Developing meaningful connections within your company is just as essential as the business network you’re cultivating outside your company. So, when you can get people out of their silos and openly and honestly talking to each other, everyone wins.

Most companies don’t value informal networks so when an organization encourages its employees to develop relationships, it goes a long way in creating a team environment. And even more importantly, it gets people out of their comfort zones, cultivates trust within groups, increases productivity and encourages collaboration.

Finding and keeping top talent is no longer an HR issue but a strategic business priority. To overcome these challenges, companies need to build lasting relationships with their employees by empowering them with the tools they need to succeed.

With the emergence of a younger generation companies must rethink their approach to talent and provide a new mechanism for learning—one that can adapt to the needs of a changing workforce and align more closely with organizational objectives.

Promoting discussion among affinity groups and Employee Resource Groups is another way companies can positively impact their employee retention efforts, promote leadership and development at all ranks, build an internal support system within a company and encourage diversity and inclusion among employees at all levels.

Creating an open forum for idea exchange around a particular shared interest is critical to an inclusive and diverse organizational culture. It can foster individual effectiveness and job satisfaction through networking and professional development.

Don’t underestimate the importance of peer support and socialization. The more employees get to know each other on a personal level, the more they feel like they fit in to a company’s culture. The right mentor can get a new employee up to speed faster at work.

Connecting mentors with potential mentorees can have far-reaching benefits. The mentor gets to share years of knowledge while learning about different areas of the organization. The mentoree learns how to accept constructive feedback in important areas and how to more effectively network and lead. Over time, the organization will see enhanced cooperation and harmony within the organization, more loyal and happy employees and ultimately, lower turnover.