The Feeling is Mutual

"I'd never join a club that would allow someone like me to be a member." - Woody Allen

What kind of employee is your company attracting?

Like begets like. What we transmit to the universe will dictate what we attract. Lest I sound a little too closely aligned to "The Secret" or other like-minded books on the power of visualization, my focus is strictly on the presentation of your organization to potential candidates (and, by default, potential customers) in the marketplace.

Does the company you?think?you portray yourself to be align with the company others see from the outside? The corporate culture you choose as your employer brand may not jibe with your real corporate personality. It's like those first half-dozen dates with your future husband; in the beginning he's opening doors for you, having deep conversations for hours, and agreeing to watch "This is Us" - six months later he's sitting in his boxers and clipping his toenails on the couch. So despite good intentions, your corporate culture is not represented by your Vision or Mission Statement. It's represented by the people in its employ.

In other words, your culture is defined for you, not?by?you.

So when the topic of "culture change" comes about, your Human Resources team becomes the nexus for information gathering. You can claim and define any culture you want, but the people who make up the company are establishing a culture with or without a definition. This is where we, as the talent gatekeepers of the company, can earn our keep in multiple ways:

1. Candidate Intel - Do you ever ask your job candidates about the reputation of your company? I know it's common place to ask a job-seeker "tell me what you know about Acme International," but changing that question a little bit can provide some amazing information about how your company is perceived outside the walls. "From your perspective, what do you know (or think you know) about the culture here at Acme International?" The answer may be contrary to the truth, in which case you've opened up a great conversation thread - "That's interesting, tell me how you came to that opinion?" Remember rule #1 - these aren't just candidates, they are current (or potential) customers, so perception is their reality.
2. Recruiter Intel - Even if you don't utilize external recruiting assistance, it's never a bad idea to keep an open communication with a few trusted sources on the outside. Believe me, THEY definitely have an opinion to share about how candidates view your company. They can also give you an idea of how you are faring vs. the competition. If you're like me you get pummeled with solicitation calls from firms wanting a shot at your business, make it a standard question - "What is our reputation in the candidate community?" It's a win either way; if they don't know, the call is over. And if they do know, it's valuable information.
3. New Hire Intel - The people you have brought into your company over the last 6-12 months are the new ambassadors for your company. What has their experience been to date? How is the company different/the same as what they believed it would be? Culture isn't static, as your company grows (or retracts) the culture changes as well. Another benefit to the practice of reconnecting with new hires? They realize the employee experience is as important to you as the candidate experience.
4. Former Employee Intel - You know who has plenty of feedback? The people who departed your organization. Keep your eyes on this demographic, whether it's via Glassdoor or actually direct contact. Valuable information is there for the taking if you look for it; maybe not always in the kindest language, go getcha some tough love and you'll be better for it. And on more than one occasion, the departed employee realizes that maybe the grass wasn't greener after all - every company has challenges, not just yours.

After that it's up to you - this information could result in updated job postings, company profile descriptions, interview guides, attraction statements, performance documentation, annual reviews....you get the picture.?You're only making it easier for you and your employees/candidates if your message and your reality are aligned.

John Whitaker is the EVP and Chief People Officer for National Partners in Healthcare and occasional purveyor of brain-droppings like this.