***Employee/Employer Relationships are like Marriages: Compatibility with Company Culture is Key

Compatibility is an important element in strong, long-lasting marriages, and it’s also the key element in strong, successful employer/employee relationships.Consider this: You want every person you hire to have the basic tools to succeed, and a critical part of that is being sure the individual’s skills and personality is a good match for the job. If you put someone in a position and that person has a personality that’s the complete opposite of people who do well in that role, even though they may possess the necessary skills, you’re hurting them and your company.

You also want to make sure that every person you hire is a match for your company’s culture. It’s important to do an assessment that tells you whether or not someone has the personality and inclination to do a particular job, but that’s not enough. You also have to take that process to the final step, which is to make sure the person will fit your company culture. Your positions must be benchmarked in your culture as well as the basic skills and abilities required by the job. Then you can hire people to fit your benchmarks. If you want successful people, you have to determine what works in your culture.

A company’s culture is essentially the way things get done—the values, customs, traditions, and meanings that make each company unique. You need to be sure that you and the people who make your hiring decisions have a clear and honest picture of your culture. Your employees’ value structures must be supported, rewarded, and condoned in the culture. If they’re not, people will show up for work, but they won’t be engaged. You want people who are going to be compatible with your culture so that they can be committed to your company.