Company culture plays an important role in talent acquisition, but how do you showcase this effectively?

Company culture is one of the most important features of any business, with a positive workplace atmosphere and a commitment to supporting staff in their development and career goals among the biggest draws for the best talent out there.

Businesses that are able to effectively showcase an inclusive and supportive culture to prospective employees will therefore stand the best chance of attracting and retaining the top performers in their field; but how do you do this in a way that gets results? Understanding how candidates wish to learn about your company and its culture can be the key to talent acquisition success.

effective engagement is all about outreach

According to LinkedIn's Inside the Mind of Today's Candidate report, 90 percent of candidates are interested in hearing from a prospective new employer, while 63 per cent feel flattered when recruiters reach out to them.

However, it is not as simple as offering an enticing role to get people interested in working for your business, you have to sell yourself too, and this is where showcasing company culture is essential.

One of the first steps that organizations should take is to optimize their website; make sure it offers a true reflection of your company's values and culture, and give thought as to how the images on your site show the positive aspects of your company ethos.

Candidates will be interested in learning more about your brand and therefore specific pages should be created that outline exactly why your business is such a great place to work. This could be in the form of an FAQ with existing staff, or simply an outline of the core beliefs that drive inclusivity and productivity within your organization.

You can find out more about how to create a positive brand for your business by examining the results of Randstad's latest employer branding research. It makes for interesting reading, we're sure you'll agree.

candidates want first-hand experience

In today's fast-paced and competitive world of recruitment, it's often not enough to simply tell candidates what to expect from working alongside you - nowadays, the majority of potential staff will want to experience this for themselves.

Indeed, LinkedIn's data showed that more than half (51 per cent) of respondents to their recent research would like to be able to visit a business and experience its culture before committing to join them.

It is for this reason that companies should now be looking to implement more face-to-face interviews where possible. Inviting prospective workers to meet your staff and to take a tour of your offices is a great way to introduce them to the positive atmosphere that you wish to showcase.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn's report revealed that 46 per cent of candidates are also interested in speaking to existing employees directly, as this enables them to know exactly what it's like to work there. Coaching staff to be a positive brand ambassador for your business can therefore be highly beneficial in delivering a consistent message around why your company is such a great place to work.

Promoting a strong company culture is essential for success in talent acquisition and you can find out more about how to achieve this in our employer branding center. By showing off your company's strengths, you stand the best chances of attracting the best and brightest.