It’s called the Great Resignation and for good reason. Recent studies show about 40% of Americans are looking to resign over the next 12 months. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Promoting a culture that values workers and creates an environment where they know they are appreciated is a way to help retention.

“We want to build stickiness in a culture so that we can weather the next storm that comes at us,” said Kerry Goyette, behavioral science expert, founder and president of Aperio Consulting Group, who works with companies to improve their cultures. “We want to make sure we create cultures where people want to stay. The pandemic was challenging, but we want workers to feel like we couldn’t have done this without the people that we work with. When they feel that, then you know you have a really good culture.”

Another key to creating a great work culture is building relationships with employees. This is where training frontline supervisors is so important.

“If an organization can invest anywhere, start with your frontline supervisors because they’re the ones leading your employees,” Ms. Goyette told Michelle Smith, features editor at Baking & Snack for her September report on workforce development. “I found frontline supervisors can honestly make some of the biggest impacts.”

Leaders should have one-on-one meetings with supervisors to see what their challenges are and to train them how to lead their people, she added. In the end, creating a better workplace starts with better communication and treating everyone with respect.