Hiring for Culture: A Strategic Tool for Business Success
More and more businesses embrace hiring for culture as a strategic tool to increase productivity, raise morale, and ultimately drive profits. But for a culture to thrive, it must be strengthened through every new hire, and it must be reinforced through every employee development initiative. HR departments that want to nurture happy, productive cultures must learn to evaluate and engage talent based on who they are, not just what their resumes say they do. Source
The Role of Culture in Employee Satisfaction and Business Success
Michael Civello, Director of Client Relationships for Plum Benefits, visited TemPositions’ HR Roundtable Series on Thursday, May 2, 2013, to share his presentation, “Hiring People, Not Resumes.” Focusing on culture as a key driver of employee satisfaction and business success, Civello shared how companies can use hiring, onboarding, and long-term talent development practices to achieve the benefits of a culturally-aligned workforce. Source
The Importance of Workplace Camaraderie and Recognition
When a culture is vibrant and has the full support of an organization, it drives success through strong personal relationships. Too often, employers assume that workers value compensation and monetary bonuses above all. But employees tend to love where they work when “they like who they work with, and because they feel special, valued, and appreciated,” Civello explained. Even more than money, people prize workplace camaraderie and simple recognition. Source
Expanding Group A and Strengthening Positive Cultures
Civello briefly described his previous visit to the HR Roundtable in September 2012 to discuss employee happiness. In that session, he divided employees into segments: Group A (high-performing, culture leaders), Group B (satisfactory, open to influence from Group A), and Group C (poor performers, potentially destructive). Through culturally-aligned hiring and development, he noted, smart companies can expand Group A and strengthen their positive cultures. Source
Starting the Culture Building Journey
Companies that haven’t worked to shape their internal cultures should start, he urged. The challenge may seem daunting. But by developing support for the effort from the top down, starting small, and keeping initiatives measurable (through surveys and other simple means), HR can start deepening trust, improving teamwork, and ultimately enhancing relationships. This, he explained, can activate Group A to carry the culture banner proudly aiding HR. Source
Defining Culture and Its Impact on Business
The first step to tackling any new challenge is demystifying it. Often, Civello explained, the C-suite will become more open-minded about launching cultural initiatives when they come to understand culture’s true definition and potential. Dictionary.com defines culture as “the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions, which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group.” Certainly, an employee base constitutes a “group of people.” And Group A, with its enthusiasm and evangelistic tendencies, can be inspired to “transmit and reinforce” positive values that can bring the company the most benefit.
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Please note: the information reflected in this post is not official legal advice nor does it necessary reflect the opinions of the associated firms.
