Judy’s Insights: Company Culture
All of our clients are focused on the importance of company culture lately. It's not about having a ping-pong table in the office or casual Fridays anymore.
True company culture is rooted in values, behaviors, and how employees treat each other and customers every day. Yet many CEOS and executive leaders have a hard time describing their company culture to potential employees.
Here are some ideas to think about when describing your company culture during an interview process:
Give Examples: Don’t just state your company’s core values because nobody knows what they mean! State the core value and then give an example. I was recently in a client meeting with five members of an executive leadership team. When I asked them to describe their company’s culture they stated their core values and said they are incredibly important. One of their core values is “Bloom where you are planted”. OK, but what does that mean? I got one executive that gave me a really good example of exactly what that meant and it was powerful. Give examples of your core values that happen in your company and candidates will understand who you really are as an organization.
Master the Pitch: Most leaders don’t have a strong answer to - describe your company culture. Well, it’s just like pitching your product. Get your elevator pitch down, practice it, know it. Strong delivery is key and this will leave a powerful impression on a candidate. Most companies can’t do this and it will make you stand-out.
Work-life Balance: Everyone wants to hear about work-life balance. The best input I got from a client recently was from a CEO and she does not promote work-life balance because she promotes balance. Her view is that work is so integrated into every professional’s life that she does not want her team to strive for work-life balance, but to strive for overall balance in life. I love that point of view for technology companies.
Strong company culture can be a powerful differentiator in attracting and retaining top talent. It's the invisible force that guides decision-making and drives employee engagement.