EP081 Crafting Culture: The Key to Hiring Success
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[00:00:00] 

[00:00:06] Darin Newbold: All right. Well, good day and welcome to Commerce Today. My name is Darin Newbold and I am very, very excited to have our wonderful Talent Acquisition Manager at Creatuity, Natalia Pitra. And she is here to talk with us about the really important role that culture plays in the hiring process and how important it is to make sure you get that right in your hiring.

[00:00:30] Darin Newbold: So Natalia, we're really, really happy to have you. 

[00:00:33] Natalia Pitra: Thank you, Darin, for the introduction. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to discuss this very important topic with you. 

[00:00:42] Darin Newbold: That is awesome. Well, as we, uh, as we kind of get into this, let's just start out with what's important about having culture in hiring?

[00:00:50] Natalia Pitra: Okay. So, uh, basically culture is the backbone of any organization. So let's make that clear. Uh, it defines the [00:01:00] environment in which employees work and interact. Uh, when a company's culture align with its employees, values and behaviors, it fosters a positive. And productive work environment. Well, uh, hiring for a cultural fit ensures that new hires thrive and contribute to the company's success.

[00:01:26] Natalia Pitra: My leading idea is to hire for cultural fit as skills can be developed over time, which means that people bring culture input while skills can be simply taught. 

[00:01:40] Darin Newbold: That is a great, uh, great way to look at it. so as we kind of continue here, you've kind of already given us some of the benefits of hiring for CultureFit, but I think you probably have a couple more.

[00:01:49] Darin Newbold: So, so share with me, if you would, maybe some of those benefits that you found in that, uh, that CultureFit process. 

[00:01:57] Natalia Pitra: Of course. Well, I shared with you the [00:02:00] overall, the basics, the general thing, but hiring full culture fit can lead to higher employee retention rates as employees are more likely to stay with a company where they can Just feel that they belong.

[00:02:15] Natalia Pitra: Obviously, it enhances teamwork and collaboration, since employees, um, let's say, share common values and work towards the same goals. Overall, it contributes to a cohesive and productive work environment. 

[00:02:34] Darin Newbold: And one of the things that you didn't mention it here, but it's really important. I want to add to this is that when you have that culture fit, it can give a quick sense or a better sense of trust among people.

[00:02:47] Darin Newbold: And, and what you've shared then is that really, that really comes to those common values and working towards the same goals. So, all right, let's talk the flip side of this. What happens when we do it wrong [00:03:00] and we don't have, we have a poor cultural fit? 

[00:03:02] Natalia Pitra: Well, unfortunately, um, there are still the companies that have this, uh, poor cultural fit, organizational and environmental, uh, things.

[00:03:13] Natalia Pitra: So, uh, well, a poor cultural fit can lead to dysfunction. So it reduced productivity and, very high, uh, possibility of a high So basically, employees who do not, who do not fit the culture may struggle to integrate with their colleagues, leading to conflicts and lack of collaboration. And they basically don't match to the company.

[00:03:41] Natalia Pitra: So this can ultimately harm the company's performers and what's more, reputation. 

[00:03:47] Darin Newbold: We definitely don't want that. And, and I think every company has had situations where they've had. bad hires or poor hires. And, and it's not that it's a bad person. It's just a bad fit, but [00:04:00] on that, and, and I know I, I think I'd ask you to, uh, to kind of bring this up, but maybe, maybe a case study or at least, uh, uh, an example for us on a successful.

[00:04:10] Darin Newbold: Uh, 

[00:04:12] Natalia Pitra: certainly. Uh, I'd like to share the experience of my beloved Creatuity. A company where I played a significant role in integrating cultural fit into our hiring process. Well, at Creatuity, we developed a culture. unique cultural fit interview process. Well, this process basically includes a carefully crafted questions designed to highlight our company values, our mission, and showcase our culture.

[00:04:44] Natalia Pitra: In general, uh, this approach has been highly effective, might say, uh, and in identifying candidates who thrive within our unique culture. 

[00:04:59] Darin Newbold: [00:05:00] Yeah. And what's, what's made this, I think, really work for us is in asking those questions. It really, it really causes the candidates to answer and it really helps us know right away.

[00:05:13] Darin Newbold: whether or not they're a fit for the culture that we're looking for and based on the criteria and the, and our company values. And that's what makes it so 

[00:05:21] Natalia Pitra: important. Also the candidates, uh, feel and see, and they can decide by themselves if they feel that they fit to the culture.

[00:05:31] Natalia Pitra: So it works both ways, to be honest. 

[00:05:34] Darin Newbold: Exactly. And it makes it so that the hiring process isn't quite as, challenging. 

[00:05:39] Natalia Pitra: Yeah, like the routine stuff. Exactly. We enhance here. Yeah, correct. We are not so, you know, boring though, asking, you know, some random questions like, how much is 70 plus three? So no, you, you wouldn't find that, that kind of 

[00:05:56] Darin Newbold: question.

[00:05:57] Darin Newbold: I'm glad. I'm very glad we don't have that. [00:06:00] Well, And we just started talking a little bit, but kind of identifying that culture fit during hiring. So that starts with the job descriptions and really creating job descriptions that reflect that company culture. Tell us a little bit more about that.

[00:06:13] Natalia Pitra: Well, it's very crucial to start from the very beginning from the foundation, uh, such as creating the hiring process in company and then start to creating this job descriptions. So basically they should include not only the skills that we desire and qualifications, uh, required, but also highlight the company's values, mission, and work environment.

[00:06:40] Natalia Pitra: And this gives potential candidates a sense of what to expect to apply or to not apply. Checks, if they fit and helps attract those who really align with the company's culture. So, uh, we just don't, do the stuff like [00:07:00] we, like the candidate, uh, can have this potential feeling that he wastes time, he or she wastes time with us.

[00:07:08] Natalia Pitra: So we have that much respect for our potential candidates. 

[00:07:12] Darin Newbold: tell me a little bit about the interview questions on assessing this culture fit. I know you develop specific questions about it and that they reflect our core values, but tell me a little bit more about it. 

[00:07:23] Natalia Pitra: Well, each value has around 10 carefully designed questions that reflect the given value in behavior.

[00:07:32] Natalia Pitra: So for instance, for the value we are united, I might ask when was the last time you helped someone with something? Or when, what does a difficult conversation or situation mean to you with examples? Another example of our value that says we are innovative. I might ask, what are you most proud of? And to be honest, that's my favorite one because, it, uh, can [00:08:00] create the bond between me.

[00:08:02] Natalia Pitra: And the candidate, because, to be honest, uh, candidates, uh, and a little insights, they take more time to answer to this question. They really reflect on their life. and the other question can be, tell me more about the situation when teamwork didn't go as planned. Obviously each question aligned with examples.

[00:08:23] Natalia Pitra: So these questions are basically designed to. Um, uncover whether a candidate's values and behaviors align with our company culture. 

[00:08:36] Darin Newbold: So you started talking a bit about behaviors and definitely that's very, very important. And I know that's key in the interview process. But tell me a little bit more about kind of the behavioral.

[00:08:46] Darin Newbold: Interview techniques, as well as even role playing scenarios that might be added. 

[00:08:50] Natalia Pitra: Well, uh, first of all, I don't want to, uh, scare all people that will be, uh, watching this, uh, especially, uh, recruitments and, [00:09:00] um, and talent acquisitions. Uh, but it is hard. Uh, it takes a lot of trainings, uh, because we don't want only answers.

[00:09:09] Natalia Pitra: We want examples, but we want to see through the words. We want to see actions. So, uh, behavior interviews, uh, techniques involve, uh, asking, uh, candidates to provide examples of how they handle specific situation in the past. So it can be some, uh, sometimes triggered because, if, uh, candidates wants to change their work, it means that the situations in the past wasn't so pleased.

[00:09:38] Natalia Pitra: So that's why obviously they are trying to change the work. So it can be sometimes be triggered. So we have to somehow handle the situation. So it's very important to be a very high emotional person here and empathetic. And this gives also the insights. into their behavior, um, decision making [00:10:00] process. I also use role playing scenarios to simulate real work situations, and this allow us to observe how candidates interact uh, and respond in a setting that mirrors.

[00:10:17] Natalia Pitra: environment. So this approach simply helps me, uh, assess if they are actions and reactions aligned with our company culture. And why I emphasize reactions? Because, candidates are very often, surprised by questions that I'm asking them. So, but positively, obviously positively, uh, surprised. So I'm happy with it.

[00:10:42] Darin Newbold: That's awesome. That's awesome. So kind of moving on here, implementing that culture focused hiring. what are at least kind of starting with the steps to integrate that culture in the hiring process? how would you start that? What's, what's kind of, what's kind of that very first step?

[00:10:57] Natalia Pitra: Okay. So I would use it as a, Advice. [00:11:00] For a company, because I think that I have experience and very good experience here. So I see that the results of, uh, this, um, process of the cultural fit is very progressing, uh, especially here. So, um, first of all, I think that companies need to clear, uh, clearly, uh, define their culture and values.

[00:11:22] Natalia Pitra: And if they don't have. I like a piece of advice from me. Do it like as soon as possible, because I know there are some companies that, that still don't believe it, or they think that these are just words, but they aren't if you pay the actions. Uh, so, uh, they think that they, I think that they should, uh, incorporate these into every stage of hiring process.

[00:11:49] Natalia Pitra: And obviously. In life of the company, but from the job description to interview questions, they, uh, the values should be seen there. So training [00:12:00] also the hiring managers and interviewers, uh, on how to, um, assess cultural fit is also crucial. Well, at Creatuity, uh, for instance, I ensure that our interviews understand, uh, our values and can effectively communicate.

[00:12:20] Natalia Pitra: and assess them during interviews. So, um, we start by introducing, uh, our company through the animated presentation. So, this, um, presentation, uh, showcase, uh, our values and provides, um, let's say insights of our daily life at Creatuity. Uh, what is very important, I am honest and transparent. And I think that this really demonstrate that we are professional and prioritize business first.

[00:12:55] Natalia Pitra: And finally, I think that companies, um, well, [00:13:00] they should continuously gather feedback and refine their approach to ensure it remains effective. So be open to feedback, be open to change, and be open to wanting to hear people. Uh, what are the, what are the people saying? Because the majority of employees Transcripts want nothing but good for the company, truly.

[00:13:26] Natalia Pitra: I work with them day by day, daily, so really, you have to take my word for it. 

[00:13:32] Darin Newbold: Absolutely. And that's fantastic. That's it's so important for companies to have their values, outlined, they know it, and then they live it each and every day, and then incorporating that into every bit of the process, because of kind of the time constraints we have here, I'm going to, I'm going to move us a little bit forward, Natalia, on kind of what we have in our notes, just to, maybe you could kind of summarize for me talking about kind of the You said be willing to [00:14:00] be open to change and be open to feedback and that's so important, but really that's, that's that constant never ending improvement, the kanai or kaizen as the Japanese might say, so continuous improvement and feedback loops.

[00:14:12] Darin Newbold: Maybe just in summary, tell me your thoughts there, and, and how that looks and how you approach it. 

[00:14:18] Natalia Pitra: Well, uh, basically implementing a feedback, uh, loop ensures that the hiring process evolves because we have to remember it's not something, uh, routine. It's not something that stay, uh, and still we have to progress.

[00:14:33] Natalia Pitra: Like the world is changing and we have to follow it. So, um, basically what we are doing here, uh, that we are taking from our cultural fit, we, process it and we take feedbacks each quarter. So for instance, we have something like, uh, after each project quarter, we conduct one on one meetings, uh, with the managers and basically we.[00:15:00] 

[00:15:00] Natalia Pitra: evaluate each other guys there. We, perform retrospectives based on our core values and this very helps us understand, uh, our strengths and obviously areas for improvement. Like we don't want much of them, but let's be honest, they are. And when I'm, what I'm most proud of, because I was a huge fan of part of it.

[00:15:20] Natalia Pitra: We created a cultural boot camp to help our team better understand each other. Well, we are Polish American company, so our employees work closely together daily. And let's say, our culture difference, um, Especially in a business way, okay? Like Polish people are more, um, uh, forward. And, um, you guys in US, you are more like, you know, business approach, like the sandwich or whatever.

[00:15:49] Natalia Pitra: Like we, we just go. Straightforward. So with this, uh, cultural bootcamp, uh, we design, uh, that the bridge, uh, these gaps [00:16:00] enhancing mutual understanding, collaboration, you know, among our diverse team members. So we are focusing on this and we can work just effectively and harmoniously regardless of this like cultural backgrounds.

[00:16:16] Darin Newbold: Perfect. That is awesome. Well, what a great summary to all of this. Natalia, you have been a fantastic and are a fantastic asset in our talent acquisition and everything that you do. Uh, I want to tell everyone, Hey, we definitely love to hear from you. We'd love to hear about your hiring process. Process and what's gone good for you, what's maybe not gone so good.

[00:16:37] Darin Newbold: So you're always welcome, uh, Joshua Warren. Uh, you can find that on Joshua Warren on LinkedIn, and you can find our, uh, our, uh, this podcast on YouTube and, uh, all of the, the major podcast channels. So we definitely encourage you to reach out, uh, Natalia again. Thank you. Thank you very, very much for jumping on here.

[00:16:59] Darin Newbold: You're [00:17:00] very welcome. And, we definitely look forward to our, uh, our next episode when it comes. And so with that, thank you all. And until next time, take care, have a great day. ​