Promoting and exercising proven human resource strategies to ensure the recruitment and retention of top talent is critical for corporate success. There has never been a time when human resources management has been more important. Companies that offer an exciting corporate culture have a distinct advantage over lesser-known competitors without the name recognition and reputation of an industry leader.

Define and Nurture your Corporate Culture and Image

Savvy entrepreneurs define their corporate mission and write it down for everyone to see as a constant reminder about the corporate goals and values. Being able to answer questions about how your company is unique and superior to other organizations is critical for building your team. Everyone should know the company's story by heart. Company events and training should continuously reinforce core values and company objectives.

When you consider the hype surrounding companies like Google and Apple, then you get the picture about the significance of the "cool factor" that attracts key players that have their choice of employers. Inc. reports that a single bad hiring decision can make a big difference in the success of your company.

Monitor Employee Satisfaction

One sure way to encourage declines in performance is to ignore the warning signs of employee dissatisfaction. Building an attractive corporate culture means very little if you allow it to fall apart due to neglect. Surprise employee surveys and targeted employee exit interview questions reveal problems when they first arise so that they can be addressed before mushrooming into lower profit margins and a loss of respect in the industry.

Exit interviews can yield a wealth of useful information if done properly. There are several schools of thought about the best way to conduct an employee exit interview. The Society for Human Resource Management reports that some companies prefer to use a third party to conduct this all important fact-finding session, believing that employees will find it easier to open up to an outsider than to share sensitive feedback with a company representative. Since employees on the way out know they may need future references from supervisors, it is no surprise that there can be a reluctance to complain about working conditions.

Other companies use human resource managers who try to relax employees by establishing a casual atmosphere that encourages an honest exchange. In some businesses, a questionnaire is mailed to the employee after they officially leave as a way to gather feedback in a non-confrontational way.

Employee feedback should be assessed and discussed. The best way to mainain an attractive corporate culture is to respond to negative feedback by addressing the problem as soon as possible. This ongoing process is crucial for the health of any business.

Prepare Employees for Success

The onboarding process is an important part of building a team. Well-defined job descriptions and proper training ensures that "new hires" get off on the right foot. While this sounds like common sense, all too often new employees are thrown to the wolves without adequate training. The Small Business Chronicle recommends that human resource professionals check-in regularly with both the manager and the new employee to be sure expectations are clear and that training is going well.

Ongoing and frequent feedback is the best strategy for keeping employees informed and feeling like a part of the big picture. Successful organizations see the importance of steering employees in the right direction. Employees need feedback and direction so they can excel and meet objectives.

Conclusion

Companies that hope to compete successfully in today's marketplace must employ winning human resource strategies. Monitoring the pulse of an organization is largely about communicating with your employees. That is why one of the most important roles of any human resources department is to stay involved with employees to gain insights about challenges and changes that need attention.