We all have that one job that we remember for a long time. While it could be due to the exposure we got or the friends we made, it most likely had something to do with the company culture that existed at the time. Considering the cultural fit has always been relevant in regular hiring practices. But, cultural fit in executive hiring is even more important. Continue reading to know why.
What Is a Cultural Fit?
From casual to professional interactions, everything is determined by a company’s culture. Furthermore, employees who have a strong cultural fit are happier and more productive than those who don’t.
While most candidates try to find executive jobs with benefits, many more candidates look for jobs in organizations with a strong culture. And so, a “cultural fit” is the practice of screening candidates to determine the type of cultural impact they might have on a company.
The best C-level recruiting companies in NY determine this by matching the beliefs, values, and behaviors of potential candidates with those of a company. After all, the process of recruitment isn’t just limited to posting jobs online.
Why Is it Important to Determine the Cultural Fit?
Job descriptions are hardly enough to communicate what a company truly wants. While they focus on the required skills and experience for a job, they don’t show you the unique context of an organization. They don’t give you an insight into the way things are done in a company. Even if two companies engage in the same business, they will have very different ways of delivering results.
Different factors make different businesses successful in their own capacity. A company’s culture is certainly at the forefront of these factors. In a nutshell, businesses also have personalities, and the key to succeeding is blending well with a particular business’s personality.
In a nutshell, cultural fit is the key to productivity, performance, and engagement. Employees who identify with their organizations are happier and more committed.
Why Is Cultural Fit in Executive Hiring So Important?
People in executive positions hold the power to influence the entire workforce of a company. Without cultural fit, they will hardly be able to help the company accomplish its goals. But that isn’t it. Cultural fit in executive hiring also reinforces the following values:
Collaboration and Communication
Executives with a strong cultural fit ensure reinforcing open communication and a collaborative working environment. Since their own values align well with the company’s values, they’re also able to reflect them through their own actions. As a result, employees find it easier to communicate at work.
Greater Morale
Unhappy executives, due to the wrong cultural fit, can drag the workforce down with them. This harms employee morale in many ways. Consequently, the lack of support in your business adds to your workload.
When these ill-conceived matches finally end, they cost your company an estimated 50 to 150% of the annual salary, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. All this could be avoided by hiring an executive with the right cultural fit.
A Positive Brand Image
Your executives are your biggest ambassadors for customers as well as potential new hires. Imagine having employees who rave about working at your company and bring in all the business. Brand equity majorly drives a company’s client retention and revenue, and your executives serve as your key brand stewards.
According to a survey by a Columbian Business School, 90% of participants (CFOs and CEOS from North America) believed that financial success is strongly linked to a company’s culture. In a way, your culture is a form of currency measured in terms of your company’s brand image. This is how considering cultural fit in executive hiring pays you back.
How to Implement Culture Fit When Hiring
Some of the best ways to implement culture fit into the hiring process are:
- Defining company values
- Communicating those values
- Fostering an inclusive work environment
- Involving other members in the hiring process
Go Beyond Traditional Interviewing Techniques
Traditional interview tactics are hardly adequate when evaluating cultural fit. Such questions only bring out rehearsed answers from candidates. Implementing behavioral interviewing techniques will give you a better insight into a candidate’s true values.
Ask more open-ended and detailed questions. For instance, if you’re looking for a flexible candidate, ask them to describe their experience of working in a challenging and unfamiliar environment. Ask questions about the steps they took to succeed and how they dealt with difficult situations.
Similarly, if you’re looking for someone with strong communication skills, ask them to describe an experience of conveying difficult information to a client. Also, focus on their interaction with others during the interview process. Their responses will help you gauge their communication style and how well they share information.
The best New York City Executive Search Firm suggest focusing on more than someone’s prior experience and skill set when hiring for a role. Hard skills are important, but they cannot overtake cultural fit. Those who are stronger in the latter can easily transition to your specific procedures over time.
Hiring an executive with the right cultural fit can be daunting. And so, looking for the best C-level Recruiting Companies In NY is your best bet. As a leading C-level search firm in New York, CCY has assisted various industries in their endeavors to look for cultural fit in executive hiring.
Cochran, Cochran & Yale combines 40 years of experience and recruitment perspective with real-time market intelligence to get you what you desire in an executive. We have the skills, resources, and knowledge to recruit, screen, and hire top talent for you. For more details, contact CCY today.