Whether you’re looking to fill a vacancy or expand your team, these high-level positions come with a long list of responsibilities and a weighty influence on the overall company culture. That’s why finding the right person for the job is crucial.
It’s essential to take the hiring process seriously and to carefully consider each candidate’s leadership and management skills. After all, these executives will be the ones setting the tone for the entire company, so you want to make sure you’re bringing someone on board who shares your values and vision. Here’s why cultural fit matters in executive hiring, as well as some critical reasons why it should be included in every organization’s hiring strategy.
Culture matters—especially when it comes to executive talent
Hiring the perfect executive is almost always challenging. With so many applicants boasting impressive credentials and experience, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of finding the “right” fit. But what happens when that perfect candidate turns out to be not-so perfect after all?
Unfortunately, it’s all too common for an executive to start strong, only to struggle as time goes on. It’s not that they lack talent or skills, but simply that they’re not a good cultural match for the company. That misalignment can cause a ripple effect, impacting not just the executive’s success, but the company’s as well. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. But when it comes to hiring, it’s better to have foresight when considering cultural fit.
Why employers should include cultural fit in their hiring strategy:
As you make the case for including cultural fit in your executive hiring process, it’s important to understand the unique ways it can benefit your organization. Some of the top advantages include:
- Improving employee retention. If you want your employees to do their best work, you need strong leadership at the helm. Executives who don’t fit with the company culture are more likely to leave, which can be costly for any business—but it doesn’t just affect the executives themselves. Without the right C-suite talent to guide them, employees are also more likely to leave. It’s all about finding that perfect balance between the skills your executives bring to the table and how well they mesh with your organization’s culture.
- Empowering employees to do their best work. It’s no secret that people who genuinely love their job perform better and are overall happier. This applies to both executives and their employees. When leaders and employees are incompatible with their work environment, it can create a toxic workplace that can lead to dissatisfaction, low morale, and high turnover rates. This is why hiring for culture fit is so critical, as it ensures that the company’s vision, values, and goals align with the executives’ and employees’ core values.
- Attracting top talent. While an exceptional salary and benefits can attract executive candidates to your company, culture fit is a difference-maker when it comes to securing top-tier talent. Searching for executives isn’t cheap, so communicating your company’s culture from the start can help prospective talent decide to move forward or to look elsewhere.
- Promoting a positive brand image. Have you ever heard the saying, “actions speak louder than words?” Well, when it comes to a company’s top executives, both their actions and words can make a big impact on a brand’s image. Hiring an executive who fits in well with a company’s culture can create a positive and authentic image for the organization. This can be especially true when those executives publicly support and promote their company. By showcasing their enthusiasm for their work, executives can capture the attention of potential clients and hires alike. As the public face of a brand, executives can be the key to creating a strong and trustworthy company image.
Assessing cultural fit is critical when searching for executive-level talent
When it comes to finding “perfect fit” for an executive-level position, it’s not as simple as just finding someone with good credentials and experience – cultural fit also plays a huge role in the equation. That’s where a good executive search firm like M&A Executive Search can help. We do the hard work for you by assessing your company’s core values and mission, as well as establishing a baseline of how your business operates. By doing our due diligence, we can match the right executive to your company based not just on their skillset, but on whether they’ll fit in with your company culture. Reach out today to get started.
