In an era when job-hopping has become the norm and employee loyalty seems increasingly elusive, the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) is quietly defying the trend. With 35% of its employees having stayed for more than a decade—and nearly 10% being alumni—this private education institute is showing that with the right culture, development opportunities and shared purpose, retention can be more than an HR metric but a way of life.

“People want to do meaningful and purposeful work, which is recognized and rewarded,” Sara Yik, chief human capital officer at the institute, told HRM Asia. “People join—and stay with—SIM because they resonate with our purpose.”

‘Learn for life, thrive for life’

That purpose is deeply embedded in the institution’s DNA. With a $60 million (Singapore dollars) SIM Impact Fund supporting bursaries, scholarships and other initiatives that make education more accessible, employees see their work translate directly into lives changed.

“Our goal is for our learners to ‘learn for life, thrive for life,’ ” Yik said. “They see our students graduate and go on to have successful jobs and careers and take pride in truly making a difference to thousands of people over the 60 years of SIM’s history.”

While Yik is quick to say that loyalty cannot be designed in a prescriptive way, she believes it can be cultivated. “We focus on building a culture where employees feel seen, supported, empowered, and valued,” she said. This includes everything from psychological safety and social capital to clear role expectations and performance-linked rewards.

Each role at this institute, which has a workforce of about 800 employees, is defined by a clear “value add”—a shift from activity-based KPIs to outcome-driven contributions. And when it comes to recognition, the institute recognizes achievements well before annual reviews. Contributions are acknowledged regularly across platforms such as town halls and Core Value Awards, reinforcing the link between behavior, values and impact.

New hires, meanwhile, embark on a structured journey beginning with an interactive orientation program and are invited to tea sessions with the president and CEO within their first six months. “It allows newcomers to get to know the leadership in a more natural setting,” said Yik.

Building a culture in a hybrid world

In today’s hybrid and dispersed workplaces, culture can often feel diluted. Not so at the institute.

“We believe that a strong and cohesive culture is built through consistent and intentional practices,” Yik said.

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