Founder helping you level up⚡️Follow for Careers & Work Culture insights⚡️Lawyer turned Recruiter | Ranked #1 Female Creator in Singapore 🇸🇬
As a recruiter, I’ve seen this too often. A lawyer quit her job for a 30% pay cut. The firm only realized her value during the exit interview, offering her a 10% raise she didn’t want. Hard Truth for Employers: People don’t just quit jobs, they quit toxic work cultures. Here's how you stop your top talent from leaving: ↳ Don’t tolerate bad behaviour. ↳ Prioritize work-life harmony. ↳ Plan for their progression. ↳ Keep asking for feedback. ↳ Make culture a priority. ↳ Pay people fairly. ↳ Show empathy. Don't let your best talent walk away. Fix your culture. Fix your leadership. Fix your retention issue. Because once they’re gone, they won’t come back. ♻ Repost to help leaders level up! And follow Shulin Lee for more.
It so common in our modern day organizations. The truth is some people tend to cope on the job because they love the job , regardless of it toxic work culture. After enduring this in a firm for over seven months, coping with no insurance, high pay cut and toxic work culture, I called it quit . I was contacted for the next six months to come back to the job. The firm went as far as reaching out to my guarantors to get me back,but it was too late
Never do it "for the money" - a lesson so many of us learn the hard way. Both times I resisted my gut feeling and took a job because it meant more money, it failed me- because I didn't look at the company culture. Don't let your company culture become the talent vulture" is a saying a friend of mine still uses in helping fix company issues that lead to turnover and toxicity - much of what you mention, here, Shulin Lee
It doesn’t have much to do with happiness but with integrity and mental safety. Your happiness is not your employer’s responsibility - that’s only on you. However, an employer does need to provide you with a space in which your own happiness can find a solid footing and where your thriving becomes possible. Culture is one aspect but it is insufficient. A human mission that inspires such a culture must come first so that we may all be invested in the same thing and use culture to bring it out.
I see this message all over the place and I just have to say while I absolutely value healthy and non-toxic cultures, a salary raise makes me happy every time I pay my bills and have more money left over to save, many many more times than just once a year. I know those studies say it fades after a month or so, but in reality every time that money hits my account I still smile and I'm sure many others do as well.
Shulin, your post hits the mark! Retaining talent is about more than pay—culture, leadership, and empathy play a huge role, especially in high-pressure industries like insurance. We see it all the time—great employees leave not because the work is too hard but because they don’t feel valued or supported. I couldn’t agree more with your advice on how to fix the culture and prioritize feedback. For example, when employees feel supported and see clear pathways for growth in insurance, they’re happier and better equipped to serve clients. Happy employees lead to happy customers—it’s that simple. But here’s the tricky part—how do you think leaders can start making these cultural shifts in organizations that might be resistant to change? Would love to know how you approach this challenge in your work!
Retention may not always seem to be about pay however there is often an aspect people overlook. Often retention is about respect. One of the quickest ways to lose respect is to unfairly pay someone. When you have a person who has been in your organisation for years but is given the absolute minimum increases and then finds out someone has been hired for a similar, or lower, role on much higher pay you lose their respect. People who are underpaid can feel they aren't respected for their work. I've seen this in many organisations and simply having a good environment or culture is often not enough to save them.
This post speaks volumes, Shulin. 🌟 It’s a stark reminder that compensation alone doesn’t retain top talent—culture does. When organizations neglect to foster a healthy environment, even their brightest stars will leave, sometimes for less. That 30% pay cut? It’s proof that people value respect, growth, and balance over a paycheck. Your checklist is spot-on: work-life harmony, fair pay, progression planning, and empathy are non-negotiables. Leaders need to understand that retaining talent isn’t just about fixing what's broken—it's about consistently nurturing what works. Once talent walks out the door, it’s not just a loss of skill; it’s a loss of trust. Fixing leadership and culture isn’t optional—it’s survival. 💡 What’s the first step leaders should take to turn this around?
Employee mental health is a top priority, and it is profoundly influenced by the quality of the work environment. A supportive, respectful, and balanced workplace fosters well-being, enhances productivity, and ensures employees feel valued. Prioritizing mental health isn't just ethical—it's essential for sustainable success.
Teleperformance - SVP Business Development EMEA
3wAgree 100%, who would not? The problem is when Talent & HR leaders within a company, are clearly informed there is toxicity in the way executive leaders lead, but decide to shut up and do nothing about it. TOXIC LEADERS IS a problem. LETTING TOXICITY SPREAD is a bigger problem.