Corporate culture. It’s a buzz word you have heard for a long time, almost to the point of either not fully knowing what it means or wondering if it’s still relevant in 2018.
The truth is, many companies don’t develop intentional, thoughtful strategies around advancing or defining their company culture. As a result, the culture often evolves naturally. Some may even argue they don’t have a corporate culture! Corporate culture is still relevant in today’s marketplace, and should proactively serve as a key part of your recruitment efforts.
What is corporate culture?
Your corporate culture is the DNA of your company. It reflects what your organization stands for, what it values (both internally and externally), and is a powerful force that drives and guides your employees’ work, actions and attitudes.
How do you define and develop a corporate culture?
Don’t leave the development of your company culture to chance or let employees define it. Doing so could result in a negative culture that could be hard to bounce back from or shift once established. Defining your culture should be intentional and strategic. Start by asking the following questions:
What is your company’s mission, vision and purpose?
Think big when answering this question. Your vision is what inspires employees daily, knowing what common goal they are working toward.
What are your company’s shared values?
Develop a clear set of beliefs and guiding principles that guide employee behavior and set operational expectations.
What makes your company unique?
Knowing, embracing and leveraging your unique brand differentiators is essential in both developing a strong corporate culture and in recruitment efforts – which go hand in hand. Look for distinguishing elements in both internal processes, and service or product. Embracing who you are as a company will only make hiring and retaining employees that much easier.
Why integrate corporate culture with recruitment?
Defining your company culture makes identifying the right candidates a no-brainer. When you understand the true DNA of your company, you can clearly see which candidates fit into the culture. It becomes less about looking at a list of skills, and instead seeking out candidates who have shared values, are passionate about your company’s vision, and have similar work ethic and goals.
Company culture should be leveraged and utilized in talent attraction, particularly for engaging passive candidates. More and more companies are beginning to approach recruitment similarly to marketing and advertising. Organizations are showcasing their brand, culture and employees with the goal to attract like-minded employees (and avoid those who wouldn’t be a good fit).
Remember, while job positions and skill requirements may change quickly over time, the corporate culture does not. Employees with a strong cultural fit within the organization are likely to continue on with your company as a valuable resource, even if their job position shifts or ceases to exist.