Company Culture from a Digital Perspective

What you see is what you get. Or is it?

In this digital world, while you’re checking into a potential candidate’s online activity (or at least you should be), they’re checking out yours. Do you have a culture online? Are your employees speaking about “this cool company” they work for, or are your Glassdoor reviews telling a different story? Your digital company culture is one of the first points of interest any potential interview candidate will be looking at, does it present a good company culture that they can get excited about? Right now, it’s harder to communicate your culture in person, so going digital is the best way to tell the world about your awesome company.

Here are few myths & truths to consider:

1. Myth: If you build it, they will come.
   Good, Bad, or Indifferent many people think that they can’t change their company’s digital company culture because reviews are written by people outside of their sphere. The truth here is that while you may find that people are talking about your company, at least you can see what they’re saying, and respond. We wouldn’t recommend responding directly or with heated emotion but promoting the value-adding facets of your company on your website, social channels and conversations will help to build and shape a narrative that directly reflects the culture of your company. GovCon recruiting gets easier when people are excited to work at your company, and shaping the narrative significantly helps with that. A good company culture speaks for itself, and even negative reviews can become a positive given the right response.
2. Truth: YOU control the narrative of your company online.
   You have the ability to create a culture from the comfort of your keyboard at every keystroke. Be present on the social media channels that fit your company. If Snapchat isn’t your thing, don’t worry about it. Focus on your LinkedIn page. Does your leadership have an edge? Are they witty? Do they value their people over everything else? Share. Those. Things. Digital company culture comes down to what’s shared, so sharing these at every reasonable opportunity will reward you over time.
3. Myth: Having a website, any website, is good enough.
   If you haven’t updated your website since 2009, now’s the time. Potential candidates AND clients are using their research tools (i.e. the internet) to make determinations about who they want to work with and where they want to work. Your website can be professional and appealing while showcasing your company’s culture. Your website is a cornerstone of the digital company culture, for both potential employees and customers. Be conversational, appeal to the human element, and most of all, no BS that you can’t back up.
4. Truth: Employees want to be connected.
   If you can celebrate, showcase, or highlight employee milestones, do it! There are ways to showcase the great work your teams are doing while still maintaining privacy. Digital company culture can be helped tremendously by continually making the choice to participate in it. Share testimonials, reshare, or tag your company in photos posted by your team members that highlight staff events, or simply introduce your team in standalone posts with professional, clear headshots.

 

The key to a successful digital company culture is to remember that you and your team are humans. You’re talking to, working with, and serving other humans so that connection should not be ignored. Candidates and clients are looking at your digital culture.  Make sure you have a good company culture, and that this culture resonates externally, not just internally. Here are the top three things you can do to take a step in the right digital direction:

1. Update your website.
   Replace the outdated photos, check that all the links work, and create or update your “Contact Us” information & Social Channels. Make sure it’s visually appealing and has a look that says 2020. We’ve seen too many websites that look like they have been updated since 2010, and this generally indicates a lack of digital company culture.
2. Create & Post Content on Social Media.
   The GovCon industry primarily uses LinkedIn. Make sure you have a LinkedIn company page and that it links back to your website. Then start sharing updates, blogs, or information important to your team and clients. Ask your staff to share company updates on LinkedIn (or your platform of choice) as well. This is one of the key points of a good digital company culture, especially within the GovCon realm.
3. Share what makes your company and your team unique.
   Put a little pep into your digital presence with photos, GIFs, or (appropriate) Memes that will encourage conversation and sharing.

If you are looking for a digital diagnostic to point you in the right direction for your digital company culture, the BOOST team is ready to help! Visit us here and request a brief diagnostic for your business.