Talent is the magic that makes a business work. A loyal employee will move heaven and earth to make sure that everything they do is unmatched, both in quality and timeliness. To attract such talent:
Examine your “why” and weave it into your culture. Simon Sinek gave a talk several years ago regarding the “Why” and how that can create leaders. The “Why” is defined as the reason a person goes into business — the paramount desire that drives the business owner to spend their own money and invest all of their time into a concept. Many businesses tend to focus on the bare essentials to be the best at customer service, drive business and succeed, but these narrow goals do nothing to reflect the company’s culture.
Be clear about what you stand for with regard to your priorities, values, and principles. Take the Orange Culture of ExactTarget. It defines its goals and principles and demonstrates how it truly follows its culture throughout the year. Each faucet of Orange embodies a specific quality and standard which is reflected in work of Exact Target. This work adds to the existing culture and attracts those who share the same values and work ethic.
Campaign for culture. You have to talk about your brand and your culture, which will train you to demonstrate it in your daily business and help develop your employees to do so as well. However, that still leaves the public opinion to manage. If you already have someone on your payroll who handles your marketing strategies on social media and other outlets, task this individual with drafting a proposal to demonstrate your culture, show what you stand for, and develop an adequate campaign to continually reinforce your brand.
Innovate. You must demonstrate that as a company you are constantly evolving. This should be reflected in your portfolio, your team pages, your social media strategies, and your hiring practices. There should be more than just product improvements, the occasional social party, and the latest customer endorsements. You should demonstrate the better business models, examples of customer service, process changes, and development that culminate in your company’s winning culture. If your mission is easy to communicate and your goals are attainable, you should be able to seamlessly incorporate culture in all your company does, both for its employees and customers.
Prove what you stand for. Twice a year, SmallBox, a web development company in Indianapolis, promotes Factory Week. The event is is a week of innovation during which SmallBox and its employees grind out a series of items on a to-do list. Some of these tasks are as simple as refreshing an office space and others are designed to improve process, direction, and strategy. SmallBox also offers community grants to promote ‘niceness’ in the city of Indianapolis. Show your mission, your value proposition,in your branding campaigns.
When you think about companies with excellent employee culture, you probably think of names like Google and Apple. These companies have world-class culture and aren’t afraid to show the world their playbook. Define yourself, measure what you accomplish, and share your growth.