The Importance of Corporate Culture in Talent Acquisition
Social studies will tell you that culture is people’s way of life. Well, am here to tell you that it extends to corporate organizations too. A company’s culture is a combination of its vision statement, core values, principles, and mode of operation. The culture of an organization is either decisively defined or springs up naturally through the collective habits of management and employees.
To properly define the culture of a company, it is crucial to dig deep and truly understand the company’s values and principles. A company’s culture outlines the organization’s values, beliefs, expectations, and the relationship between the employees and management. In recent years, culture has become an important aspect of recruitment processes. Mind you, as employees are scrutinizing candidates to find the right fit, applicants are also assessing the company as well. It took some time for companies to realize the importance of recruiting candidates that fit into the company’s culture. Fact is, an employee that is doing perfectly well in company A, with all the necessary skills and experience, might not do well in company B, with a different mode of operation. Probably company A is a fast-paced environment while company B is dull. For so many individuals this might be a blessing, but for someone who is used to working under pressure, company B will be a very boring environment to be in. Prospective candidates have also keyed into the benefits a good cultured company has to offer. Applicants want to know what the company they are applying to is like. They go to the company’s website to read the overview of the company, history, vision, mission, values, and objectives. They may even check the company’s social media account or contact current and former employees of the company. The aim of all of this is not just to prepare for an interview but to acclimatize themselves with the company they are applying to.
Creating a well-defined corporate culture can be time and energy-consuming, but it is even harder to sustain the culture once it has been made. The task of creating and sustaining the company’s culture usually rests on senior managers, executives, and the human resource department. The human resource department is specifically responsible for sustaining the company’s culture. The best way to maintain a company’s culture is to make sure that any new employee that is coming in keys to the already laid down foundation. What better way to ensure this than to assess the employee’s personality and culture fit before hiring the employee. As it is popularly said, “ prevention is better than cure”. It is of no use hiring a candidate that will resign along the line due to unfulfilled or unaligned expectations. To sustain a company’s culture there is still a need for cultural communication, continuous coaching, and the development of new and existing staff. A company’s culture should always align with collective employee behavior. Corporate culture cannot say that there is a perfect work-life balance while in reality, it is far from being perfect. It is of no good use for a company to present itself as what it is not. In the long run, the cover will fade away and the detriments will be catastrophic.
Why is Corporate Culture important?
Creates a sense of belonging
It is popularly said that like minds attract each other. Corporate culture tends to draw all employees closer. The company’s culture informs employees on the proper ways to interact with each other. New employees feel more comfortable when they are amid other employees with similar thought processes and personalities. A candidate that has been in a company where there is an inclusive culture, definitely will not suit well in a company where everyone is on their own. Similarly, an individual who is used to working in solitude will find it hard to exist in a team-spirited environment. Employees perform better when they are satisfied with their job and job environment. When an employee feels like an outlander in a company, it affects his productivity rate and might result in resignation. A candidate that gets along with the team, will be comfortable introducing new and constructive ideas. But if the candidate feels like an outcast, he will be skeptical about introducing ideas that are different from what is being done already.
Improves the company’s mode of operation
A company’s mode of operation is part of its culture. Recruiting employees whose personality aligns with the company’s culture ensures that the company’s operation runs smoothly. When every employee is aware of what is expected of them, there is little or no friction between employees while playing their roles. The transition of an employee who fits into the company’s culture is usually smooth and flawless. But when an employee with a different personality comes in, he shakes the already existing table and disrupts the natural order of things.
The corporate culture attracts top talents
A company’s culture can help attract and retain talented employees. Prospective applicants assess the culture of the company before applying. If the culture is not appealing or does not seem to align with theirs, they move on to other companies. Most employees value culture more than salary. Everyone wants to stay in an environment they find peace of mind. Mental stress does a lot more harm to the body than physical stress. A company with a bad culture will not only lose prospective candidates but also talented current employees. A lot of companies have started including information on their values, mission statement, and objectives in their career pages. When potential applicants do not see this information, they become skeptical and nervous. This is because they do not know what to expect. A company should not limit itself when sharing its culture with recruits. Highlight what’s important and valuable at your company and make sure you communicate why choosing your company is the best decision.
Decreases turnover
Turnover is simply the resources and time spent in recruiting new employees. An unfit candidate is one step away from the door. Such a candidate will find it hard to find his foot. He will have a hard time settling in. As the employee is struggling to acclimatize, time is going and productivity is reduced. He might endure the challenges for a while until he is saturated and lets it out. The employee will have no other choice but to resign and go to a different company. The problem now is the time and money that will be used to get a replacement. The cycle will keep going on and on if the recruiting manager does not find a suitable candidate whose personality aligns with the company’s culture.
