Culture Over Compensation: Agnel on Building Workplaces Young Talent Actually Want
Why the next generation no longer sees work as identity and how companies can create cultures that grow with them.
Work used to define who we were. Your job title followed you home, shaped how people saw you, and often decided how you saw yourself. But that definition is quietly fading.
For today’s generation, work has become something else — an expression of skill, not identity. Agnel, a HR veteran with nearly two decades in consulting and telco, has spent years watching this shift unfold up close. From running scholarship and internship programs to leading culture transformation, he’s seen what makes young talent stay, leave, and thrive.
In this conversation, Agnel shares how companies can rethink culture for a generation that values growth over job security, what SME founders often get wrong about “people matters,” and why leadership buy-in makes all the difference.
Rei: Good afternoon and thank you for joining us. Could you start by giving our readers a bit of background about your work in HR?
Agnel: Hi, thanks for having me, Rei. So, a bit about my background; I’ve spent around 18 or 19 years in HR. I started out in HR consulting, then spent close to 10 years in the telco industry. I led several areas there: our young talent programs, culture transformation, and all our future talent initiatives: scholarships, management trainee programs, internships, basically building that early talent pipeline for the organization.
Rei: That’s interesting! So you’ve worked closely with a lot of fresh graduates and young talents. What major changes have you seen among young talents now compared to when you first started in HR?
Agnel: There’s been quite a bit of focus on this in the past few years, but from my own observation, the biggest shift is in how people view work.
For the older generations, Gen X, for instance, work was a big part of your identity. It defined who you were. Today, work is more of an expression of one’s skills and talents. Younger workers separate who they are from what they do. They still want purpose and meaning, but their job doesn’t define them anymore.
They can be a completely different person after hours and that’s okay. In the past, our job titles followed us everywhere, even outside the office. So, the mindset has evolved, it’s about value and contribution, but not identity.
The “selling point” can’t just be the job anymore. It has to be the culture and the growth opportunities.
Rei: That’s a big shift. How are companies adapting to this new mindset among younger talent?
Agnel: The approach has to change. The “selling point” can’t just be the job anymore. It has to be the culture and the growth opportunities.
We’re moving into a skill-based economy where EQ and transferable skills matter more than traditional performance metrics.
So, for organizations to be attractive to young talent, it’s no longer about job security. It’s about skill growth and the kind of culture they get to be part of. That’s the new magnet.
Rei: But what about management buy-in? Many senior leaders still come from that older school of thought where loyalty and long-term tenure matter. How do you convince them to invest in employees’ personal growth, even if it means those employees might leave eventually?
Agnel: That’s the tricky part but it’s really a chicken-and-egg situation.
Yes, you might make someone better and they could leave. But if you don’t create growth, they’ll leave anyway. They’ll get bored, outgrow their role, or simply look elsewhere.
The key is to create an environment that’s continuously stimulating; one that makes them want to stay.
Community plays a huge role here. In one of my previous roles, even our interns had their own engagement platform where they connected, shared ideas, and supported each other.
When interns feel part of a community, not just assigned a task, they’re more likely to think of your company as a place they’d love to return to after graduation.
Rei: Right. So companies have to make a conscious choice in how they engage talent.
Agnel: Exactly.
Rei: How about smaller businesses? You worked in a big telco but what challenges do SME owners face when it comes to building this kind of culture?
Agnel: That’s a great question. Surprisingly, it’s not really about budget.
You can have all the money in the world for perks and programs, but a great culture doesn’t depend on that. It depends on practice.
Do you recognize contributions? Do you create belonging across generations? Do you encourage collaboration? Those things don’t require a big budget, just intentional effort.
Rei: So there’s a misconception; that culture needs money to build.
Agnel: Exactly. The real constraint I see with many SMEs is the founder’s mindset.
In large organizations, HR is structured, you’ve got dedicated teams for learning, engagement, onboarding, and so on. But in SMEs, everyone wears multiple hats. And the person who most needs to wear the HR hat, is the founder or CEO.
If the founder doesn’t see people and culture as part of their job, the message gets lost. People matters become a checklist: hire, pay bonus, promote. But when the founder takes ownership of culture, that’s when magic happens.
Rei: That’s a strong point. Do you have any advice for first-time founders who are just starting to grow their teams?
Agnel: Yes. The truth is, it doesn’t come naturally to most founders. They started their company based on a product or a strategy, not people practices. So my first advice is: get help early. Bring in someone (even short-term) who can help you set up basic people practices and guide you for a year or two.
And second, once you start, stick with it. It’ll feel uncomfortable at first. The early team might resist and say, “Why are we doing this?” But if you truly believe that people are your strength, you’ll need consistency. Get help, build internal capability, and don’t drop the ball once it’s rolling.
Rei: That’s wonderful advice. Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Agnel.
Key Takeaways
Younger talent no longer ties identity to work, they see it as a platform for expression and growth.
Culture, learning, and community now matter more than job titles or perks.
Retention begins with stimulation. When people grow, they stay.
Company culture isn’t defined by budget; it’s built through everyday practice and recognition.
Founders must see “people” as part of their own job, not HR’s responsibility.
Early-stage founders benefit from short-term HR guidance to set solid practices before scaling.
Growth and consistency in culture outlast quick fixes or promotions.
Agnel’s insights remind us that building teams isn’t about headcount, it’s about belonging. Culture doesn’t require grand programs or deep pockets; it starts with the founder’s intent, the tone set at the top, and how people feel seen at work.
For younger generations, work is no longer about who they are; it’s about what they can do and who they can become.
If your business is growing, maybe that’s the real question to start with: are you building a company people want to grow in, or just one they work for?
About Agnel Raj
Agnel Raj is a seasoned HR leader specializing in talent development, known for his strategic approach to nurturing people and building high-performing teams. With extensive experience in human capital management, he combines deep organizational insight with a passion for empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Beyond his corporate expertise, Agnel is also one of the founding members of NABS Global, where he continues to champion growth, collaboration, and community impact.