Talk about a magnetic culture.
At least in the context of online Twitter Chats in 140 characters or less of reciprocal conversation and idea exchange — we’ve got a winner.
My fearless culture cohort in crime, TalentCulture founder Meghan M. Biro, and I started #TChat back on November 16, 2010, and have now hosted four forums.
The latest titled The Workplace Culture Audit: Building a Magnetic Company Culture and Recruiting the Best Talent was our biggest yet.
Check out the stats here — over 250 contributors last night alone sharing over 2,000 tweets.
Our good friend Eric Leist, an Emerging Technology Strategist with Allen & Gerristen, wrote about Twitter chat madness this week.
Let’s get back to last night’s topic, though. Meghan’s forte is company culture and here are some of her thoughts on the subject:
Companies faced with retaining their most important asset – employees = people – should focus on creating a workplace culture that accommodates not only the organization’s need to meet business objectives, but also what resonates with an employees’ need to see themselves as a key partner in the organization’s success. Let’s ensure people feel valued and respected in this equation at all levels in the organization.
Workplace culture is so much more than a mission statement or having a cool ping pong table for breaks or sharing free sodas in the refrigerator (these perks matter of course). It’s a powerful metaphor for the workplace that allows employees to compellingly describe where they work, what the business does, and what its value is to customers. Companies successful in creating a unique and compelling workplace culture will have much more success attracting and retaining talented people who experience ‘culture fit’ with the company. It’s so important and often overlooked.
Right on the money. If you don’t have a workplace culture that attracts and retains quality talent, that gets most of them excited about the why of do and not just the what, then your days in business may be numbered.
I say “may be” because cultural wasteland firms can still produce a product and/or service the market wants and be awash in huge profits. You know, like banking, investment and financial services firms. (Did I just write that? Please, no e-mails or phone calls.) Magnetic culture and business can be mutually exclusive but are oh so much better together.
Magnetic culture is organic, and although leaders help to spark it, fanning the flames comes from inside.
You can read more from Meghan on culture at Culture Brand: Create Magical Distinction to Attract the Very Best Talent.
Here were the questions from last night’s #TChat:
- Q1: How do you define company culture and what makes it magnetic?
- Q2: Why aren’t happy hour Fridays, flex time and nap couches enough for a magnetic company culture?
- Q3: Why is culture a key determinant in attracting and retaining talent?
- Q4: What constitutes fair compensation including benefits and how does that affect culture?
- Q5: Do your talent objectives align with the business objectives? Vice-versa?
- Q6: How can employers make employee training/career development a priority and give culture more meaning?
- Q7: Does “open” communication exist in your company? What does this term mean to you?
- Q8: Why or why not is it important to have an emotionally intelligent company?
- Q9: How are you challenging your employees (good or bad)? How is your employer challenging you?
- Q10: How important is it for your personal values to match those of the company? Vice-versa?
The caliber of attendees and their answers was outstanding. Smart and savvy folk. You can see a sampling below or search hashtag #TChat stream to read more.
A very special thanks to Monster Thinking for their support and partnership. @monster_works and @MonsterWW will be joining the #TChat conversation live every Tuesday night with from 8-9 PM ET, 7-8 PM CT, 6-7 PM MT, and 5-6 PM PT.
We also welcome global input and hope you can join from wherever you might be. We certainly want to hear from you. We are committed to creating educational content and social community here at the Culture of Talent. Learning is continuous here and we are nothing without people. People (AKA: human capital) are the most valuable asset to any organization or community.
Thank you all again for joining us! More #TChat next Tuesday, December 21, 2010 — The Very, Merry Cheddar edition. I have no idea what that means, but be there.
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