Becoming the Employer of Choice: Addressing Effective Communication and Building a Culture of Trust
Written by: Socorro Gertmenian, PhD, MLS; Sherry Chen, HR Consultant
Employer of Choice
Effective Communication and Culture of Trust
We have all experienced a bad boss, poor employee morale, and a deaf tone at the top. We’ve heard the horror stories of mass exits, quiet quitting, and The Great Resignation. At Nexus, our goal is to help leaders build a workplace that meets their business objectives and retains top talent. We believe that the foundation of a successful business is a work environment where leaders are proud to lead and employees are eager to stay. In this series, we'll share key strategies for becoming an employer of choice—where leadership excellence and employee satisfaction drive lasting success.
It’s easy to blame those currently entering the workplace, claiming they are entitled, poorly trained, and operate from a “fake it till you make it” mentality. However, it’s just as easy to minimize the experience of having a bad boss, normalizing it as if a good boss is the exception rather than the rule. Pointing fingers, panic hiring, and managing difficult staff often become commonplace. This series will explore how companies can create a work environment that fosters stability, longevity, and—dare we say it—harmony.
When we asked HR managers about the top issues they deal with regularly, we weren’t surprised to hear these two: communication failures and lack of trust. At first glance, these may not seem directly tied to workplace culture, but we’ll show how they are symptoms of deeper problems. Our series starts by addressing the importance of clear communication and building a culture of trust.
It is not uncommon when reading negative posts on company review websites to see comments like, “poor communication,” “false promises,” “lack of transparency,” or “incompetent managers.” Or maybe you’ve read the Peter Principle by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull, which observes that people in leadership often rise to “a level of respective incompetence”—promoted from a job they did well to one they lack the skills to perform. Ineffective leadership breeds toxic culture and low morale, resulting in high turnover and poor production. Companies must embed the desired culture throughout all levels by following the simple rule: “Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don’t be mean.”
How a company communicates and sets the cultural tone often starts at the hiring process. From website design and application steps to the first day on the job, your company sets expectations. Many managers sell the role and company during the hiring process with perfect phrases and slogans, only to wonder why turnover is high within the first 6-12 months. The differences in culture and collaboration between hiring and production teams become obvious when there is poor communication between them. Whether it's the HR department or the production manager, setting the cultural tone consistently and clearly is important. A consistent candidate experience that reflects internal culture and values is crucial. False expectations will lead to resentment and high turnover. Transparency about role expectations, challenges, and growth opportunities builds trust and realistic expectations.
Onboarding process sets the stage for the employee of what to expect in their role and from their leadership. Many organizations rely on long and tedious onboarding processes, isolating new hires for weeks before integrating them into their teams. Some organizations use a quick shadowing process where the burden of training falls on current staff. While some companies lack an onboarding procedure altogether. Poor to no onboarding structure can lead staff to feel unseen, unprepared, or taken advantage of (e.g., using staff as trainers without compensation or recognition) creating unhappy employees. Structured programs that prioritize employee success positively influence engagement and retention. Assigning mentors and recognizing their efforts fosters a collaborative culture. Effective onboarding should balance job-specific training with company culture integration.
When departments don’t collaborate, silos form, often creating an “us versus them” mentality. A common sentiment we’ve encountered is one team feeling like “the forgotten stepchild of the organization.” Finger-pointing and blame games occur when things fall through the cracks, assumptions arise about other departments’ responsibilities, and productivity and quality inevitably suffer. Keep the competition where it should be, with your competition, not amongst your staff. When there is in-fighting, poor leadership and unclear pathways to promotion, staff may turn on one another and thus a culture of distrust exists.
When creating teams and promotional ladders, the desired company culture must be practiced and embedded at every level to succeed. Promotion processes should be merit-based and ensure candidates are prepared to lead effectively through ongoing leadership development programs. A successful transition into leadership requires targeted training in soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, effective communication, and conflict resolution. Investments in these areas create leaders who inspire, rather than demotivate, their teams.
Promotion is not an entitlement. Managers who are unprepared may be unable to train or prepare their teams for success. Additionally, not all managers are taught—or are capable of—being effective communicators. When departments or staff depend on one another and lack communication or team-building, a communication gap forms, inevitably impacting productivity and the bottom line. Structured, cross-departmental communication channels—such as regular check-ins or collaborative tools—can break down silos and foster unity. Managers must lead by example in open communication and accountability, setting the tone for their teams. Without such systems, poor transparency, inadequate training, or ineffective leadership will lead to employee turnover, diminished products, and unhappy customers.
As mentioned, poor communication is one of the most common complaints by employees of their leaders. Poor communication is like a virus that works its way through an organization causing distrust in its wake. Building strong leadership teams are essential for maintaining a healthy and thriving workplace. Creating the company of choice takes work and as identified above, it is a never ending process. Poor leadership leads to costly staff turnover and may impact productivity and client experience. Operating in a digital age where scathing reviews on social media can harm your reputation is even more costly. Social media can be your greatest marketing tool or your company’s nail in the coffin. Good reviews bring in great talent. Reviews speak to the company culture, staff satisfaction and can serve as excellent recruitment tools. Clients are more likely to conduct business with a company that has a stable and happy workforce. A feedback loop between employees and leadership—such as regular pulse surveys or anonymous feedback mechanisms—helps identify and address cultural gaps before they escalate. Additionally, recognizing achievements (both big and small) may enhance employee and team morale, combating feelings of undervaluation.
Communication is often a misunderstood and undervalued leadership tool. How leaders communicate is as important as what is communicated. Tone matters. Leaders need to learn to be genuine in their praise and intentional when they motivate. Give grace and support when things are not going smoothly and work with the team to problem solve. Expectations and evaluations are clear and fair. Create an environment where conflict resolution is experienced as fair, supportive, and impartial.
Leaders have to model a willingness to learn, to own their mistakes, to listen to another point of view, and to adapt when needed. These soft skills are what makes a trusted leader. A trusted leader models what they want to see in their team, and it all starts with integrity. Integrity cannot be taught, but it must be demonstrated on a daily basis by leadership. Integrity at all levels of leadership is essential, setting the tone of an honest company culture. False hope, inconsistent merit processes or feedback, shaming practices, and bully management breed a toxic work culture, siloed teams, and unproductive competition. Effective communication becomes the foundation of a culture of trust, and thus the place everyone wants to work.