There’s a lot to consider when it comes to the recruitment process. As an HR professional, part of your role in recruitment is to highlight your company as a positive place to work. That often includes touting fair salaries, benefits, and time off.
But, if you’re not promoting positive company culture, you could be missing out. Company culture is a top priority for today’s professionals. The right culture could make all the difference in the type of people interested in working for your company.
So, what can you do to leverage company culture effectively when recruiting and hiring new candidates? Let’s cover a few actionable ideas that will pique the interest of potential employees.
Your Culture Affects Your Reputation and Brand
Your company culture is likely the first thing a potential employee will learn about you. They’ll do their research, starting with the information provided on your website and social media accounts. But, they’ll also go deeper, looking at both employee and customer reviews.
If you have a negative reputation or your company has been notorious for fostering a toxic work environment in the past, it’s going to affect your hiring process, and could even serve as a black mark on your brand. Managing your brand reputation is essential for creating a positive company image. Some of the most common types of reputation management include:
- Review management
- Brand mention monitoring
- Social media management
- Reputation attack monitoring
- Public relations
Pay attention to what people are saying about your brand online — including past (or current) employees. If there are negative reviews or comments lingering on the web, take the time to address them and correct any past mistakes that could impact your future recruitment efforts.
Why Employees Are Concerned About Culture
To say we’ve been living in uncertain times over the last few years would be an understatement. We’ve lived through a global pandemic, a sluggish economy, social and governmental disruptions, and so much more. Needless to say, many people are struggling with their mental well-being, and workplace stress is a big part of that. That kind of stress can take a toll on the average person’s health, potentially causing issues like:
- Frequent headaches
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Insomnia
- Stomach issues
It should come as no surprise that people want to take charge of their mental well-being. As a result, toxic work environments contribute to rapid turnover. One study by MIT Sloan found that toxic work environment complaints are the number one reason for turnover in a variety of industries. Today’s employees won’t stand for it. Not only will you have a hard time keeping your existing team, but you’ll have an even harder time finding new recruits who want to take care of their physical and mental well-being.
Making Company Culture a “Selling Point”
If you’ve already taken the time to foster a positive company culture, what can you do to make it a selling point for potential recruits? Start by walking the talk. Don’t just talk about your company culture — make sure you have real-life narratives to back it up so you have something to show your recruits that goes beyond slogans and mission statements.
If you’re interviewing someone, take them on a tour of your office. Let them meet other employees, and consider letting your team interview new candidates instead of doing it on your own. This promotes a culture of inclusivity and collaboration.
Finally, encourage your candidates to explore. If you’ve taken the time to manage your reputation and you’re proud of the culture you’ve built, you should have no problem telling your recruits to do their research and learn more about your business on their own. It shows transparency, and that can go a long way in boosting interest and trust.