For years, my long-time employer ignored all the "best places to work" rankings and other made-up methodologies that get clicks. And we had no problem hiring people, because we had a fantastic culture and were in a solid industry in good times and bad.

Then we got new senior leadership who suddenly wanted to make those rankings. So we put resources toward the specific data points those rankings require - and we made it on some lists. BUT ... in focusing on those items we neglected others, the culture started to change and long-time employees started asking what happened to the company they loved. Today our turnover rate is almost 5x what it was 10 years ago, and pretty much no one thinks we work at a special place anymore. We're like everyone else, and people come and go, and fewer people actually care about much beyond their own careers.

Ironic, huh?