Budgets are bigger. Salaries are climbing. And yes—employees are sticking around.

But here’s the truth: too many of them aren’t happy. We’ve all heard of Quiet Quitting and Quiet Cracking.

Pay may be keeping people in their seats. BUT is it fueling great work? Does it inspire loyalty?

Here’s what I’m seeing in mid-market companies right now:

Pay is going up, but engagement isn’t.

Candidates care more about “Who will I become here?” and less about “What’s the salary?”
Managers are struggling to share stories about what makes their workplace compelling.
Culture often just… happens—by default, not by design.

Disengaged employees don’t storm out the door—they stay. But they give less energy, less collaboration, less innovation. And that can be expensive.

So how do leaders move from people staying to people thriving?
Define your culture drivers. Not posters or slogans—real behaviors. How decisions get made. How feedback is shared. How wins are celebrated.

Help managers tell their story. HR can’t be in every interview or team meeting. But managers can. Partner with them to shape a simple culture story in their own words—so they can share it confidently with candidates and employees. If they can’t sell their story, people won’t believe it.

Make the first 90 days count. Onboarding shouldn’t focus on paperwork and systems. Use it to connect new hires with people who live your values, share real stories, and show how their work ties to your bigger purpose.

The upside? It’s just as real:
Engaged teams are 23% more profitable with 59% lower turnover (Gallup via TeamOut).

Action Tip: At your next team meeting, ask: “When did you feel most proud to work here?” Capture those moments. They’ll shape culture—and recruiting—more than any slide deck.