Is it better to hire someone who’s a good match for your culture, or someone who can make it better?
Smart organizations are paying lots of attention to their culture, and for a good reason. There is a lot of evidence that organizational culture is a top driver of employee engagement. But due to human nature, hiring managers are often unintentionally biased and work with a definition culture fit - favouring candidates who would fit in well with the current team based on personal attributes. Feelings of “we can have a beer after work” may play important part in the selection process.
But as more companies strive for diversity and inclusion, the term “culture fit” is falling out of favour.
In contrast to the culture fit mindset and seeking to hire more of what is already working well, "culture add” focuses on gaining what the current culture lacks - it looks for people who value an existing culture, but also bring something different that positively contributes to the company.
Assessing for culture fit works well in small businesses but leads to homogeneous culture and at some point, the company needs people who experienced larger and more complicated systems and team members who look at the same problems in a different light - and with different ways of thinking emerge different interests and personalities.
With that of course comes more discomfort - but in the same way that exercise without discomfort does not lead to growth, a team without cognitive discomfort limits its own potential.
Diversity in viewpoints and ability to take different perspectives allows to debate different strategies and come to better outcomes. It is well documented that:
The most effective way to grow is to hire diverse executive talent.
Adding people with same ideas and approaches can create an environment where everyone thinks and acts in the same way.
Diverse teams may at first feel less comfortable, but that is why they perform better.
Andrea Chladkova, Partner
Mary Keane, Partner
Czech Republic
InPost is the largest logistics company in Poland operating in the e-commerce industry, offering courier services and deliveries via the nationwide network of Parcel Lockers. The company plans to become the leading European provider of automated 'out-of-home' e-commerce solutions and counts on significant growth opportunities, both in Poland and in key European markets, where recognition of parcel machines is growing rapidly as the e-commerce market grows significantly. InPost’s debut on Euronext has opened up the next phase of its international development, especially in Great Britain and Italy, and it is also considering expansion in France and Spain.
What makes a passionate HR leader with 18 years of experience in strategic and operational management in global corporation such as Sanofi or AXA join a Polish, privately owned company?
“Honestly, the fact that it was Polish, privately owned with a strong footprint of Private Equity was the biggest hook. After years of being a part of global organisations, mainly involved in reorganisations, optimisations, cost cutting run with accordance to some highest targets, and big not totally revealed plans, I really wanted to try something different. I wanted to be part of something I can truly co-create with my business partners.”
What do you like the most about InPost?
“Its corporate culture(!) -its speed, decisiveness, innovative approach, and its openness to learn and adjust according to the market changes. With this kind of approach the sky is the limit. The company plans international expansion and wants to become a significant international player, InPost is one of the fastest growing companies in Europe! It is great to be part of it."
Such a fast growth, development must create certain challenges for HR, am I right?
“Oh, yes! Bearing in mind the speed of the changes and need to adapt we have to work constantly on developing our competencies in terms of, for example, change management or leadership but also in terms of our knowledge, technical solutions and tools which are rapidly developing. We have got to be more tech and data savvy, use modern technology, and make decision basing on data analysis. We all, like many other companies these days, have to learn how to improve our action from quality, accuracy but also from a speed point of view. Thinking about international expansion we need to ensure we are a competitive and attractive employer.”
How about the planned expansion - what would be the main driver of it?
“E-commerce is growing, and that is good news for us. We want to grow in the market where e-commerce is well-developed. We still are not sure what the final governance framework for scaling-up our business might look like as we are still working on the details, however we know that well planned internal succession and access to external talent will be a strategic driver in HR. On one hand developing our skills, knowledge sharing, increasing our competencies thus building our potential internally, on the other we have to focus on top talent from outside and so Employer Branding will be extremally important. Fortunately a very important dimension of our business is a sustainability and we do limit our carbon footprint as we have parcel lockers which limits the “last mile”. We genuinely care about ecology and our planet. So, as you can see there are a lot of things which need to be taken care of.”
We would like to thank Agata for a very interesting conversation, and we wish you good luck in your new role.
Dorota Serwińska, Partner
Poland
Surely there is plenty of information just waiting to be looked up on the internet? Finding the ideal person for a senior appointment should simply be a matter of entering the right keywords into Google and then calling them - shouldn’t it?
The internet has disrupted many things, and done so with such rapidity and to such an extent, that it is only reasonable to ask why Executive Search seems to have been immune. In truth, it hasn’t. If anything, it has changed more fundamentally in the last ten years - and beyond all recognition over the last 25 - than any of the other professional services.
In the 1990s, before the internet (yes, I was in Search then) clients delighted at the detailed sector analysis, market intelligence and candidate profiles that the Researchers of Executive Search firms collated in the initial stages of every Search. A veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of their world would be compiled as part of our work and land with a thud on the desks of clients eager to know more about their competitors, to be pored over and marvelled at. However, it was the discussions with the Search Consultant that defined the direction of the Search, to focus on those who would be the best fit and bring the greatest experience to the client’s boardroom. Numerous discrete telephone calls, several confidential discussions and often some considerable time later the Search Consultant would recommend a shortlist of just a handful of candidates to the client, and submit reports highlighting issues to cover at interview.
But now, all that data, all those profiles, all that market intelligence, all analysed in every possible way on a plethora of webpages is all free. Accept a few cookies onto your PC and you will know in mere seconds what any diligent Researcher at a reputable Search firm would have previously taken weeks to garner from telephone calls, professional journals, newspaper articles, public records, trade publications, conference papers and confidential references. So, why have Executive Search firms not just winked out of existence? How do they justify their fees, which are just as much as they ever were?
Here's why:
A database cannot ask penetrating questions of a client, cannot challenge misplaced assumptions, nor can it help inform and shape the precise requirements of a client’s need. Later in the process, it cannot make a compelling case to a potential candidate. An algorithm cannot listen carefully and note the nuanced responses, inner hopes and career aspirations of those approached. It certainly could not confidentially and professionally consider and advise on whether there is likely to be a meeting of minds between a candidate and a client. It would be very unlikely to suggest innovative and ‘different’ options. Because, people are not just keywords and data points.
It is noteworthy that consulting-led Search firms are in rising demand, despite all that free access to online data. Interestingly, the stereotypical ‘Headhunters’ with their ‘little black book’ of names and numbers of ‘contacts’ in any given marketplace are noticeably on the wane.
The value of an Executive Search firm is no longer simply ‘who we know’ in our network, but in ‘how we work’ as trusted advisors.
Andrew Guy
Partner, UK
In theory it is hard to disagree with the Nolan Principles of:
and the pandemic has demonstrated the overwhelming dedication of so many to a public service ethos, often under intense stress.
I have written about the importance of ethical leadership many times before because there are still far too many holding powerful positions who behave as though rules and social norms only apply to others and not to them. It is of course naïve to think of a halcyon, scandal-free age of British politics and British business, but the pattern of ignoring standards of openness and subverting governance is often the forerunner to corruption to the benefit of those who hold the power.
There is undoubtedly a clear overlap between the principles we expect in public life and those in business because the seventh of the Principles is the important of them all – leadership.
Leaders set the tone and this forms the culture. The tone must come from the top. We always advise that a company's senior leadership should place overt importance on ethical values, they should demonstrate a visible commitment to high standards, and they should be willing to be held accountable for standards within their organisation.
The Nolan principles offer one such checklist of fundamentals to sense-check a Board’s collective decision-making process and approach. Boards are vital to good decision-making. Ethical frameworks, like the Nolan principles, can help boards fulfil their purpose in a way that adds value - especially when all else seems uncertain.
Alastair Campbell said that we live in a ‘post‐shame’ world. I worry that we live in a ‘post-Nolan’ era.
We are entering a new age. Business can be the source of inspirational leadership and an engine of positive progress – but only if it is built on solid ethical foundations.
Lorri Lowe
Partner, UK
We asked more than 500 senior executives what they were most looking forward to when they return to the office, a staggering 28% of them said “Nothing.” Many said that they simply find their work environment unmotivating and can work better at home.
After a year of WFH, many people are genuinely worried about returning to their offices. They feel a real sense of dread and anxiety about wasting hours in traffic, or on crowded public transport, paying for overpriced lunches and not spending enough quality time with their families.
But for how long will employers remain flexible?
Very soon I suspect many will start to demand that people return - and quickly. David Solomon, the Goldman Sachs CEO, called remote work, “an aberration that we’re going to correct as quickly as possible.” And Amazon told its employees that it expected, “to return to an office-centric culture as our baseline.”. Office-centric – now that is an interesting way to define your culture.
Some employers are actively preaching the gospel of flexibility – being overtly receptive to concerns and appreciating that the free time given by the pandemic is something their employees are simply unwilling to relinquish
Not wanting to lose great people, some companies have spent the past year trying out different models, to figure out which one works best.
Whether that's allowing a hybrid of WFH and in-office work, or treating the office as a clubhouse where you gather for specific reasons, there are lots of innovative ways to approach this transition that keep both employee preferences and productivity in mind.
But most organizations still seem to be struggling with what will actually work best. There is however a rare opportunity to rethink formerly rigid conceptions of what an ‘office-centric’ culture should be.
There is no doubt that for some people, return-to-office anxiety is real.
It is important that businesses take steps to support their staff to feel safe when returning to work.
Avoiding a knee-jerk approach to reopening and strictly dictating when employees come back, and on what terms, might just be the safest option for everyone.
Lorri Lowe
Partner, UK
Steve Jobs said that it doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. You should hire smart people so they can tell you what to do.
Employees are vital in creating your company's reputation and reputation creates value for your company.
Today, more than ever, a company’s reputation counts. We live in the digital age, where people (stakeholders, aspiring collaborators or just curious people) turn to social media and websites to get references and news about companies - and your employees can promote or destroy your corporate image.
The basis of a good reputation is employer branding - the ability of the company to become a recognised and valued brand relies on your reputation as being a great employer. In many ways your employees are more important than your customers, because if you take care of them, they will then take care of your company.
Employees are the only people who really appreciate the ethos and culture of your company. For this reason, their opinions can have an important impact on your business and future revenue.
Employees are crucial in the creation of the company values through:
Reasons to invest more in employer branding:
Guglielmo Sallustio
Partner, Milan
The rules of the game have changed, and they could change again at any time. We have a duty not to superficially believe that a simple change in” how we work”, will be enough for our new reality. We must evolve, we must learn taking this rare opportunity for self-analysis and rethinking our corporate strategy, our values, and our purpose.
Companies must be adaptable and flexible, with the ability to withstand moments of uncertainty, and with the foresight to anticipate when unfavourable circumstances might arise.
The strategy should be simple to enable prompt analysis and agile decision-making.
An organizational structure should be flat and process-oriented, where the information flows easily and where there is access to pertinent information facilitating timely reactions to unexpected situations.
We must trigger the essential part of the organization: THE TEAM, redefining the organizational culture to encourage motivation and ensure we are all rowing in the same direction. A culture of innovation, together with interconnected and continuous learning means people can develop the skills this new model demands.
Solid HR basics are essential to adapt to the ever-increasing global transformation of business. Team selection and development become a key factor, as well as the use of Business Intelligence or Big Data tools so that HR professionals can make quick decisions based on data.
Perhaps reading this article was your first step, but we would be happy to support you on the rest of your journey.
María Figueroa, Associate
Madrid
Nevena Nikolova, the Managing Partner of Friisberg & Partners Bulgaria, has been invited to be a Moderator for AGILE HR - a virtual conference of the Bulgarian Association for People Management (BAPM) 23rd-27th November. As a member of the European Association for People Management (EAPM) and the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA) it is a non-governmental professional organization established as a platform for sharing experience and knowledge among its members in order to raise the general level of expertise in the community in line with the increasingly dynamic business environment in Bulgaria.
As Moderator she will act as a host, introducing the guest speakers, leading the Q&A sessions and the debates, serving as an interface between the speakers and the audience, giving opening and closing speeches, and summarizing the key insights.
Read: Nevena's introduction to the BAPM Conference.
Nevana is delighted to be involved, she said:
“In a VUCA world the organization`s agility is becoming the most important capacity allowing the survival and prosperity of every company. This conference aims to challenge and inspire both business leaders and HR professionals to adopt Agile philosophy and practices by learning from key opinion leaders in the field.”
The Association was established in 2000 to develop the best professional practices in human capital management and development and to support and develop professionals in the field of human resource management, to raise the status of the profession and set high standards in work equivalent to the world practices and trends. Its mission is to support the progress of society by creating conditions for the advancement of people and organizations. It promotes sharing, interacts and partners with other professional non-governmental organizations as well as with state institutions.
Today BAPM has more than 850 individual and corporate members working in the field of human capital management and development - from various companies and industries including heads of human resources departments in Bulgarian and multinational companies, training and development managers, recruitment experts, compensations and benefits experts, as well as managers and specialists from consulting companies, academic lecturers, communications experts.
Nevena has more than 20 years’ experience in Executive Search, Executive Assessment and Development. She is a certified Management Trainer of Group Dynamic Trainings and qualified Executive Coach. In 2015 she was elected as General Secretary of the Management Board of Friisberg & Partners International.
(Conference Website)
Christmas is inching ever closer, although we know that this year Christmas and New Year celebrations will not be the same due to the impact of Covid-19.
It is during the holidays that many people re-evaluate their life choices. Throughout the year there are clear peaks and troughs in the number of candidates open to new opportunities and taking this into consideration when hiring can be a great advantage.
Friisberg & Partners recommends to their clients that they consider these two questions:
Almost 25% [1] of people actively search for new roles in January, however there is typically a corresponding increase in job postings. The fact that many people are more relaxed during downtime means that 75% of the market are more passively open to talking with Headhunters about opportunities - and then being much more easily persuaded to leave their current role.
Susanne Becker Mikkelsen, Managing Partner of Friisberg & Partners International Denmark states,
“We often find that many Chief Executives and HR Directors are very busy at the beginning of the new year when new goals and plans are being launched, precisely when resources and time to contact potential candidates are scarce. We always ensure that assignments are carried out professionally, especially at busy times and an Executive Search firm can be critical to success. We can contact and make potential candidates aware of a vacancy, and ensure that candidate becomes interested in discussing it further."
Even if you feel you have a stable and secure workforce, we recommend reading the 2019 Epinion study [2] wherein a thorough analysis of the market showed that the four most common reasons for people taking on new work challenges are:
There are of course no hard and fast rules, however we can offer advice to make sure you’re taking the right path. It all begins with hiring the right person for the right position, but besides recruiting the best people for your company, you also have to nurture an engage your talent to stop them from leaving.
We can help to ensure that your organization is worthy of the talent it has and the talent it needs, and that you are motivating your people to ensure their ongoing commitment.
Josephine Lindhart
Friisberg & Partners International Denmark
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