Hire for the company culture, not the job

Mo datoo
Mo Datoo Oct 04, 2016 • 4 min read
Shipping Company

Look around the office. What does it say about your company culture? Are employees dressed to the nines or do they cruise into work in washed-out jeans? Do managers (you?) spend all day in their corner offices or are their desks placed right in the middle of things?

Company culture matters when you search for new hires. In our new ebook, “How to keep up with a growing business,” we explain why hiring for the culture rather than the job alone can help you achieve greater employee retention, increased profits, and organizational growth.

First of all, define your company culture. If you’re the sole proprietor, your business is still shaped by your values, norms, assumptions, beliefs, and habits. Do you want someone who matches your beliefs or who can challenge your thought process? With a small business, your new hire will determine which direction your company's environment takes.

If you, on the other hand, are in charge of a larger organization, you have – whether you’re aware of it or not – an established company culture. Count on an outside observer to quickly spot the characteristics of what makes your company tick:

  • Suits, jeans, or somewhere in between? The way people dress says a lot about what kind of company you are. While suits typically signal a more hierarchical structure with formal means of communication, a workplace that features jeans and flip-flops is likely to be informal in other areas as well. Your hiring process should reflect that reality. 
  • Cubicles or open office landscape? The design of the office also speaks volumes about the culture of your organization. Few walls between management and staff usually means the company favors a free flow of information. In other words, it may not be the most ideal environment for a social recluse.

Once you have identified what the culture of your company should be all about, get to work on the job ad. Write a job posting that lists not only the skills that the new employee will need, but also the traits that the position requires. In addition to X years of experience, you could include characteristics that match your company culture such as innovative and customer-centric.

To learn more about how to find that ideal employee and manage your growing company, download our ebook.

eShipper is also your go-to resource for anything shipping. Click here to learn more about us or contact us for more information.

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