Showcase your company culture to candidates

The past year may have been a case of ‘batten down the hatches’ for many employees as the world weathered the Covid-19 storm but now, as we emerge out the other side, it’s clear that the pandemic has had a significant and lasting impact on employee expectations and motivations.

With a report by Microsoft finding that over 40% of the global workforce is considering leaving their employer this year, businesses face an increasing war for talent.

Investing in people and treating them well will be critical to creating a strong culture and employer brand and business leaders must not underestimate the importance of communicating their values, purpose and culture to prospective candidates.  

While the hiring process has traditionally been looked at as a way for candidates to impress their prospective new boss, interviewees are increasingly looking for businesses to do the same. More than three quarters of candidates say the overall candidate experience indicates how a company values its people and with many businesses facing a talent exodus, getting this right this will be more important than ever.

First Impressions matter

Getting a feel for company culture starts long before a candidate even walks through the door. Most candidates will search online to find out about the business and what it stands for, be it through their website, social media, review sites or speaking to past and present employees.

All too often, we see leaders “talk the talk” with sweeping values and a mission statement, but it’s not enough to simply state those - employees want to see businesses practice what they preach.

If the business is committed to diversity and inclusion, what are they doing to make headway? Are there any specific initiatives they’re undertaking? Is there a culture of allyship? Similarly, if a business talks of the importance of learning and development, can they demonstrate how they achieve this? Are there examples of employees who have progressed through the business? If companies fail to “walk the walk” their words will ring hollow and inauthentic.

Candidates want to be able to feel and touch the company culture and a business’ website, social media and wider content should embody their core values through every aspect – from the layout to the language, the brand personality and culture should be clear to see.

Many businesses, particularly within the creative industry, can be guilty of putting all the focus on the work they do and the type of client they work with, but people are the lifeblood of any organization and a business’ greatest ambassador. Employee spotlights, video content capturing a day in the life of an employee, team events or volunteer days can be a great way to offer an honest glimpse into company life. 

Convey culture in interviews

Businesses should take the time to craft a detailed job advert that reflects the values and culture of the organization and not be afraid to show the working environment – is it informal? Fast-paced? Flexible? Do teams work closely together? What are the attributes that are most important to the business?

All communications, from job advert through to offer letter, should be reflective of the type of working environment that candidates can expect. It’s also key that businesses properly communicate the culture to recruitment consultants so that they have an understanding of the type of personality that will and won’t fit.

When it comes to the interview stage, hiring shouldn’t be left solely to the hiring manager or HR. Interviews provide candidates with a snapshot of the business so it’s important that interviewers are representative of the culture and make-up of the overall business. Creating a diverse hiring panel not only shows that the business is inclusive, which is a cultural must-have for many employees, and values the opinions of all its employees equally, but can make a huge difference in stamping out unconscious bias too.

Keep the culture coming

Once a business has made the decision who to hire, ongoing communication is paramount. From the language used in the offer letter through to an employee’s first day, it’s important that businesses create a sense of excitement, motivation and energy.

Managers should create the time and space to enable that person to really connect with the business. Can they be given the opportunity to meet their new colleagues in a relaxed and informal setting before they start? Are there any team events or outings that they can join? Are they able to get insight into projects or clients they’ll be working with and share ideas before they get started?

An employee’s first day should also set the tone for what’s to come – team managers need to make sure that there’s a plan in place, so the person knows what they’re doing and has the right level of support to make their first day experience a positive one.

In today’s world, employer brand has the power to make or break a business’ ability to attract new talent. Those who are passionate about building and communicating a strong culture truly aligned with their values will be the ones to stand out from the crowd.