Retaining Company Culture in a Rapidly Growing Business
A company's culture is felt the moment that staff and clients step through the door. It is the way in which staff behave and work together to achieve common objectives and to get the job done. A good work culture can make a business feel like a second home to the people who have helped to shape it. It is the embodiment of the common understanding of and desire to achieve the company's vision and it is what makes companies succeed, even in challenging times or when adapting to periods of change.
In a competitive jobs market, job hunters value a good company culture and will actively avoid a business that has a reputation for low staff retention as this is often indicative of a poor working environment. This is one reason why it is so important that as businesses grow, the focus on company culture is not lost.
During a period of rapid growth, it can be so very easy to lose sight of the core values that make a business special, but this is a sure-fire way to sabotage the existing culture and to demotivate loyal employees. So, when recruiting to upscale a business, it is vital that employers focus on finding candidates that are the right fit for the business, not only in terms of skills, qualifications and experience, but also in their ability to embrace and enhance the company culture.
To reduce the risk of eroding the culture of an organisation during a period of rapid growth, it is essential that a solid HR process is in place and followed rigorously. It must prioritise maintaining two-way communications with existing team members and taking on board their feedback on the impact that any changes are having. The firm must be willing to adapt ways of working or any changes that are being imposed if it is felt that they are having a negative impact.
When recruiting new members of staff, they should be interviewed with a view to not only securing the best qualified candidate but also the one who will best suit the team and reinforce the company ethos. Clear communication at all stages of the recruitment process is vital to ensure that candidates understand what the business needs from them and that the company recognises the needs of the individual to maximise the likelihood of a good fit.
Taking a flexible and proactive approach to recruitment is key to mitigating against future recruitment challenges. Maintaining a keen focus on the culture that the business has worked so hard to establish ensures that changes that are necessary to grow the business will not negatively impact existing staff morale.
djr are HR specialists and we can help you to develop a strategy to maintain your hard-won business culture through a period of flux, support you in recruiting suitable new employees and advise on methods of communication designed to support your existing workforce in adjusting to the changes without affecting the work environment that they enjoy and trust.
Please contact djr to discover more about our deep experience and capabilities..
