Every office is made up of a wide array of people of different ages, genders, backgrounds and all sorts of other variations. Diversity is widely welcomed these days, of course, but every successful firm with a clear idea of what it is about will need its whole workforce to buy into the ethos and culture that drives the enterprise onwards. Getting the right people for a particular firm may seem like a hit-and-miss process, with the application and interview system being far from foolproof in ensuring the right sort of people with the correct mindset and commitment are taken on.
However, the process need not be a human resources version of Russian roulette. There are a number of steps a company can take to ensure that its image and way of operating help influence the right sort of people to want to work for it. This means that the process of recruitment begins with image, not a job advert.
The image of a firm may depend on its size, of course, with larger companies attracting more publicity for all sorts of obvious reasons, from their larger customer bases to their larger workforces. Among other things, this means there will be more people around who have had direct dealings with a firm in the first place.
Such a consideration will apply less to a small firm, but there are many opportunities to make known what an organisation is about. One of them is to explain it in the job advertisement, particularly by making reference to the kind of people it likes to employ and the culture and ethos of the firm. This helps get the right candidates and can also aid in outlining how you like to invest in and develop people in the longer run, so they get the bigger picture.
However, the office itself can also make an impression on those candidates who are chosen for interview. Whether it is the decor, the dress code or even an obvious eco-friendliness, these are details likely to be noticed by candidates as soon as they walk through the door, as they will be in a high state of alertness ready for their interview and naturally curious to learn as much as they can about a place where they may be spending the majority of their waking hours for the foreseeable future.
For those keen to press eco-friendly credentials, everything from an energy-saving printer to prominently displayed recycling facilities will help convey the right message. Indeed, it should be remembered that while an interview process may be seen as the means by which an employer selects their staff, it is not a one-way process. An interviewee will also be assessing whether they want to work for the firm. Either a bad interview or the wrong office environment will put them off.
A company blog can be another way of helping with the process. By providing extra information in an attractive form, it can show everything from charity events to eco-friendly changes within the business without smothering the reader with corporate speak. A blog can present matters in a lighter, more jovial way if appropriate, as well as highlighting issues such as the achievements of individuals – something that will give potential candidates an idea of what they can aspire to.
Remember finding the right candidate for a job is important, but finding someone who believes in the way culture within the company could ensure the candidate grows with the business, shares the same goals and has the same aspirations for success.