Whether you have noticed it or not, your company has its own corporate culture . The simplest definition of corporate culture may be the environment or atmosphere that people feel in the workplace, but in reality the concept also includes your vision and your goals.
When you are defining your corporate culture, consider the following:
What is the mission of your company?
Defining your corporate culture means knowing what your company is working for and all employees should be aligned on how to reach them. If you have placed fundamental corporate values, all that is done and the methodology applied must be in line with these values.
What are the criteria behind the promotions?
Do you promote people for their leadership skills or reward years of service and experience? Regardless of your motivation, candidates will get an idea of what qualities are rewarded and these should be part of the corporate culture .
What types of customers do you attract?
One way to find out what image of your company is to evaluate what types of customers you are attracting and what types of relationships you have established with them. Customers will probably be similar to you.
What do your employees say about your company?
If they speak ill of their workplace it means that something is going wrong. Either they need to adapt and develop their work methodology or you have to make changes that make the workplace in line with the corporate culture they share.
How do you manage a team?
Normally there is a connection between how a team is managed and how the team perceives its organization. Encouraging discussion with your teams will probably produce a more relaxed atmosphere.
You will almost certainly find that the happiest and most productive employees are similar people, or people with values that coincide with the corporate culture .
It is important to remember that when you do an interview you are not simply choosing a candidate; employees must also choose you. If they fail to see a future within your company they will decline your job offer. But, how do candidates understand if they would like to work for you or if they would be able to grow and improve if they have no idea what your corporate culture is ?
If you need more advice to attract candidates, look at our article on employer branding, a subject very close to corporate culture ; or, if you need suggestions regarding the hiring process, contact the nearest Page Personnel office.