Culture + Hiring
Think of it as matchmaking people to company culture
Many companies focus hiring on an individual’s skills, experience, and ability with little to no regard to cultural fit. Why? A lot of business leaders think of culture as “soft stuff” or things that cannot easily be measured. But culture can be measured. It can also be discussed, defined, outlined, and written. I would also argue there is nothing “soft” about defining who you are and what is important to you, and making sure you hire people to help you achieve what you want. Companies who focus on culture create a competitive advantage. Let’s take at look at Netflix as an example.
In 2009 Netflix put out its “Culture Deck,” a 125 slide deck that outlined what it believes, what it supports, and the kind of person who is successful working there. The deck was widely viewed and heralded as a must-read for tech companies in Silicone Valley.
One of Netflix’s values is called the Keeper Test for Managers: “Which of my people, if they told me they were leaving, for a similar job at a peer company, would I fight hard to keep at Netflix?” This slide shares that anyone who doesn’t fit this description should be offered a severance package to open up a slot for a star. This kind of cultural value would highly motivate some people and completely turn off others. But that is the point. If this kind of value does not fit what you want in an employer, it would be incredibly helpful to know that BEFORE you accepted a job.
Cultures are neither good nor bad. But every company has to decide what kind of culture, values, and performance metrics it needs to compete successfully. Have you taken time at your company to think about what makes you unique, how you treat clients, ways you support your people internally, and how you contribute to your communities and to the world. Are you leading by purpose, and a vision so compelling that the right people are drawn to you, and want to be part of what you are doing?
How do you start this conversation at your workplace? A lot of companies do not have internal resources to focus on culture. A good place to start is with identifying values and performance metrics that are critical for your business. I have worked with many companies helping them start with a conversation, build their own culture deck, and make sure they hire people who are a “fit” with those values and performance.
Building a culture deck is fun, and a great basis for developing a strategic plan in addition to hiring people who will naturally, energetically and gratefully help you achieve your business goals. Hiring does not have to be a shot in the dark. You can achieve a greater success rate by knowing your culture and hiring the best fits.
