DEFINING A UNIQUE CULTURE

When people say they have a `culture,' it's a nebulous thing. Even though it is hard to do, defining the organization’s unique culture in some way makes it possible to hire people that ‘fit’ that unique culture.

Unfortunately, many organizations can't adequately define their cultures and so miss out on employing people who easily integrate themselves with “the way we do things.”

Finding the correct balance between shared values and different points of view can be challenging. It requires a clear understanding of the organization's values and agreement on those values. It also requires that those values are exemplified and used as standards of behaviour at every stage of the hiring process -from recruitment and hiring, to training, to promotion and termination decisions. It's not an easy task.

Hiring based on shared values is great -as long as the values are apparent to everyone in the company. Unfortunately, many companies either cannot articulate their values or confuse them with their goals and objectives.

Goals are defined as what the organization intends to do and values provide the guidelines for getting there in a moral and ethical manner. Values are absolutely critical to success, but most companies don't know what those values are. They're more intent on where they're going, not on how they're going to get there.

Organizations that fail to identify their core values are bound to keep missing the mark with every new hire. Hiring employees that are a poor ‘fit’ with the culture is a certain prescription for turnover and performance problems.

Careful Use of Culture

Having a clear sense of one’s own corporate culture enables the organization to screen potential employees against it. However, it is important to ensure that the recruiters understand the difference between trying to hire someone that meets professional and cultural needs and hiring based on stereotypes and first impressions.

Putting together a workforce that is too similar may lead to a tendency to repeat the familiar and not hire people who will stir things up and make change possible. If the corporate culture is dysfunctional, the corporation will inevitably hire dysfunctional people. If the company is managed through intimidation, it will only hire either people who are submissive, or people are bullies themselves.

In using culture and values in hiring, what one is really trying to do is ensure that recruiting mistakes are minimized and workforce effectiveness is increased. This is done by getting people who think about things in a different and sometimes more creative way and who hold similar values as the organization.

Skills vs. Fit

Hiring for the right skills is still very important to the success of an organization. If you don’t have the right skills, then no amount of cultural ‘fit’ will help you succeed. If you can identify the skills that successful employees will need to bring to your workplace every day then you will be able to build a strong skills-based company. Adding the cultural ‘fit’ side of the equation is the icing on the cake.

The Right Balance

Hiring for fit requires a fine balancing act. You have to obtain the best skills and competencies you can find while at the same time finding the right fit with your culture. Hiring for culture and values fit ensures that the prospective employee shares the same attitude and orientation as your organization. Value and culturally driven organizations work hard to protect and enhance their unique culture. It is only sensible to try to find people who will help you move the culture forward.

Finally, the balancing of diverse viewpoints with the common culture is just trying to get everyone on the same page while allowing for different perceptions. Holding fast to the core values while hiring great skills and creating a climate where diversity of opinion and ideas is truly a winning combination.