As we head into the end of the year, your organization may be looking at org structure and open head counts and considering making some hires. We asked our friends at Accountants One for their insight. Accountants One is an accounting and financial professional staffing agency with over 200 years of experience based in Atlanta.
a guest blog post by Dan Erling
CPC President and CEO, Accountants One
The Impact of Corporate Culture in Your Hiring Process
You’ve found a terrific potential new hire for a key role within your company. Their skill set checks all the boxes required for the role you’re eager to fill. But before you consider adding anyone to the team, the most critical component of any great hire must be considered —company culture.
A great hire is not just talent that fulfills the job description. A great hire is 75% culture and 25% technical skills.That’s because hiring a person who mirrors your company’s culture is more apt to be a long-term, happy, and contributing performer. After all, you can train technical skills, but you can’t teach a person to fit into an organization.
A great hire is 75% culture and 25% technical skills.
But how can you tell if someone fits your company’s culture during the hiring process? It’s a tricky nuance. You can lay the groundwork to better understand how a candidate fits into your business, and that begins by having a clear understanding of your company’s culture.
Clarifying Corporate Culture
Corporate culture isn’t demographics. You aren’t seeking people who look like you, or even necessarily think like you, as diversity of thought fuels growth and challenges the way things get done. Culture is best defined in two ways: first, culture is a shared covenant of values and qualities that make up the ethos of an organization. Secondly, culture is the way a team performs — how we work.
Values
More than ever, companies are espousing their values, through their branding, but even more subtlety, through their organizational behavior. People want to know what you stand for, how you treat your employees, how you treat the environment, and maybe even your stand on social issues. So, one should expect a prospective candidate to have at least a nominal understanding of your company values.
How You Work
For a new employee to “fit in”, it’s important that they are attuned to the most important behaviors that make up your Organizational Culture. These are the things you need to get a sense of. Remember, job skills can be enhanced, or even taught, but attempting to change how someone approaches culture is akin to trying to change the weather.
Beyond Interviewing
Have a candid conversation with them in a follow-up interview that is focused solely on culture. Allow them to interview with other team members and get a sense of how they adapt to different personalities. And always remember that diversity of background and thought are good things. Don’t mistake “culture” for homogeny.
….you can train technical skills, but you can’t teach a person to fit into an organization.
Finding the Right Fit
Your end goal is to hire the most qualified candidates whose attributes and character best reflect those of your company’s. Focus on core values as much as you do an interviewee’s skills, education, and experience, and you’re likely to find someone who will thrive in their role, and help your business thrive in the process.