Cultivating a Healthy Culture: The Power of Recruitment and Onboarding

A company's culture significantly influences its success, affecting everything from employee engagement to the bottom line. The recruitment and onboarding processes play a pivotal role in shaping this culture. According to MIT Sloan Business School, by addressing the "Toxic Five" attributes - disrespect, non-inclusivity, unethical behaviour, cutthroat competition, and abusive management - during these early stages, organisations can foster a healthier, more productive environment.

Recruitment: The First Step Towards a Healthy Culture

Recruitment is the first touchpoint in shaping an organisation's culture. As per a recent study by Forbes, prioritising respect and inclusivity during the hiring process, companies can set the tone for a positive work environment. This means not only seeking diverse candidates but also ensuring that the recruitment process itself is free from bias and promotes fairness.

Ethical Standards: Setting the Bar High from the Start

Unethical behaviour is a significant contributor to a toxic culture. During recruitment, it's essential to communicate the company's ethical standards and expectations clearly. This can be achieved through transparent job descriptions, ethical interviewing practices, and open discussions about the company's values and code of conduct.

Combatting Cutthroat Competition: Promoting Collaboration

A cutthroat environment can be detrimental to both individual well-being and overall team performance. During the recruitment process, companies should emphasise the importance of teamwork and collaboration. By hiring individuals who value cooperative success over personal gain, organisations can foster a more supportive and productive culture.

Onboarding: The Crucial Phase for Culture Building

Onboarding is a critical phase where new hires learn about the company's culture and expectations. It's an opportunity to reinforce the values communicated during recruitment and provide new employees with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the company's culture. As HR Future notes, this period should be rebranded as “cultural onboarding”, as organisations should be emphasising more than process education but rather they will experience the convergence of culture and process during their onboarding experience.

Respect and Inclusivity: Core Values in Onboarding

According to Jeske and Olsen, during onboarding, companies should emphasise respect and inclusivity as core values. This can be achieved through diversity and inclusion training, clear communication about respectful workplace behaviour, and the promotion of open dialogue. By setting clear expectations about respect and inclusivity from the start, companies can help prevent the development of a toxic culture.

Ethical Onboarding: Building a Foundation of Trust

Onboarding should also include comprehensive ethics training. SHRM argues that all new hires should understand the company's ethical guidelines during this introductory period, including the importance of integrity in their role, and the consequences of unethical behaviour. By establishing a strong ethical foundation, companies can prevent unethical practices that contribute to a toxic culture.

Encouraging Healthy Competition: Team Building in Onboarding

While competition can drive performance, it's crucial to ensure it doesn't become cutthroat. During onboarding, team-building activities can help foster a sense of camaraderie and mutual support among new hires. By promoting healthy competition and collaboration, companies can create a culture where employees lift each other up rather than push each other down. A recent Gallup study found that 72% of organisations that utilise team-building practices during the onboarding process saw a greater sense of cohort camaraderie 12-18 months later.

Preventing Abusive Management: Training Effective Leaders

Abusive management is a key contributor to a toxic culture. To prevent this, companies should provide leadership training during the onboarding process. New managers should learn effective communication, conflict resolution, and team management skills. By training leaders to be supportive and respectful, companies can prevent the development of abusive management practices. Harvard Business Review found that “nudge”-based training is a system that provides individuals with alternative ways of thinking that can help drive individuals to re-appraise and be aware of their conduct or behaviour in order to make better judgements. This can provide a useful technique to help management professionals that showcase any cultural red flags.

Conclusion: The Power of Recruitment and Onboarding in Shaping Culture

Recruitment and onboarding are powerful tools in shaping a company's culture. By addressing the "Toxic Five" attributes during these stages, companies can cultivate a healthy, inclusive, and respectful work environment. As we navigate the era of the "Great Resignation", it's more important than ever for organisations to prioritise a positive culture - not only to attract talent but to retain it.