Yes, the labor gap might be making it difficult for you to hire talent. But there are lots of skilled craftsmen out there – we see them every day! That’s why we encourage you to examine the many other reasons why you haven’t been able to hire top talent. And the biggest obstacle to hiring great people, that we’ve seen, is when there’s no clear company culture.
At Madden we’ve found that it’s more important that you hire for values that match your culture, than it is to hire for experience. Especially with a tight labor force! Your team has got to be on the same page, and there’s no better time to teach and mentor new people for specific skills and techniques. But you’ve got to make sure you have the people on board that are a good match. Here’s how to hire for culture, so you can get and train the best craftsmen in the biz:
Identify Your Culture
You can’t hire people that fit well into your culture if you can’t name what it is! Take the time to identify the values of your company. To get started, simply get your key players together and outline your main purpose, why you do what you do. Specify the ways that your company actually fulfils this purpose – and how you do it differently than anyone else.
Communicate Your Culture
Once you’ve named your company values, your entire staff should be clear on what they are. They should be reflected in everything from your hiring procedure to your marketing – not just in your daily operations. Talk about these values in company emails, meetings, and trainings. You can even put them on the wall! There should be no confusion on what you stand for.
Reinforce Your Culture
Research shows that workers that fit in with your culture are likely to be happier and more productive. Most of your team will be relieved to have clarity on the company priorities, so that their decision making is easy. And you may also see some of your team members don’t feel as comfortable because they’re not a match, and that’s okay. They’ll likely self-select out of working there, so simply be gracious and wish them the best at a future with another culture that fits better for them.
Hire and Train for Culture
Now that you’ve identified the values of your culture, make that your number one requisite for new hires. Workers that have matching values are more likely to want to work for that company for longer. Thus, employers can improve productivity and employee retention through a strong and well communicated company culture.
Madden can help you find top craftsmen that are a match for your culture! We can also give you more guidance like this that will help you hire the most talented. Give us a call, and let us help attract and hire the best craftsmen for your next project.
