workplace Culture Stability During Tumultuous Periods (for Leaders)

In today's dynamic business landscape, leaders are increasingly recognising the importance of investing in the employee experience to achieve stronger results, better well-being, and lower voluntary turnover.

According to a study by Great Place to Work (GPTW) in 2025, companies with high-trust cultures have approximately half the voluntary turnover rate of U.S. norms. This finding underscores the significant impact that trust can have on employee retention.

So, how can leaders foster such a culture? By modelling behaviour daily, listening and acting on feedback, and supporting employee voice through employee resource groups. These actions can help create a sense of belonging, which is linked to a 56% increase in job performance and a 50% reduction in turnover risk, as per research.

Clear and consistent communication is another crucial factor. Leaders should communicate early and often, stating what is known (and what is not), explaining implications, making expectations explicit, and reporting progress in real time. This approach, as indicated by Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer, can generate trust and confidence among employees.

Resilience, defined as the ability to recover from stress or the process of positively adapting to adversities, also plays a vital role. A systematic review in BMC Public Health in 2025 found that resilience programs improve psychological well-being and can translate into better work outcomes, including productivity. Training employees to manage stress can be beneficial for both employees and employers, leading to healthier and more engaged employees in their work.

Resilience-based interventions, therefore, benefit both parties. They can help employees navigate challenging situations, leading to improved performance and reduced turnover.

Unfortunately, employee engagement in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, with only 31% of employees engaged. This trend is concerning, as nearly 70% of U.S. employees are not engaged, which can be a destabilizer for culture and performance.

However, there is hope. Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer shows that employees are more likely to trust employers if leaders communicate consistently. Furthermore, my employer remains the most trusted institution, according to Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer.

Great Place to Work identified the 100% trustworthy work cultures in the USA in 2026, providing a roadmap for companies striving to create such environments. By focusing on performance, employee experience, trust, and resilience, businesses can not only improve their culture but also their bottom line.