Organizational culture is more than just a buzzword. It is your company “personality,” and it can be the motivating factor that moves employees to succeed. Focusing on culture can have a big impact on the hiring process. When you’re trying to choose between highly qualified IT professionals, cultural alignment can often be the deciding factor when selecting the right person for the job.

What Is Company Culture?

Culture is the way the organization functions. Culture defines the ways employees interact with each other, the habits they develop, the norms of the office and the ways people conduct themselves throughout the day. People who fit in with their company culture are comfortable where they work and work well with their teammates. People who work well together are not only more productive, but they are also more likely to offer and accept feedback, adapt to change and pull together to overcome obstacles.

Why “Fitting In” Matters

A candidate’s skills and experience matter significantly when it comes to hiring, but these are not the only factors to consider. Hiring someone who clashes with the group or whose values are completely contrary to the organization’s values will create tension and even conflict. Any time a new person comes into a group, it impacts group dynamics. Someone who fits in easily with the culture will get ramped up and acclimated far more efficiently and effectively than someone who clashes.

Cultural Alignment Decreases Turnover

Cultural misalignment is one of the biggest reasons a new hire doesn’t make it through their first year of employment. People who feel like their personality, values or work style clash with the larger group will not be happy, and unhappy people tend to look for new opportunities.

For example, someone who has spent 20 years working in a buttoned-up corporate environment may completely lose their bearings in a laid-back small business with a startup feel. Conversely, someone who has spent their career in easygoing environments might become shell-shocked in a corporate hierarchy. Hiring for cultural fit increases the chances of your new hires “making it.”

You Must Market Your Culture to Recruit for Culture

Marketing your culture on your website, LinkedIn, social media and in your job postings can attract candidates who believe they spot cultural alignment. Many potential candidates who don’t think they would thrive in your culture will also self-select out of the running. During interviews, make sure to talk about your corporate culture and take candidates on a tour of the office so they can get a firsthand feel for the environment.

Hiring with culture in mind takes a lot of time and practice. It can take years for people to develop the right “eye” for alignment. If you are ready to start hiring for cultural fit on your IT staff, contact the experts at PEAK Technical Consulting today. We can match you with pros who will keep your team moving forward.

About PEAK

PEAK Technical Consulting is a leading provider of IT and technical talent, offering contract staffing, contract-to-hire and direct hire solutions throughout the United States. With nearly fifty years of technical recruiting experience, we are committed to delivering real value to our clients by providing the resources, support and solutions they need to succeed.

PEAK consistently delivers top talent for even tough-to-fill positions. See some of the IT jobs we have recently filled for our clients:

Senior Scala Developer

Senior Software Automation Engineer

Software Release Engineer

If you are looking for skilled, experienced IT professionals to help your business grow and prosper, contact the IT recruiting experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today.