The importance of “culture and fit” when making senior appointments. Thought leaders share their views on the HR profession and its direction for the future
| Published date | 12 February 2018 |
| Pages | 44-46 |
| Date | 12 February 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-08-2017-0050 |
| Author | Lorraine Thomas |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
Strategic commentary
The importance of “culture and fit”when
making senior appointments
Thought leaders share their views on the HR profession and its
direction for the future
Lorraine Thomas
When human resource (HR)
directors seek assistance
in undertaking a senior
appointment search and selection, it
takes more than finding an
individual with a ream of
professional qualifications and
experience. Especially at the most
senior levels of placement, it is
essential to find a candidate who
will complement the company’s
culture.
From my experience, it entails
extensive research, tappinginto a
network of referrals and
recommendations and having a
thorough understanding of the client
organisation’s needs, valuesand
growth aspirations.
When this foundation of data is
established, then on the counter-side
it is important to approach and
present the opportunity to a well-
researched candidate. Withthis
information in hand, I am in a better
position need to make our
approaches with the appropriate
motivations on offer.
Detailed and explanatory briefsabout
the recruiting client and the
candidates become our guide,
influencing all our research and
investigations in creating theright
partnership.
The components of company
culture
To ascertain the facts, thorough
research is required on both sides of
the assignment. First,when
examining the recruiting organisation,
it is important to understand what it
means to refer to “company culture”.
This comprises various elementsthat
paint a picture of a company’s profile,
beyond the profit and loss sheets.
The process starts simply by briefing
about the company and seeking out
anything relevant through the media
channels and on the corporate
website. My preferred methods
include approaching my own
professional network; what are others
saying about this organisation?The
opinions of partners, suppliersand
clients give insight that a recruiter
would not necessarily discover
without asking those pertinent
questions. So, when approachingthe
candidate, I can impart some of that
intelligence we have gleaned to
determine whether they wouldfit well
into that organisation’s cultureand
energy.
Understanding the company’speople
is a valuable addition to building your
cultural profile. What does a
successful person in that business
look like, for example? Actually,
meeting an individual in the company
PAGE 44 jSTRATEGIC HR REVIEW jVOL. 17 NO. 1 2018, pp. 44-46, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 DOI 10.1108/SHR-08-2017-0050
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