At the start of my career, I was in advertising. To be more specific, I worked in the field of branding. Now for those a little less familiar with branding, it's essentially the practice of shaping people's perception of a company. Your goal is to have them quickly recall, relate, and understand the business. And if you're good, you'll get people to associate several key words or ideas with your company (Google = Innovative. Zappos = Customer Service. Fulfillingly = Prosperity. Etc).
Now if you're bad or don't attempt to brand your business, people will still relate certain feelings or adjectives with your company - They just won't necessarily be the same across the board and it won't be in your control. The brand still exists, regardless of action. And this truth, leads me right into company culture. You see, whether you dedicate the time needed to properly develop your culture or not, it's going to be there. You can either control it or pray for the best.
I believe it's tremendously valuable to take this task on and the statistics agree. According to Professor James L. Heskett of Harvard University, culture "can account for 20-30% of the differential in corporate performance when compared with ‘culturally unremarkable’ competitors." Beyond boosting the performance of existing employees, it does wonders for your hiring program. Just look at this list of advantages...
Now to get these benefits, you have to have the right systems in place. And to put the right systems in place, you have to properly define your culture. The reality is, your culture is the foundation to everything (thriving business, healthy hiring practices, happy employees). In order to define your company culture, you have to understand 3 key areas:
You take the time to understand these 3 areas, and put in the effort to hire around these concepts - you're going to have a strong, unified culture.
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Article By: Tom Kieley
Now if you're bad or don't attempt to brand your business, people will still relate certain feelings or adjectives with your company - They just won't necessarily be the same across the board and it won't be in your control. The brand still exists, regardless of action. And this truth, leads me right into company culture. You see, whether you dedicate the time needed to properly develop your culture or not, it's going to be there. You can either control it or pray for the best.
The Benefits of Defining Your Culture
I believe it's tremendously valuable to take this task on and the statistics agree. According to Professor James L. Heskett of Harvard University, culture "can account for 20-30% of the differential in corporate performance when compared with ‘culturally unremarkable’ competitors." Beyond boosting the performance of existing employees, it does wonders for your hiring program. Just look at this list of advantages...
- Recruiting Tool - Builds a reputation among people with similar values.
- Time and Money Saver - Quickly decide if a candidate is going to be a fit before they're hired.
- Competitive Advantage - Allows your company to differentiate and standout from similar businesses.
- Attracting Candidates - Creates a deeper connection with more qualified candidates by advertising opportunities with a mix of values and responsibilities.
Now to get these benefits, you have to have the right systems in place. And to put the right systems in place, you have to properly define your culture. The reality is, your culture is the foundation to everything (thriving business, healthy hiring practices, happy employees). In order to define your company culture, you have to understand 3 key areas:
-
Boss's Belief System
General Employee Ethos
Business Operations
You take the time to understand these 3 areas, and put in the effort to hire around these concepts - you're going to have a strong, unified culture.
About the Author
Tom is the creator of Fulfillingly. He absolutely enjoys giving people the tips and tools they need to find a satisfying career or dependable employee. Tom does this by combining years of experience with incredible outside sources.
Tom is the creator of Fulfillingly. He absolutely enjoys giving people the tips and tools they need to find a satisfying career or dependable employee. Tom does this by combining years of experience with incredible outside sources.
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