Why Company Culture is so Important for Attracting Talent
On top of competitive pay, employee benefits, and team size, more and more employees are searching for a company with great culture. Workers are beginning to look for jobs that not only meet their financial requirements but also create an engaging workplace environment. Modern businesses are drawing in talent by going the extra mile and creating a positive and creative company culture.
Companies in competitive industries are beginning to recognize and prioritize the importance of workforce culture by founding values focused on encouragement, pushing employee-centric programs, or making sure that an employee’s personality is just as important as their skillset. Focusing on the culture and personality of a business can not only attract talented employees, but it can also ensure that they stick around.
It’s no different in a gig economy. While a gig economy has the unique aspect of short-term work, the need for talent is still a priority. A strong company voice and culture may be the difference between a talented employee choosing to work for your business versus pursuing another opportunity. This means that small aspects like team bonding, company lunches, or after-hour events can set your business apart from your competitors when short-term employees are considering their choices.
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What is Company Culture?
When people talk about company culture, many think of the free food offered to Google employees, the arcade games at Facebook, or another Fortune 500 company with a radical approach to employee happiness. However, company culture often starts with a business taking smaller actions with employee satisfaction in mind.
Company culture often starts by creating a dynamic workplace of people and physical components, like where people work and the technology they have. It’s not a task to check off, but rather a constant commitment to facilitate a workplace where people want to be there and feel respected by their peers and management.
“It can appear daunting at first,” says Hisham Khaki, owner and founder of HapiGig, “but by taking small steps to cultivate the culture your company wants, however small, you could start attracting the kind of dedicated and hardworking talent you are looking for.”
How Can I Improve Company Culture?
A company culture requires involvement from all parts of a business — from the top to the bottom. Having conversations with various employees about what the company’s purpose is, why that business is a worthy employer, and what traits are valued within that particular company can help you set the foundations for a solid company culture. With time, a successful culture can be cultivated with these building blocks.
Another way to jumpstart your workforce culture is to involve your company values in the hiring process. This can help ensure that your team is full of quality hires from the beginning. Quality hires not only help generate the personality of your business, but also the quality of the goods you produce. People who work well together and embody company values can have a pronounced effect on what you are able to deliver in the end.
In a perfect situation, your company culture will transcend departments and positions. It will have an influence on things like staffing, budgets, and the structure of the office. However, to do this, a business must make sure to back their culture with action.
Company culture requires active design, and by making it a priority in all aspects of your company, it can become solidified and instilled in anything that you and your workforce do.
Why it Matters for Your Business
More and more often, those seeking employment are considering how happy a company’s workforce is and the values it holds itself to. With an increase in the number of businesses focusing on creating a good company culture in addition to providing standard benefits and employee interests, it’s best to start building your company culture before it becomes too late.
“People notice how happy their coworkers are and how management treats them,” says Khaki. “By setting values for a company and establishing solid relationships throughout a business, you can help ensure that your framework makes everyone happy. You get talented employees, happy management, and a quality product. What’s not to love about that?”
While it may take a while to see the direct results of a well-founded company culture, it’s never too late to start the journey. Small steps, like creating values to adhere to as a business, developing team-building events, or something as simple as asking for employee feedback on what can improve your business environment, can help you institute a culture that will attract the talent you want within your company.
Author: Iqra Naveed
