The backbone of a company is its culture, and one of the ways to attract top people to a business is to show off that culture. Employers can no longer rely on a simple statement of values or mission, they need to show a potential employee exactly how wonderful it would be to work with their company. Workers can afford to be choosy in this labor market, and if you want them to choose your company, you’ll make sure you take an effort to improve company culture. Here’s how.
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Set the Tone
Sure, you can rattle off your company’s core values, but that doesn’t always translate well. The interview is a chance to show off your culture. Are you offering a laid-back, easygoing environment? Or maybe collaboration is key? How about fast-paced and efficient? Whatever your culture is, it should be evident in your interview style, in your office, and in the way you handle yourself. Show top applicants your culture, don’t just tell them about it.
Meet and Greet
A tour is a good move during the interview process, but businesses can go a step further to entice a promising applicant. Introduce them to the team they’ll be working with, and allow time for interaction and conversation. Offer the opportunity for the candidate to give input on something in their area of expertise. By the end of the interview, the applicant should have a concrete idea of what a typical day would be like at your company.
It’s All in the Details
Everyone wants to know they’re valued, and an applicant is no different. An HR manager can show that they understand the importance of a role by going over the full scope of the position. Details are key here, as is highlighting the impact that the candidate would have at the company. Make it personal, pointing out specific skills from the applicant’s background that would prove useful in certain areas of the job.
This is another area where you can make the applicant a part of the process. Discuss initiatives and future plans with the candidate. Tell them specifically what they’d be working on around these initiatives. And ask for feedback. How do they think they can contribute to the initiatives? Remember, your questions and your style of asking the questions all contribute to setting the tone and showing off your company’s culture.
Show Off Your Accomplishments
Those initiatives you’re discussing with the candidate should provide a natural transition to showing off your company’s accomplishments. Top recruits want to see that they have a future at the company, and they want to know that the company itself has a future, too. A part of this is detailing your biggest success stories, including specific details and data. This again goes beyond stating what the culture is at the company to show exactly how that culture has paid off, and how it will continue to pay off in the future.
Keep the Relationship Going
An interviewer’s embodiment of the company’s culture doesn’t end when the interview does. It’s a good idea to try to reach out to the applicant as soon as possible after the appointment. Even if you’ve decided not to hire the worker for this particular position, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be perfect for a position down the road. You are building a brand for you company, and that involves forging relationships over an applicant’s entire career.
Don’t forget that every moment counts when you’re wooing the best of the best. Employees should embody a company’s culture, and applicants should leave an interview with a full sense of that culture. If it’s the right fit, these tips could help seal the deal for that perfect new employee.