“We found that there are some common traits in great managers… The best ones are really good motivators… sometimes they have to make tough decisions, but they’re good at influencing people by helping to convince them why they are excellent… The best practice organizations… they have a really good intentional process for developing their… highly effective managers as coaches… I think if we do things right, and we combine autonomy with great managing, great leadership, that we could have the best workplaces ever.”
S03E06 of the Rethink Culture podcast shines the spotlight on Jim Harter, Gallup’s chief scientist for workplace management and well-being. Jim shares with us his extensive expertise on employee engagement and workplace culture. The author of five books, including the bestsellers It’s the Manager, Wellbeing at Work and Culture Shock, Jim has led groundbreaking research, including the first large-scale study on engagement and productivity, covering 1.8 million employees across 200 organizations. With over 1,000 research studies in applied psychology and well-being, Jim’s data-driven insights are invaluable for understanding what drives organizational success.
In this episode, Jim breaks down the critical elements of a thriving workplace culture: engagement, purpose, and great leadership. He emphasizes that managers should act as coaches, leveraging employees’ strengths to align personal growth with company goals. Engagement, he stresses, must be a year-round strategy, not just an annual survey. While global engagement remains low (23% globally, 32% in the U.S.), Jim highlights that best-practice organizations achieve up to 70% engagement. Jim also talks about the evolving post-pandemic workplace, where balancing autonomy with accountability is key while tailoring approaches for hybrid and on-site teams. Central to his message is defining a clear purpose—why your organization exists—and the ability to communicate it effectively. Jim envisions workplaces where autonomy and inspiring leadership create environments where employees thrive.
The podcast is produced by Rethink Culture (rethinkculture.co). Our Culture Health Check helps you turn your culture into a competitive advantage, with data.
Production, video, and audio editing by Evangelia Alexaki of Musicove Productions.
Listen to this episode to discover:
• How managers can align employees’ strengths with organizational goals.
• Why leveraging natural strengths boosts both engagement and efficiency.
• Why engagement must be a year-round strategy, not just an annual survey.
• What are the key pillars of effective employee engagement.
• What are the traits that exceptional managers have in common.
• How career clarity and success impacts well-being.
• How the role of managers has shifted and how to adapt to the post-pandemic reality.
• Why managers must balance autonomy and accountability in the post-pandemic workplace.
• How flexible work arrangements, such as hybrid or four-day workweeks, can succeed with team and customer alignment.
• The importance of an intentional, purpose-driven culture for inspiring and engaging teams.
Further resources:
• Jim Harter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkharter
• It’s the Manager: Moving From Boss to Coach, by Jim Clifton & Jim Harter: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Manager-managers-organizations-long-term-ebook/dp/B07RDMLJR7
• Wellbeing at Work, by Jim Clifton & Jim Harter: https://www.amazon.com/Wellbeing-at-Work-Jim-Clifton-ebook/dp/B08X4YKPZZ
• Culture Shock, by Jim Clifton & Jim Harter: https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Shock-unstoppable-solution-leadership-ebook/dp/B0C5Y3LCDG