From Perks to Purpose: Redefining What Makes Culture Sticky

allynitschke
4 days ago
2 min read

I often hear leaders say, “We’ve added perks, but people are still leaving.” Free coffees, pizza Fridays, wellness apps, they all sound nice, but they don’t build the kind of culture that makes people stay. Because here’s the truth: culture doesn’t stick because of perks. It sticks because of purpose.

Why Perks Don’t Work

Perks create momentary satisfaction, but they don’t drive lasting engagement. The novelty wears off quickly, and when deeper issues like lack of clarity, poor leadership, or burnout are present, no amount of beanbags or free yoga classes will fix it.

I’ve worked with organisations that had impressive “perks packages” but struggled with high turnover. Why? Because people don’t stay for perks, they stay when they feel connected, valued, and part of something meaningful.

The Shift to Purpose

Purpose is what makes culture sticky. Employees want to know:

Why does my work matter?
How do I contribute to the bigger picture?
Does this organisation stand for something I believe in?

When leaders answer these questions, they move beyond perks to something much more powerful, belonging and motivation.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Share impact stories. Regularly show how your team’s work creates value for customers, communities, or the organisation.
Connect the dots. Don’t assume people see the link between their tasks and the bigger mission, make it explicit.
Make purpose personal. Invite employees to share what drives them, and align projects to their strengths where possible.

A Story of Sticky Culture

A professional services firm I worked with shifted their engagement strategy from perks to purpose. Instead of spending big on gym memberships, they invested in storytelling, leaders consistently connected individual roles to the company’s mission of shaping better futures for clients. The result? A 25% lift in employee engagement scores within six months. People weren’t just working, they were contributing.

Final Thought

Perks might make people smile, but purpose makes them stay. Leaders who want sticky cultures in 2025 and beyond need to stop relying on surface-level fixes and start building workplaces where meaning runs deep.

Because people don’t quit beanbags. They quit when they can’t see the point.

If you would like to book in a time to speak with Ally: CLICK HERE.

Ally Nitschke is a best-selling Author, an award-winning Thought Leader and Speaker. She has been working with leaders and as a Leader for over 20 years.

She is on a mission to change the way we communicate at work, to lean into those uncomfortable conversations and lead with courage.

Ally is a Keynote Speaker at conferences, delivers Transformational Programs & highly engaging workshops as well as provides Executive Coaching