Robert Wachter
Christian executives and business owners face a unique challenge: building high-performing, profitable companies while positively shaping employee lives and indirectly impacting customers. The stakes couldn't be higher. In mid-2025, Gallup revealed that disengagement in the U.S. results in $2 trillion in lost productivity. Add the $1 trillion annual cost of turnover (reported in 2019), and you're looking at a crisis that demands immediate attention.
Beyond the Bottom Line: Why Engagement Matters to Christian Leaders
"You can't improve what you can't measure," a wise leader once observed. For Christian-led businesses, measuring organizational culture isn't just strategic—it's essential. While the financial costs of disengagement and turnover can be eliminated through proper evaluation and implementation of engagement drivers, Christian leaders operate with a higher purpose.
As a Christian leader, you have the opportunity to cultivate cultures where teams thrive, recognizing that employees are created in God's image. When you view employees as whole persons with souls, eternity comes into focus. This biblically grounded approach empowers you to reflect Christ in your leadership, as the apostle Peter encourages us: "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care." (1 Peter 5:2)
Understanding True Employee Engagement
Al Lopus captures the essence perfectly in his book Road to Flourishing: "The measure of organizational culture is the engagement of its employees. Employee engagement is a way of saying that team members are motivated to bring their fullest contribution, their unique giftedness and creativity, to their role in the organization for the sake of its success."
This goes far beyond satisfaction or happiness. True engagement ensures your employees bring their absolute best to your mission and marketplace impact.
The Undeniable Return on Investment
The business case for engagement is compelling. Gallup research shows that highly engaged organizations experience:
- 23% higher profitability
- 18% higher productivity in sales
- 14% higher productivity in production
- 10% higher customer loyalty and engagement
- 43% lower turnover in low-turnover organizations
- 18% lower turnover in high-turnover organizations
Engaged businesses consistently outperform those with disengaged employees. More importantly, healthy organizations better reflect biblical values of excellence to the world (Colossians 3:23).
These aren't just statistics—they're real results. Troy Meachum, president of ACR Supply Company (a 40-year industry leader), confirms: "There's a direct correlation with creating a healthy culture where your people really enjoy what they do every day and they get fulfillment out of it, with gross revenue and net profit."
Your Path Forward
Best Workplaces Institute's 20+ years of research supports our FLOURISH Model and its eight drivers of employee engagement and well-being. Our proven three-phase process—Discover, Build, and Grow—removes the guesswork from building a Flourishing Workplace™.
We've created a comprehensive resource specifically for Christian CEOs and executives. Inside, you'll discover:
- The eight drivers of a flourishing business
- Key findings from our 2025 State of the Christian Workplace report
- Where most businesses struggle with workplace culture
- Practical steps to increase employee engagement
Don't operate blindly when it comes to your company's culture. Take the next step toward building a flourishing business by downloading: The Essential Guide to Building an Engaged and Flourishing Business.
Reach out to Robert Wachter, global marketing director with Best Christian Workplaces, for more information about our employee engagement survey. Schedule a meeting today.