Did you know that companies ranked in the top quartile for culture tend to generate 60% higher returns? 

Obviously, profit margins are not the only reason company leaders should be concerned with workplace culture, but we got your attention, didn’t we? 

When you look at other findings from research focused on company culture, the increased profits statistics actually make a lot of sense. Across the board, better company culture is directly linked to many other positives, which when combined, result in a more successful workplace overall. 

This trend, however, goes in the other direction as well. One study found that “35% of American workers say they would pass on the perfect job if they felt the company culture wasn’t a good fit.” In other words, companies that are not prioritizing culture, or are not doing a great job of advertising their values, missions, etc. are at risk of missing out on top-tier applicants. 

This is borne out in the evidence from another study which found that when asked why they left their employer, 37% of respondents said their choice had to do with “engagement and culture.” Following that up, 31% reported leaving because there wasn’t enough emphasis on “wellbeing and work-life balance.” These numbers indicate that more people left their job thanks to issues revolving around company culture than to those who left seeking better pay/benefits.

Hopefully these statistics have been a bit of a wake-up call, demonstrating just how important the development of a good company culture is, but let’s assume you’ve already taken the steps to do so. Now you’re wondering how to best integrate a new hire into that culture. 

We’ve got three easy steps to ensure that your new hires really feel like they are part of the team, but first, let’s take a quick look at a very important feature of modern-day company cultures.  

Culture Fit Vs. Culture Add 

In case you haven’t heard these terms before, culture fit refers to a hiring process that prioritizes bringing on new team members who already fit well within the existing company culture. Culture add, on the other hand, prioritizes bringing new perspectives/personalities into the mix. There are many reasons companies should be hiring with a culture add mindset, the most important being that having a more diverse workforce helps cut down on bias and workplace discrimination. 

Considering that a study from just two years ago found that an astonishing 91% of workers reported experiencing some kind of discrimination at work, this is a problem that needs immediate attention. Having a more diverse workforce has also been shown to result in higher profits, and DEI efforts are becoming an increasingly important factor for the younger generations when job searching. 

Integrating New Hires in Three Steps

1. Cultural Orientation 

Research shows that “employees who believe their organization has broader goals outside of profit margins are 27% more likely to stay at the company.” Since we know that new hires tend to decide whether or not they will stay very early on in the onboarding process, it’s vital to demonstrate what you stand for as a company from the beginning. 

Thus, within the first week, team leaders and colleagues should take part in a “cultural orientation” session, aimed at introducing new hires to the company’s specific values, missions, and overall vision. This event should be engaging and fun, but the mood should match the stated values as well. The new hire should leave the orientation with a strong sense that your company really cares about its larger impact as well as cares about the new hire individually. 

2. Team Building 

Team building is the most important step in cultivating a strong and supportive company culture. Employees need to connect to each other, and those who are new especially need to form bonds to ensure they always have someone to turn to with questions or concerns. 

Organizing team-building activities is not just the second step of this process, but it should really be an ongoing effort. Even people who have been working together for years can benefit from further efforts to build a stronger community. 

One way to bring everyone together is to use ‘gamification’. A survey conducted by the Aberdeen Group found “companies that made use of gamification increased engagement by 48% and improved turnover by 36%.” These games could be educational—to help with the onboarding process—or they could simply be simple, fun games meant to build bonds and create positive workplace memories.

Remote Team Building

When thinking about team building activities, don’t forget about your remote workers. It’s estimated that nearly half of remote employees miss out on “spontaneous interactions” while at work and 41% report having a hard time adapting to the company culture.

We recommend scheduling in-person events that remote workers can attend when they need to get out of the house. Similarly, offering virtual get-togethers on a semi-regular basis will ensure employees can consistently interact with one another outside of work conversations. 

3. Checking In

Lastly, a very important factor in introducing new hires to your company culture, is having regular check-ins with new employees. These check-ins should be casual but also include questions regarding how well the new hire is adapting. In these meetings, employees should be encouraged to ask questions and/or address concerns that may have arisen during the first few weeks/months of employment. 

Do not just assume that because an employee has been ‘onboarded’ that they are completely integrated and comfortable in their role at the company. One study found that only 29% of employees reported feeling fully prepared and ready to succeed in their new role even after their onboarding ended. That is vital information for managers/team leaders to have, otherwise underprepared employees are going to slip through the cracks. 

Addressing Company Culture Issues Top-Down

Successfully integrating a new hire into your company culture is a net positive only if your current company culture is thriving. If there are any issues—e.g. toxic personalities, lack of representation, implicit/explicit biases, etc. — then bringing someone new into that culture might very well be a waste of time. 

But re-evaluating the cohesion and productivity of your workforce as a whole isn’t going to be an easy job, and it will likely involve a lot of restructuring. That said, once you’re ready to start hiring the best, meaning employees from a diverse pool of applicants who will be great additions to the company for a myriad of reasons—we’re here to help. 

At CyberCoders we use true match technology that connects you with top talent while eliminating hiring biases. Even better, we do all that in a fraction of the time! To learn more about what we can add to your company culture, check out our website today!