From Concern to Secret Weapon – How to Use Your Company’s Culture to Attract Top Talent
Company culture means more than a means of retaining great employees. It can be an important tool in helping you attract top talent, too! By developing a purposeful culture that celebrates teamwork and values learning and development, you can make people want to work for you. Here are five tips for attracting (and retaining!) great employees through company culture:
- Build Your Culture from the Ground Up
Culture means more than handing out beer at meetings or setting up holiday parties. It goes much deeper than that. You need to decide: what does this company stand for? What things do we do differently than our competitors? What do we expect from our employees? Be very clear about who you are, what you stand for and how you approach your work—and be able to articulate those values.
- Encourage Professional Growth
One thing top candidates are always seeking is opportunity. They don’t want to work for a company where they’ll stagnate. Let the world know that you offer development programs that give your employees an opportunity to grow their careers.
- Set a Good Example
Culture needs to come from the top—but not be dictated. Leadership needs to walk the walk as well as talking the talk. The culture set by your management is the backbone of your company. Leaders need to embody and demonstrate the values and norms that guide your organization, because their example affects how people and groups interact with each other internally and with clients.
- Don’t Be Beige
If you want to attract bright, dynamic, creative people, you need to look like a bright, dynamic, creative workplace. Do you come off as dull, old-fashioned or inflexible? Look at your business through a newcomer’s eyes. Does it show off your innovative spirit? And when you find good job candidates, have them meet with multiple people in the organization. It will not only help the candidate see a clearer picture of your culture, but it will help your company determine whether the interviewee fits the culture.
- Embrace Collaboration
If your work environment doesn’t encourage and foster collaboration between co-workers and departments, it’s time to make some changes. Employees want to be treated like skilled adults whose experience and contributions are valuable. And all the holiday gatherings and monthly bowling tournaments won’t mean a thing if you treat your employees like hired help the rest of the time.
What have we missed? What do you think is great about your company’s employee culture? Please share your thoughts and opinions below!
