Hiring and Retaining Top Talent Blog

It might mean the company has to change its culture.
Candidates today are not only seeking compensation in the form of money, but also are interested in non-monetary rewards. Companies are constantly asking us”How do we know they will fit in our culture?” Candidates are always saying “I want to leave my company because of the culture.” These may seem at odds and in some cases they will be.We find companies that adapt their culture to the current trends attract the best candidates. With candidates so hard to find, companies need to take a look at their culture and possibly update it or change it. This is not uncommon. 10 years ago most people wore suits to work, today just about every company is casual. That was a big change for many companies, however, to attract people companies had to change.

There are many things companies can do to create a culture of performance and at the same time attract the new people entering the workforce. A major airline discovered this when they completely changed how they handled reservations. The common wisdom was that all customer service reps had to be in one building, all on computers with headsets taking reservations. They changed the way the whole industry worked, by finding a way for people to work out of their home. They put computers in the homes of the customer service reps and they all worked part time from home. That meant you could be sitting at home in your pajamas and taking a reservation. What a new concept that broke the mold. This was a major shift in thinking. Some might say it was thinking outside the box.

You may have to do the same thing. Don’t start from a point of view of “no” that won’t work in our company. Instead start from a point of view of “will it work and benefit our employees.” This type of thinking will create a change in culture that attracts people. Some examples might be:

• Flex hours - so driving time misses traffic.

• Working from home one day a week. It is good for the environment and often work can be done from home. Remember the airline.

• Allowing time for those that serve on non-profit boards or professional associations. If they are really top talent they will still get the job done. This is great for the company as a way to find more people thru networking.

• Pick up the cost of a gym membership for employees. For many people exercise is important, the $20 a month is cheap for great talent.

Talk to your people. Identify what their needs and wants are. If your current employees value these things, so will those seeking new employment.

Don’t be afraid to change your culture to the current trend. The ROI could well out weigh the change.

Tell us about your culture. Does your company do things different to attract people? What changes would you like to see in a company’s culture?

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