What do you do if your recruiting agency lacks a positive company culture?

I have used methods such as OCAI to gather quantitative data on different cultural dimensions. Surveys have helped too. Assessing culture via interviews and focus groups is easy to get in-depth insights and their perceptions, this will give comprehensive understanding about the organisations culture

Its essential to address issues proactively to mitigate any further negative impact on your team and the overall performance of the agency. Assess the situation, document areas for improvement , encourage team members to communicate their concerns and start to implement changes. Lead by example, empower your employees and provide the support and resources to allow your team to grow and feel involved in the change process. Monitor the progress of change and solicit ongoing feedback from the team to assess the effectiveness of efforts. Make any adjustments as needed. Its ESSENTIAL that employees feel valued, supported and motivated and this will also help your attraction and retention.

If a positive company culture is lacked by my recruiting agency, the root cause of the issue would first be tried to be identified by me. My colleagues and management would be spoken with to understand their perspectives and feedback on areas that need improvement would be gathered by me. If the issue persists, speaking with HR or higher management to address the concerns and suggest ways to improve the company culture would be considered by me. Ultimately, if the culture does not improve, considering finding a new agency that aligns with my values and priorities may need to be done by me.

In cases like this, I would recommend enhancing a positive company culture by prioritizing open communication, recognizing and celebrating achievements, and promoting a sense of belonging among team members its also important to engage in supportive and inclusive environment where employees feel valued and empowered that attracts top talent and drives success for the recruiting agency.

To improve a negative company culture in a recruiting agency, start by identifying issues like poor communication or low morale. Foster open communication and lead by example, embodying positive values. Encourage teamwork, provide training, and recognize positive behavior. Address conflicts promptly and promote work-life balance. Continuously seek feedback to evolve the culture positively.

Conduct anonymous surveys and gather feedback from employees to understand their perceptions of the current culture and identify specific issues. Hold focus group discussions to delve deeper into the feedback and gain more nuanced insights. Offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options and flexible hours, to support employees' work-life balance.

If your recruiting agency lacks a positive company culture, start by addressing the issue with your manager or HR to express your concerns and suggest improvements. Seek out colleagues who share your values and work together to create a more supportive environment. Focus on maintaining your own professional standards and a positive attitude despite the challenges. Look for opportunities to contribute positively, such as organizing team-building activities or promoting open communication.

I believe that one-on-one sessions with team members are incredibly important. These meetings create a space for open communication, but it's crucial to first ensure that they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. Approach these conversations with an open mind and listen carefully to what they say. It's also a good idea to verify the details of any situations they discuss. By doing this, you'll be better equipped to develop strategies that accurately address their needs and help boost overall productivity.

Assess the culture and start top down. In my experience the tone and culture of a business stems from the SLT. Driving change of any description has to have genuine buy in with the decision makers if its going to be a genuine cultural assessment and change.

I will do my best to fix it by talking to my team - surveys or meetings. Find out what's wrong and how to make it better. It's important for me to listen to their ideas and create a more positive work environment!

Company culture could make or break the career trajectory. Especially, if there are systemic issues. Setting goals and maintaining boundaries could be the most impactful ways to address that. Increase communication and finding underlying interests would be helpful to set those goals. Also, measurable targets aligned with company, team and individual progress will serve the purpose and bring the win win solution.

I've had the privilege of working in talent acquisition and training, and I've seen firsthand how important it is to express your concerns. When people don't do this, it can lead to counterproductive behavior, which ultimately results in silent quitting. I've always believed that communication is the key to success. When you're unsure about something, ask questions. Let your team know how you feel. Set realistic goals and measurable targets for yourself. Make sure that your goals align with the company's values and objectives. And finally, get leadership buy-in.

Establishing goals to understand what success looks like is important if we are to facilitate change. Clear outcome based objectives that align with the feedback gathered from the entire business and with frequent re assessment will help us measure success, adapt to challenges and create a progressive future culture

Company culture is so important in recruitment but it doesn’t work to just ‘come up with a culture’ one day and set targets to get there. Culture is complex. Your people will be much more likely to buy into the culture targets if they’ve been part of defining the culture in the first place. Communicate with them and ask for their views on what they think the culture should be, and how to get there.

In my experience, the issue often stems from leadership. I remember working for an amazing company where a few leaders negatively impacted its reputation. To improve the company's culture, these leaders were replaced, signalling a commitment to positive change. Evaluate and asses your company's culture, start with leadership as they often set the tone. Replace toxic leaders if necessary. Clearly define the social norms of the organization and set specific realistic goals to avoid ambiguity. Implement training for leaders and employees and establish regular feedback mechanisms to monitor progress. Effective communication, transparency, and adjustments based on the feedback gathered are essential in fostering a cohesive work environment.

In my experience, having policies in place is key but it’s how those policies are implemented on a day-to-day basis by the management team that is so important. If you are revising policies, make sure that training is provided to managers on how to implement them. Inconsistent application of policies is guaranteed to be a negative influence on your culture.

Nobody likes change, but we need to find ways of embracing change and this has to start with the SLT. We can implement all the changes in the world but if this isnt supported by the key decisions makers it will be like pushing water uphill! I have personally leant this from my own experience and until I found a way to win the hearts and minds of SLT to implement and believe in this change, its unlikely things will change.

Implementing changes can be tricky. Transparent communication is crucial during this process to ensure everyone is on the same page. In my experience, asking for feedback about the changes can be incredibly valuable. This feedback not only helps improve the changes themselves but also enhances our overall strategies. By involving the team and listening to their input, we can make more informed decisions and ensure smoother transitions.

Something we have found helpful at Barclay Simpson is an annual 360 feedback exercise. It sounds scary but it’s resulted in some fantastic culture improvements. We make our survey anonymous and give staff a free text option at the end to give their ideas. It’s the free text section which results in the most positive and significant changes. Give it a try!

We are all responsible for fostering a positive and inclusive culture. If we own our own behaviour and hold ourselves accountable this is a great step to a great culture. Living and breathing core values on a daily basis and across every area of the business will create a thriving environment that people enjoy being part of.

Measuring, investigating, and assessing how the team sees your culture is important, but a lot to do with a strong culture comes down to common sense. (1) Be fair (2) Be consistent (3) Be clear about expectations (don't have different standards for different team members) (4) Positively reinforce high achievers/strong contributors (5) Just be nice to people (even when you're having a bad day) It's not that hard. A good look in the mirror usually helps.

Start with yourself! The leader or manager has a huge part to play in instilling a positice vibve and culture. Find out what motivates your team, remembering that everyone is different and has varying goals and objectives. The main thing I have learnt for a positive is BE HUMAN!