How do you define ‘company culture’?

Many of us have come across a number of organisations lately who are not sure how to present their culture, or indeed if they are sure what their culture even is or what they are aiming for it to be.

66 per cent of candidates consider company culture to be the most important factor when applying for a role, along with remote work and professional development.

With the number of job vacancies hitting a fresh record of 1,318,000 this month, up by 105,000 from last quarter, according to the Office for National Statistics, UK unfilled vacancies mean that jobseekers are calling the shots.

So, what do we mean by company culture and what can employers do to promote/clearly communicate theirs to future talent?

Company culture

Company culture is defined as a shared set of values, goals, beliefs and attitudes that are supported by strategy and structure. It is established by leaders and communicated down to staff. It encompasses every aspect of a company’s life – from hiring practices to offboarding. That’s then technical description of company culture, but what does this actually look like in practice?

For employees, this means knowing, sharing and understanding the company’s mission, its leadership style, ethics, expectations and work environment. This impacts the way they feel about the work they do within the company, how hard they work, and how long they remain with the company.

Indeed, a survey showed that job turnover at an organisation with a strong company culture is only 13.9 percent. ,What is more, they also boast a 72 per cent higher employee engagement than those with weaker or badly defined ones.

With this said, how can employers promote their specific company culture to future talent?

Promoting your own culture

Many companies are today building their culture around the employee experience – so now is the time to think about how this translates for your company. When looking to recruit, think of your job ad.

Whilst it should include the right job title as well as salary and key benefits (although perks and benefits don’t showcase your culture, they show you value and reward your talent’s hard work), these are all what we call ‘hygiene factors’. You can distinguish yourself by talking about what makes your company unique.

Attractive companies with strong cultures can prove they offer flexibility, inclusiveness and transparency, equality, philanthropy, and culture. Is your company a green-certified company? What are you doing to help your staff advance in their careers? Do you have a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion committee in place? Did you recently receive an employee award? Do you have a charity of the year?

Talent will scour your website to try and get a feel for who you are as a company, so choose your words carefully. Terms such as “sociable” and “supportive” show that you operate a friendly and nurturing environment whilst words such as “group-focused”, “driven” and “stimulating” show that your company values collaboration and engagement.

If you are looking to create a desirable company culture that employees value, or need help with promoting it to attract talent, contact us today.