A business is nothing without its people. It is the effort of the employee which allows a company to make its product or serve its customers. These employees also collectively comprise one of a business's most valuable asset - its culture. The culture not only creates an effective work environment, it becomes part of its brand. Consider the the culture at Google. Yes, some might argue working at Google isn't much different than going to summer camp, but if you dig a little deeper you find a company that is truly invested in its employees. Blogger and Google employee Avinash Kaushik provides some insight.
It is the responsibility of the firm's leaders to adopt and set the culture. A culture which genuinely promotes positive values will encourage employees to give their best effort and attract clients to give their business. But how do the company leaders cultivate such an environment?
Recruitment.
Any HR manager worth his/her salt knows finding new hires who match the culture is both vital and difficult. One hiring mistake can be toxic to the rest of the office. Zappos is one company who recognizes the importance of having the right people on the bus. After one week of training, new employees are given "The Offer" where they are offered their earned wages and a $2,000 bonus - to quit. Suriprisingly 97% of new hires turn down The Offer and go on to be effective team members (presumably).
While not all companies can commit to offering a bonus to departing employees, hiring managers can employ tactics to screen candidates based on the values held by the company. Alan Hall's article for Forbes provides some effective advice for matching potential hires with the existing climate.
Putting in a bowling alley or offering to pay for an employee's degree can certainly help create a positive work environment but to quote one of my past supervisors, "If I hire self-motivated people, I don't have to worry about motivating them."
-Dave
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