Q: I am an HR representative at a start-up Internet company in New York City. We are only eight months old, but we are growing at an extremely rapid pace. Only three months ago, we had eleven employees; now we have 32. While many applicants are vying for open positions, very few are qualified (top-notch computer skills are especially hard to find). Another problem is many fresh-out-of college graduates, while often great candidates, have unrealistic ideas about salary. So many kids say they want 45K to start when the average starting salary is 30K. I'd be happy to tell them to shove off, except that I know another start-up will hire them - at their requested salaries! How can we entice the best candidates AND get them to join for less money?
A: You need to create MAGIC! This may sound silly, but I believe it to be true - so true, in fact, that I am going to dedicate this week's column to answering your question.
You have an incredible opportunity right now. You have a start-up company, you're in the Internet business, and you're just starting to grow. Now is the time for you to create the kind of company people WANT to work for. And you would be amazed at the number of high-caliber employees who will want to work for you with very little regard to their salaries. It IS possible. I know, I've done it three times. So, your question is how to entice the best candidates without a lot of money. Read on and learn!
Welcome to the world of high-tech, fast-moving companies. Human Resources in our industry IS different. It's NEW. It's GOOD. And it's DIFFERENT! But still, whether you call it the Personnel Department, the Human Resources Department, or the Cool People and Mood Department, HR still does the same thing. We take care of our employees. The only difference is HOW we take care of our employees.
Each of the responsibilities HR takes care of - each little piece - conflates to form something larger and more grand. It forms what we call "corporate culture." I used to think that corporate culture was just another buzzword. It didn't mean anything to me, but I was wrong. It's not just a buzzword. It's real and it can make all the difference. Think about it this way - would you rather be just another company or be the company - the employer of choice?
Now we'll need to define what corporate culture is. Essentially, a corporate culture is you and everyone in your company. It's how the employees in your company work, how they feel, how they're treated, and how they treat others. It's the candidates you interview and invite to join your company. Your corporate culture can be the primary factor in attracting top talent. It can even be the means to your greatest dream: "ideal employees."
Which brings us to another question: who exactly is an "ideal employee?" Well, I think an ideal employee is a lot of things. To start with, an ideal employee is independent and empowered, is able to strike out on his or her own, and doesn't wait for direction or guidance. The ideal employee is involved and interested in the workplace, eager to interact with co-workers and to make an impact on the business. Finally, the ideal employee is positive and proactive, the kind of person who sees challenges rather than problems and who enjoys work. One of the most important elements found in companies with successful corporate cultures is "employee empowerment." Empowered employees are energetic and passionate. They want to do a better job because they feel personally rewarded for doing so. Not a lot of companies have extraordinary corporate cultures, but if you have one, you have an incredible advantage. If the competitive advantage of tomorrow's economy rests in its workforce, then quicker, smarter, and bolder employees will drive individual companies toward excellence.
To develop a strong corporate culture and empowered employees, a company should develop and nurture a special environment. At the same time, the company must be able to change and evolve without becoming generic or impersonal. This is not an easy task, but it's not impossible either. A corporate culture is always a work in progress. You already have a culture - and it will change no matter what. Your mission as a Human Resources professional is to guide the growth in a positive manner and to create an environment where employees feel valued and significant.
Empowerment isn't something you do to people, it's something achieved when you give goals, information, feedback, training, and perhaps most importantly, positive reinforcement. Companies where employees consider themselves empowered are often heavy on teamwork. That's because by working in teams, employees not only find greater meaning in their work, but also have the ability to influence their peers. As a result, teams change how work is viewed, setting the stage for more important and longer-lasting changes.
A recent study demonstrates that employee satisfaction is NOT all about money. Most of us are able to meet our monthly expenses, and so, our attention turns to other factors such as:
Feeling we're making a contribution;
Having a manager who tells us when we do a good job;
Having the respect of our peers and colleagues;
Being involved and informed about what's going on in the company; and
Having meaningful, interesting work.
Every employer's dream is to have employees who care about the success of the business. Here are some steps to building that type of commitment and involvement:
Identify any problems that might stand in the way of your employees;
Share your vision and the mission of the business;
Give some power to employees;
Encourage risk-taking;
Use reward systems; and
Plan social and athletic events to build teamwork.
To be competitive, every company needs to attain extraordinary results. You have to make your employees feel valued so that they will want to do their best work on a daily basis. You can achieve this enhanced level of energy and initiative by focusing more on how you treat employees and less on how much they're earning. For the best results, pay them fairly, but treat them superbly. Believe me, if you can create an empowering corporate culture, your candidates will see it, feel it, and even taste it.
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