Why Does Your Office Culture Matter to Job Prospects?
Posted September 13th, 2019
While a company’s culture has always been vital to an organization’s success, it has recently gained prominence as job seekers put increasing levels of emphasis on its value to them. In today’s tight labor market, your office culture can make a world of difference. By creating a positive one, you’ll have an easier time attracting top talent, even during periods of low unemployment.
Understanding why your office culture matters to job prospects can be valuable for any company. If you want to know why candidates are focusing so much on culture, here’s what you need to know.
Your Company’s Identity
An organization’s culture is part of its larger identity. Often, a company’s culture is seen as a demonstration of its actual values and priorities.
Candidates prefer employers with missions and values that they find meaningful on a personal level. When the perspectives of the company and employee align, the worker often views their role as more satisfying and engaging, even when they face challenges. It gives additional meaning to their work, providing an intrinsic reward for their efforts.
However, job seekers also understand that written mission and values statements may be superficial. As a result, they look to the company’s culture to see if its actions and choices genuinely align with the listed priorities. This makes your office culture incredibly important, as it needs to showcase a true commitment to objectives beyond profitability.
A Sense of Belonging
Professionals often thrive in environments where they feel like they belong. Your office culture includes various nuances about your physical workspace, organizational structure, and general attitude. What your workplace offers in these areas help candidates determine whether they would fit in and feel comfortable, so many consider it incredibly important when they are seeking out new opportunities.
For example, job seekers may seek out employers that use workspaces that align with their needs. Extroverts may prefer high-energy, open workspaces while introverts may prefer relaxing environments with private spaces for heads-down work.
While no workplace is going to be universally ideal for every job prospect (and that’s okay), it is crucial to understand that candidates do examine these points when determining whether to apply or accept a job offer. It’s just another reflection of the value they place on culture.
The Employee Experience
Another component of your office culture is the employee experience. This can include the amount of support you provide employees, whether you make the tools a professional needs to thrive available, as well as whether you offer chances to grow professionally and advance.
Many job prospects are looking for workplaces that will make them happy and employers who will assist them in achieving their goals. What you make available to your team plays a role in how the employee experience is perceived, including by job seekers. Since many professionals openly discuss their workplaces online, their experience acts as a reflection on your culture, and that influences how candidates view your company and any available opportunities.
Ultimately, while culture may be a bit of a buzzword today, that doesn’t mean it isn’t critical if you want to successfully recruit and retain top talent. If you’d like to learn more, the staff at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to discuss your questions with a member of our team today and see how our office culture expertise can benefit you.
