It is said that an employee can be trained for skills, but not for culture. And, those who are hired with this in mind have greater job satisfaction and demonstrate better performance than those who aren’t a cultural fit. (Source: Business News Daily) If this type of employee is more productive and more likely to be retained, this is a great benefit to the employer, which makes it important to ask, “How do we find an employee who fits our culture?”
What does it mean to find an employee with a cultural fit?
Investopedia.com states, “...culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees interact and handle business.” They go on to clarify that culture is implied more than it is defined and it develops over time, intentionally or not. Therefore, hiring an employee with a corporate culture fit means the candidate holds the same values as the company. The potential employee acts in a way in line with how the company wants to be seen in the marketplace.
Finding an Employee Who Fits Your Culture
Step One: Define your Culture
Get clear about your company mission, vision, values and how these manifest within your company culture. For example, you may have a value of Constant Learning, and in one company that could mean regular continuing education, and in another it could look like staying on top of industry trends and innovating ideas based on that.
Culture isn’t as tangible as a mission or vision statement and it is maintained by the employees of the company. Therefore, the culture can change based on who is hired, what they believe, how they behave and how management leads it.
Step Two: Reinforce your Culture
Are the employees responsible for recruiting, hiring and training new hires doing so in line with company culture? Is it lip service or do they have genuine buy-in to the mission, vision and values? Can you see specific examples of those components playing out in day-to-day operations?
If a new hire is told the company has a culture of Fun and yet the atmosphere is tight, stuffy and sterile, the new hire likely will believe their experience over what they are told. Be sure your culture is being acted out and reinforced.
Step Three: Recruit, Hire and Train for the Desired Behaviors
If you have a culture of innovation, recruit in innovative ways. If you have a culture of fun, interview with questions that pull answers from the candidate about what fun means to them. Some open ended interview questions that get into the heart of culture could include:
- Name 3-5 of your own personal values
- What is your ideal work place environment?
- Can you offer an example of a time you had to demonstrate [company value]?
Train on your company core values, including how those values look within the workplace and how they are supported. Overall, hiring an employee who will be a good cultural fit is a win-win situation.
As a premier staffing agency in Denver, AimHire looks to pair the right candidates with the right employers for mutual success. Learn how we help companies hire top talent. If you are looking for a candidate who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, as well as the right cultural fit for your organization, contact us to request a client meeting.
