How To Build A Loyal Crew and Retain Top Talent When "Nobody Wants To Work Anymore"

Tonight, Shawn and I—one of our coaches—are heading up to the Northeast where we've been invited to speak and present to a group of contractors in Providence, Rhode Island at the JLC LIVE convention. We're super excited about it.

When we attend trade shows and talk to contractors—or really, any other business owners—we hear a common refrain: "Nobody wants to work anymore."

As we listen to the complaints, we can't help but smirk a little bit. It's easy to blame Millennials or Gen Zers, but is that really the root of the problem? Is that why we can't build a loyal crew or retain the top talent we've been looking for—let alone even find it?

Recently, I received an email with a subject line that said this—I’m not making this up: "Jason quit. This sucks. I'm hating Millennials."

While it’s tempting to point fingers at younger generations, the reality is a little more complex than that. It’s not that people don’t want to work—it’s that they don’t want to work in chaotic environments that lack clarity and direction. And now, they have something previous generations didn’t: options.

In the past—the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s—you didn’t have as many ways to go out and create work for yourself. But now? People have choices.

So let’s consider a different perspective: what if the issue isn’t with the workers, but with the work environment you’re providing? Are you offering a workplace that attracts and retains talent—or are you unknowingly pushing potential employees away?

I'm about to share what I believe is a silver bullet—a tool that finds and retains talent better than anything else in business. Now, of course, you’re going to be skeptical. I would be too. That’s understandable. But I urge you to keep an open mind.

If you believe this could be true—if this is a silver bullet—think about the potential impact on your business. Imagine being able to find and retain the talent you need. The solution might be very simple. Maybe even obvious. You might roll your eyes. But I challenge you to pause and consider its power.

What if this one thing could transform your ability to attract and keep great employees?

The key lies in this: creating an environment—or culture—of transparency, vulnerability, and purpose.

Before you turn this off, just hang with me. I’m going to give you something concrete. It’s about offering more than just a job—it’s about providing a vision, a clear path forward, and a sense of belonging.

When you offer consciousness and conciseness in your business operations—via captured processes and clear communication—then your business, through a less-than-10-word mission statement, can create a workplace people want to be part of.

Right now, we’re going through an interview process for a new role. The longer we go through our process, the more excited the candidates become. It’s actually making it harder for us—because we’re going to have to turn people away.

Why is it getting harder? Because they want to work here.

They see the vision—because we’ve shared it.
They see the mission—because we’ve shared it.
They see the core values—because we’ve shared them.
And they say, “We appreciate this.”

One of the most common things we hear back is: “I’ve worked with businesses that say all this, but don’t do anything about it.”

People—especially younger generations—notice. And yes, I said people, because this applies to all generations. But especially younger ones. They're looking for more than just a paycheck. They want to feel valued, understood, and part of something meaningful.

So by focusing on clarity in your business practices and communication, you can create that kind of environment. What does that include?

• Weekly, agenda-driven, leader-led team meetings
• Weekly, one-hour departmental meetings
• Predictable one-on-one check-ins
• Annual performance feedback so team members know what’s expected
• Executive team using a “Big 5” feedback loop, so their communication back to the team is clear and consistent

And here’s the big question: do you have these things written down?

Before you blame an entire generation for your staffing woes, you need to take a hard look at your own business. Are you providing clarity and purpose?

Here’s a simple litmus test:
Are your vision, mission, values, org chart, job roles, checklists, scorecards, and KPIs written down?

If not, then they don’t exist.

The solution to your hiring and retention problems might be closer than you think. It starts with you. And it starts with writing things down.

Need help?

Hop on a call with one of our coaches. We’ve got a no-strings-attached, ask-us-anything option. Just go to businessonpurpose.com/ask and hop on a call.

All we ask is that you’re the primary business owner, with three or more employees, and doing $1 million or more in revenue. We’d be delighted to talk with you—and if you want to know how we can work with you, just ask.

businessonpurpose.com/ask

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