Replacing Talent Costs More Than Treating Them Well.

Replacing Talent Costs More 

Yet many organizations still don’t get it.

In the Indian work mindset (IST culture), there’s an unspoken belief:
If you arrive late, you’re important.
If you make people wait, you’re powerful.
If you’re always on time, you’re “available”… and somehow less valuable.

This is not leadership.
This is insecurity dressed up as status.

Compare this with the American work culture.
There, time is respect.
If a meeting starts at 10:00, it starts at 10:00.
Being punctual doesn’t reduce your stature—it increases your credibility.

In many Indian workplaces, it’s the opposite.
People arrive late to signal dominance.
Deadlines are elastic.
Apologies are rare.
And professionalism is mistaken for weakness.

Then leaders act surprised when good talent leaves.

Let’s be honest:
People don’t leave companies first.
They leave disrespect.

They leave:

• Being taken for granted

• Being paid less than their market value

• Being expected to tolerate chaos in the name of “adjustment”

• Being told loyalty matters, while dignity doesn’t

Replacing that talent costs:

• Months of lost productivity

• Knowledge drain

• Team morale damage

• Hiring, onboarding, and training expenses

But none of that appears on a balance sheet—so it’s ignored.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Discipline is cheaper than replacement.
Respect is cheaper than attrition.
Punctuality is cheaper than apologies.

If your authority depends on making others wait,
you don’t have authority—you have a fragile ego.

If your organization glorifies lateness as status,
don’t complain when excellence quietly walks out on time.

The future of leadership—especially in an AI-driven world—will not reward:

• Noise over results

• Seniority over standards

• Ego over execution

It will reward leaders who understand one simple rule:
Treat people well, or pay heavily to replace them.

There is no third option.