Findings included 64 per cent of employees surveyed saying they had left an organisation because its values did not match their own; 71 per cent said they valued culture fit attributes over remuneration.
The consultancy's Workplace Culture white paper identifies the challenge for employers is finding the sweet spot where their employees' values match the organisation's cultural fit. Time spent identifying the cultural success factors that best suit the organisation and its people is time well spent.
When there is a mismatch between an employee and workplace culture, the impact is dramatic.
Staff turnover costs organisations time and money. Direct replacement costs can reach as high as 60 per cent of an employee's annual salary.
You can't force a cultural fit on an organisation, says Shay Peters, New Zealand director of Robert Walters Wellington. "However, you can help shape and influence it through leadership behaviours and role modelling of values, and let it flow down. It's unlikely to be led by a bottom-up approach.
"Some workplace cultures occur organically and some are implemented by leadership. Some are also inherent, based on the industry the company is in -- a start-up versus a traditional professional services firm.
He says cultural fit can be hard to define as it comes down to several intangibles. "We've defined culture fit as the likelihood a potential recruit will be able to fit in with the core values, attitudes and collective behaviours within an organisation.
"For example, growth companies that pride themselves on innovation often need nimble and agile thinkers, employees who can operate well within an ambiguous and constantly moving environment. If someone's personal style is that they require process and structure to feel comfortable, it may not be the right workplace for them to develop and flourish."
Alternatively, if someone is a creative thinker and needs to be surrounded by like-minded people, a highly structured environment with process-orientated mindsets may not be right for them.
"What needs to be emphasised, is that there are no hard and fast rules about what makes up organisational culture. It can be the messaging provided to the market by employees and a proactive employee brand, or it can be as simple the feel you get when you walk in the door."
He suggests interviews be a two-way process, and include culture fit questions. "It is equally important for the candidate to assess what type of employer they could potentially be working for."
He suggests applicants ask:
*What style of employee has been the most effective in this organisation?
*What is the company's working and leadership style like?
*What is the management style?
*How would you describe the company's values?
*How has the company changed over the past few years?
*What are the plans for growth and development?
*What are the biggest rewards of the job and working for this company?
*What are the best and the least favourite parts of working for this company?
For interviewers, asking behavioural interview questions will provide a solid view of the candidate's values and cultural suitability:
*What is their ideal working style?
*In what type of environments have they flourished?
*Under what type of management style have they learnt the most?
"It's important that the interviewer doesn't oversell or bend the truth about the culture," he says.
"Seventy four per cent of candidates we surveyed believed what was promised about the organisation's environment during the recruitment process wasn't a reality."
He notes that someone may fit the organisation's culture but not have the desired "hard skillset" and therefore not be able to perform the basic functions of the role. However, if a person who doesn't have all the hard skills but has the desired culture fit attributes, the desire to learn, and eagerness to succeed, spending time coaching and upskilling these employees will often reap rewards.
A well-structured onboarding process to integrate the employee into the organisation is vital, for instance, giving a new starter access to a mentor who has been part of the organisation for a few years.
Another finding was that 92 per cent of employees said the organisation should be responsible for investing in workplace culture.
"Some organisations can impact culture by making changes to their leadership team," says Shay, "creating a policy around flexible working options, or having more team-based and social activities."
He says employee engagement surveys and exit interviews are a good way to identify if there are problems with cultural issues.
"Employees are usually very honest in their exit interview, so it provides a great source of knowledge for the organisation on why employees are leaving."
Attributes that make up an organisation's workplace culture
Look and feel
Working style (flexible working options; how performance is reviewed and measured)
Leadership style
Working environment e.g. open plan vs office vs cubicles
