Company Culture - More Than A Custom T-Shirt and Flip-Flops...

Culture is a word you hear thrown around a lot.  Seems nowadays, everyone is talking about theirs. 

But, what does it mean to the average candidate, and how can we, as recruiters, work it to our benefit?

Barry Phegan explains company culture essentially as interests, values and attitudes shared by employees to help them "work together in harmony." 

But, to me, culture is more than that. It's what, other than "a paycheck," gets you up in the morning to go to work.  You may love what you do, but do you love where you do it? 

The work environment is a huge part of a company's culture.  Cubicles are being replaced by "high density clusters."  The slacks and tie look has gradually moved from "shirt tucked into jeans" to "shorts and sandals." 

Other than make money, what does your corporation do?  Bill Gates and Microsoft have taken a lot of flack over the years, but employees go home feeling really good when they hear that profits are going to more than just shareholders.  Extra kudos to your company if they are one of the thousands that will match your own contribution to a charity you personally support.

How do we portray this, beyond our regular elevator pitch?  I think Daft Punk and Maren Hogan say it best.  You gotta work it.  You have to live the culture.  I know I've got a good gig working here and I need to exude those feelings to those I am interviewing.  Beyond just the recruiter lingo that any professional can sniff out.  "You played Ultimate Frisbee in college?  Me, too!  Did I tell you about the company league that plays weekly on campus?  My team got creamed last week by Marketing!" 

Today at work, I am wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt that says, "La Buena Vida."  Now, am I suggesting you run around with a shirt that says "The Good Life," everyday?  No.  This just happened to be the only one that didn't smell funny, this morning. It's the look I am referring to.  Even as an HR guy, I wear laid back clothes. 

My office is more than recruiting paraphernalia.  It's bobbleheads, Seattle Mariners gear, posters of games made by more than just my company.  I've got an Xbox and TV set up, as do most of my hiring managers.  Yeah...we make games.  But, it's not uncommon that one person will challenge another to some Call of Duty in the middle of the day.       

Culture is important.  And, as the proverbial gatekeepers, we should be singing Karma Chameleon because we're part of the Culture Club.  (Oh, man...I've been waiting this whole post to throw that in).  Culture is part of why we LOVE where we work!

Editor's Note - Jason Pankow is a Senior Recruiter for Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE and Xbox Software groups.  Jason supports the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, bringing in technical, as well as creative, talent to Redmond.  Look him up on Xbox Live, where he'll ring you up for a triple-double as Steve Nash on NBA 2K8 or kick it old-school via a 7-digit score on Galaga...  He also owns every Culture Club record ever made - even the club mixes.... 

Comments

[Jessica Lee]

culture is key for me, and i think too often, HR folks and recruiters fail to recognize that they are the biggest culture champion and brand ambassador for the public who might be trying to get their foot into the door of their organization... which is why i'm super particular about how i set the stage for interviews, how i present myself, how junior HR and recruiting staff are groomed and developed, etc. thanks for this post...

[KD]

Good thoughts. Obviously you have it at a place like Xbox.. but so many places don't have it. JLee's take on the culture piece is interesting, in that she seems to be describing how detail oriented she is as a recruiter and manager in terms of presenting her brand and as a result, influencing the candidate to view the brand presented as the company's stamp. By the way, JLee, that's a complement. You care enough to sell - very nice.

On the flip side of that, how does a corp environment develop a brand? A lot of times it comes from founders, or maybe from the industry (software = casual dress and a laid back attitude). What about the company that doesn't have a culture, but wants to instill one upon a leadership change? Can it be done or is it a waste of time?

Fascinating stuff....

KD

[Jennifer McClure]

One of the most fun aspects of my job as an TPR is dealing with many different clients - each who have their own culture. To me, learning as much as I can about the client's culture is the key to finding that "perfect match". It's a huge part of the placement process. I always ask my clients for as much time as I can get with them on-site, and with as many members of the team as they'll let me speak to. During that face time, I'm looking for anything and everything that can and will be either a positive aspect in the recruiting process, or in some cases a potential negative. The Homula term "career wound" is not always about the salary/benefits package, sometimes talented candidates are more interested in the environment they'll be working in than the pay. HR and internal recruiters play a huge part in not only managing the culture, but identifying what it is - and is not - so that information can effectively be communicated to potential new hires. It's rare to hear a new hire talking about how the pay/benefits package wasn't as promised since that stuff is hammered down during the offer process and put in writing. Where you'll often hear the complaints is on the "culture" side - what they were told it was vs. what it actually is.

On another note - what do you think clients would think about a TPR with an XBox 360 in her office? I could call them in and challenge them to play me a game of Halo to win their business... I'm kind of liking that idea!

[marenhogan]

Nice job Jason. Every time I see this (or it's cousin employee engagement) come up, I swear that it is about commitment and sometimes, yes really hard work. You can't check out or not allow the rules to apply across the board. I swear (whoa I am doing that a lot) that I will get t-shirts made that say "people are messy" BUT it's the smart cookies that roll up their sleeves and get in the thick of it w/ their employees rather than throw their hands in the air. I think supporting their causes, as you point out MS does and making sure not to focus on irrational "we've always done it this way" crap is a great way to start. Nice post, good work and if you're trying to sway me with link love. . .it worked.

[Alex Cantu]

I prefer the corporate suit and tie look, but with the Wii counsel in the lounge room. Mixing business and pleasure always seems like a tasty drink.

[Derek Irvine]

Excellent post, Jason. I also agree with Jennifer's comments. Company culture (and employee engagement) do require effort. We advocate instilling a culture of appreciation across an organization based on giving employees at all levels frequent opportunities to recognize each other for their efforts. Those recognitions could even include a "thanks for not beating me too badly at NBA 2K8." More here: http://globoforce.blogspot.com/search/label/culture%20of%20appreciation?max-results=100

[Concierge]

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