Do you want less employee absenteeism and turnover? Are you looking for ways to increase productivity and profitability? Of course, you are. Business leaders worldwide struggle with these issues. It turns out one of the best ways to improve these metrics is to improve your culture.

The latest Gallup research, summarized in their Building a Culture That Drives Performance report, shows that organizations with the best cultures usually skim the best talent from the labor pool. This outcome doesn’t happen by accident. You can build a great culture, too. It starts with talking to your existing employees.

Your team members appreciate your interest when you ask them what they like best about their jobs and the company. You make employees feel valued when you take action on their suggestions about how to improve their tasks. If you establish a career path for your employees and help them achieve their stated professional goals, culture improves. Your employees’ sense of contribution increases, and they’ll talk with their friends about what’s happening. 

You can extend culture building to your hiring process. In our highly competitive economy, having a great culture can help you bring in the top 20% of candidates who are looking for more rewarding positions. Start the process by identifying and stating the unique aspects of your culture in your recruiting material. Then, encourage your employees to refer their friends to apply for your open positions. After all, Gallup reports that, "71% of workers say that they use referrals from current employees of an organization to learn about job opportunities."

When it’s time to interview candidates, use an assessment tool, such as the one offered by SalesFuel Coach. This assessment tool can help you understand which candidates will best fit into your organization. You also need to listen to the types of questions candidates are asking. The ones who ask about “mission and talent” show they care about more than their paycheck. These prospects are likely to be more engaged if they join your organization.

Finally, set up a feedback loop. After a new hire has joined your organization and had time to settle in, talk with them. Ask about the factors that most heavily influenced their decision to come on board. Then, find out if the position and the company match their expectations. Identify areas for improvement and take action so you can continue to attract the best hires.