One of our goals at GotVMail was to create a world class work culture. In order to achieve that goal, we need to create an outstanding employment brand. What's an "employment brand"? Similar to any other brand name, an "employment brand" are the recognizable attributes a company projects to prospective and current employees. It's essentially what people think about your approach to finding the right talent, and how you treat that talent once they're a part of your company.
There are two very important imperatives to GotVMail's employment brand: treat every employee and prospective employee better than you would treat your best customer, and make things radically easy for your applicant, from the interview process to benefits. Important to note: "easy" doesn't mean "easy interviews." It means creating a situation where expectations about the position are clear from the outset, and that part of doing well in that job doesn't consist of guessing what your personal objectives are as an employee. For this post, I'm going to talk exclusively about the impact of treating every who enters your office with respect.
We may be a growing start-up, but whenever a prospective employee enters our Boston office, they're greeted and made to feel at home right away. Candidates shouldn't feel like they're interrupting the flow of business or putting anyone out by arriving for an interview. I'd never thought about how powerful a personal greeting could be to a prospective employee until I received a thank you note from a candidate who explained its impact: he felt valued and welcomed from the moment he stepped in because he received such a warm welcome from our staff. It affirmed my belief that it was very important for every candidate to be greeted and given a personal tour of our headquarters when they arrive for an interview.
A workplace shouldn't be an alienating environment, regardless of whether you're a current or prospective employee. Employees should feel as valued and worthy of attention as the vendors you do business with each day. This is a crucial tenet of our employment brand; we want people to know we want them!
I have to say that this is a great idea. I remember going to interviews and feeling more like a number than a potential employee. Do you have just one person conducting the meet and greet per se? If so, would you say that this individual is the heart and soul of your company? Is this person outgoing? I'm asking because I would like to incorporate this in my company and looking for the right candidate.
Great questions and glad you can see the value in this as I hope candidates do as well. Right now we make sure Andy at the front desk has a list of anyone coming and he is also the person giving the tours. He very much represents our culture, is very outgoing and enjoys talking to people.
It is important the right person is greeting people and is passionate about not just the company but the idea of the tour.