Employee engagement is a hot topic and it’s no secret companies are dedicating a lot of resources to gauge their employee’s commitment as well as create programs to increase engagement. With all the emerging research on this topic, there is an emphasis to hire employees who are highly engaged and ultimately bolster your company culture. Traditionally, hiring focuses on what an applicant can do and how their skills match a defined job description, but when an applicant’s personality also fits with a company’s culture, the candidate will be more likely to succeed and be retained longer-term in the company. The Society of Human Resources Management reports, “ill-fitting hires and subsequent rapid departures cost approximately 50 percent to 150 percent of the position's annual salary. Unfortunately, nearly one in three newly hired employees' leaves voluntarily or involuntarily within a year of hiring, and this number has been increasing steadily in recent years.” It’s hard to argue that hiring highly motivated employees that will be engaged in your workplace will bolster your company culture, but it can feel overwhelming for leaders to understand how you screen for this.

What is Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement does not mean employee happiness or satisfaction.

Employee engagement has everything to do with commitment. An engaged employee believes in the overall purpose of an organization and is committed to their goals that contribute to the company’s overall mission. Simply said, employee engagement means employees that care.

I had the pleasure of witnessing a highly engaged employee in the parking lot of his company’s facility. The employee’s shift had just ended. He was walking to his car and noticed a garbage bin in the parking lot was overflowing. He turned around, went back into the facility, and came out with a new bag and changed out the trash. He did all of this after he had clocked out, not knowing anyone was watching him. He cared.

Let’s dive into how we can attract more of these types of employees to our organizations.

Hearing From the Applicant

To really get to know someone, keep quiet.

The concept of active listening is simple: Try to listen 70% of the time and speak 30% of the time (Forbes). Allow an applicant to tell you what is important to them. Hearing who they are in their own words will help you assess if they will be a cultural fit in your organization. It’s important to ask questions to gauge cultural fit early in the interview process so an applicant can be honest regarding what they’re looking for. Major employment website Indeed suggests questions and prompts such as:

1. Describe the environment in which you work best.

2. Describe your ideal leader.

3. Why do you want to work for us?

4. Do you prefer to work alone or on a team?

5. How would your co-workers describe you?

6. How do you handle stress?

The above questions and other cultural fit questions can elicit comments that pertain to your organization’s values or lead a candidate to be forthcoming about what will work for them. The hiring team can gauge cultural fit and be honest if an answer the applicant gave may not fit in the current company culture.

Defining Company Culture in Your Own Way 

Beyond the marketing and branding materials, what does the applicant need to know?

An applicant will be drawn to an organization if they feel a connection with the mission and values on a company’s website, social media pages, job descriptions, and other communication mediums; however, it’s the hiring teams job to convey how the culture actually plays out and what the applicant needs to know … the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hiding something from the applicant or not being honest about the tough parts of the job may get an applicant to accept the job, but their long-term retention is at risk and more importantly, they are highly likely to become disengaged.

There are many types of organizational cultures. Most commonly, organizational culture is defined by four different types. Sepideh Moussavi via Linkedin defines these four types:

1. Clan oriented cultures are family-like, with a focus on mentoring, nurturing, and “doing things together.”

2. Adhocracy oriented cultures are dynamic and entrepreneurial, with a focus on risk-taking, innovation, and “doing things first.”

3. Market oriented cultures are results oriented, with a focus on competition, achievement, and “getting the job done.”

4. Hierarchy oriented cultures are structured and controlled, with a focus on efficiency, stability, and “doing things right.”

The above cultures all have their pros and cons. For example, a candidate drawn to a company that boosts a clan culture may love the company marketing materials about being a big family, but not realize that most employees on the team work mainly in the office versus a hybrid/remote work set-up. It would be imperative for the hiring team to ensure they’re asking the appropriate questions to ensure the applicant is okay working in the office.

Another example: a highly creative applicant may be drawn to marketing materials that promote the entrepreneurial aspects of the adhocracy culture; however, the hiring team should be honest if there are long hours involved to get to such innovation. Giving a realistic job preview will help an applicant understand what success would look like and understand how they would be expected to contribute. Authenticity may feel odd especially if you’re informing an applicant on the “not so great” parts of the job, but being honest will help you find an applicant that is all in and engaged.

There is not an exact formula to hiring for cultural fit. However, actively listening to hear what the candidate is really looking for and being honest about the organization you’re a part of are great starts to ensuring a cultural match and an engaged workforce.

What’s Next?

Are you a leader faced with complicated decisions on a daily basis? Engaging the support of our experienced and certified career coaches for one-to-one coaching will allow you to achieve career success through regular action and goals. Reach out to the experts at The Wilbanks Consulting Group. You can schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your individual needs and challenges. We are happy to help you navigate the complexities of building and leading an engaged team.