Bad corporate sales pitches

Often companies will describe themselves as a large family, one that supports long term employment, hires employee friends and family, makes decision by stakeholder consensus, provide an opportunity to move within the company or promote a solid work life balance.

If any of this is indeed the culture of the company, it probably is not a progressive company or one that is highly productive.

These corporate sales pitches to potential employees as not likely going to attract the best talent as highly skilled people are not attracted to this culture.

These are ineffective sales pitches for the following reasons:

1.

Long term employment stability - This strategy is dangerous as good employees do not get excited about low turnover.

It usually means that there is an aging manager level who will be less receptive to new strategies and will also be less able to comprehend new technology driven strategies.

Not much movement also suggests less growth and the creation of roadblocks for personal development.

Employees learned quickly over the last few years that they are just a number in their company and that they need to fend for themselves and not to rely on their company to care for them.

As a result, candidates are now skeptical of companies that oversell stability in an effort to tell people that their company is different.

Do not try to attract talent this way.

Dynamic talent who are confident in their skill sets want a dynamic environment.

2.

Employee friends and family hired that creates a fun family culture (usually private or family owned companies)- This tells candidates that the company places a stronger emphasis on background and personality rather than talent.

3.

Decision by stakeholder consensus (usually private or family owned companies or not for profit)– This tells good candidates that the company sits on the fence when decisions need to be made regardless of any urgency to the business.

If this is combined with a stable company it usually means that all the old guys (girls) at the top will come to their old guy (girl) consensus.

Decisions will be skewed as well as delayed.

4.

The ability to move around to different areas of a company – Any company who suggests this is admitting that productivity is not the focus.

Culture should not be treated like a union job where an employee can move from the paint station to the hub cap assembly station because he is bored.

This is a business and unqualified people in any position is a poor business decision.

5.

Great work-life balance. – This has become a punch line in itself.

You better be able to prove it with three immediate examples.

A “We work hard and play hard” answer nowadays basically invites a smack in the face to whoever says it.

Farewell,

Mike