Post-college, many Millennials are faced with the same, tedious and often-overwhelming question: “Who am I?” This unnerving inquiry is quickly followed by further self-imposed interrogation. “What am I passionate about?” or, “What separates me from the rest of the pack?”
The answers to these questions are messy – and for good reason. People are complex, as are the passions, businesses and cultures that formulate around them.
Like recent grads, each company is forced to define itself. “Who are we, how are we different than our competitors and what will we offer as an employer that no one can easily replicate?”
Ask yourself: what will you stand for?
You stake out your culture by creating a foundation, and a stable one for that matter. Though many companies have established concrete values, few companies are mission-driven. Even more interesting, many companies have dormant missions that have “always” been around, yet never made public.
Company culture and values are among the top five biggest considerations job seekers take into account before accepting an offer (Glassdoor Survey, Oct. 2014). Employees crave transparency and honesty – they will take you seriously if you take your company seriously.
Think: What will be your company’s legacy? How are your colleagues going to accomplish this?
It doesn’t matter which values you choose or how many; what matters is your organization understanding and accepting them.
If you talk the talk, you must walk the walk
Developing a strong culture could be compared to dieting in the New Year– one week of good habits is simply not enough to make a significant change. The most successful companies know that commitment to your culture must stay consistent throughout the entire course of the year. Sure, there are good days and bad days, but the months must show greater enhancement and engagement.
The best way to identify this is to go straight to the source: your employees.
Buy in begins with the managers. Stress the importance of your mission and values to the leaders and ensure that they are encouraging these standards across their departments.
Now take it one step further; encourage managers to highlight employees that have demonstrated these core values in action. Create interactive opportunities for employees to network internally and work cross functionally. Develop a “culture club” or a “fun committee.” The goal is to get your employees involved in the conversation and to construct new traditions.
Measure the success of these programs through internal promotions and attrition.
Reinforce your culture with new hires
Your recruiting process is a testament to your culture. Recruiting practices must demonstrate the mission and values of your people. And congruently, the candidates you hire must uphold and embody these same sentiments.
Educate job seekers throughout every stage in the hiring process. And, reinforce the importance of your culture during phone screenings and onsite interviews.
You educate your candidates by treating them as if they are already employees.
The strengthening of your culture continues as soon as a contract is signed. Make sure your onboarding program establishes the importance of your core values and offers an action plan to see them through.
Not sure what your job seekers think of your hiring process? Ask them. Reach out to both employees and candidates to get current feedback and reviews on Glassdoor. Listen to the feedback, respond to reviews, and enhance your processes accordingly.
Promote your culture on Glassdoor
It’s no secret: You can’t avoid Glassdoor any longer.
Tell your company story on your profile with your Free Employer Account. Showcase what it’s like to work at your company through photos, company updates and responding to reviews.
