Company culture is a term you constantly hear thrown around these days. So much so, that it can feel a little diluted at times. But the fact of the matter is that company culture is incredibly important and impacts a multitude of different aspects of your business. 

Some are more obvious like philosophy, mission, and overall management style. But some areas are more subtle, with recruiting being a prime example. In this post, I’ll explain why having a fully developed company culture is vital in our current recruiting landscape and offer strategies on how to go about doing so. 

A Fascinating Data Point

In G2’s list of 62 recruitment statistics, they provided some interesting data regarding company culture and recruiting that caught my eye. The main stat I want to point out was that “73% of job seekers won’t apply to a company unless that company’s values align with their own.”

In other words, nearly three out of four prospective salespeople will pass on your company if you’re not on the same page in terms of company culture. And it’s understandable. Given the high level of competition there is and the current talent shortages, it’s a candidate’s market — not a recruiter’s. 

With so many options available for elite candidates, most don’t want to work for a company that’s not a cultural fit. And I can’t say I blame them. It’s like trying to force a square peg in a round hole, and savvy candidates know that friction will likely arise if they work for the wrong company. That’s why they’re so selective about who they apply with.  

Further Compelling Data

But there’s more. G2 also notes that “93% of employees mention company culture in reviews on Glassdoor, indicating just how important it is to them.” This illustrates even further how big of a deal company culture is, as it’s one of the most commonly discussed areas when employees leave reviews. 

Beyond that, data suggests that company culture is especially big with younger candidates. In fact, “65% of millennials value company culture compared to 52% of people 45 and older.” So, if you’re specifically targeting the younger demographic with your sales recruiting, this will especially be of interest to you. As more baby boomers and Gen Xers phase out of the workplace, having a fully developed company culture will become even more important for winning over top young talent.  

Now What?

At this point, we’ve established just how important company culture is from a recruiting standpoint. But what exactly does this mean you should do about it?

It’s simple. Take the time to completely develop your culture if you haven’t done so already. While there is a myriad of factors that contribute to culture, this graph highlights the core hard and soft elements. 

Hard elements include:

• Strategy where you determine your game plan for addressing current and future challenges
• Structure where you decide how work is divided, which teams handle which tasks, and how different teams communicate and collaborate with one another
• Systems that make up both formal and informal processes

Soft elements include:

• Values and philosophy which include norms and overall management style 
• Staff which includes employee development, how you go about giving feedback and accepting input, and how you evaluate employee performance
• Skills which are the core competencies that make your company strong and stand out from the competition
• Shared values which are the set of beliefs your business prescribes to 

Like most companies, these are all things you’ve likely given some thought to. However, you may not have given each element the level of attention it truly deserves. Following this template is a good starting point and should ensure you cover all the bases. 

Beyond that, I suggest looking at a couple of guides that really go into great detail on creating a company culture and optimizing it. The Company Culture Code Template from HubSpot is one I highly recommend. It walks you through the process step-by-step and offers an actionable game plan for getting the absolute most from your company culture. Note that you have to sign up to HubSpot’s email list to access it, but it’s completely free. 

The other resource is A Guide to Organizational Culture by Gallup. Here’s what it covers. 

This guide has an easy-to-follow format that helps you better understand company culture, fix minor issues before they become major problems, and ultimately build your ideal culture. 

Attracting More High Caliber Job Seekers

Most businesses know that company culture is important from a general operations standpoint. But I don’t think everyone fully understands the connection between culture and recruiting. 

With nearly three-quarters of job seekers saying they won’t apply with a company if it’s not a good cultural fit, this shows firsthand how essential it is to 1) properly develop your culture and 2) refine it so you’re a top contender in your industry. Doing so should give your company a significant recruiting edge and help you stand out in today’s saturated market. 

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