Culture, Unscripted: 3 Questions to Ask Your People
If you are looking to generate compelling quotes from employees for your career site or social media, asking solid questions is the best place to start. The following three questions have become a staple for our producers when we are on-site capturing employee interviews.
1. Why do you love working here?
Yes, this is an obvious question, and some people may answer with just a few words, like "the people." However, we have also had experiences where employees respond with a five-minute story about how the organization changed their life. As simple as this question seems, many people have never been asked. When given the opportunity, you may end up with some powerful content.
Regardless of the answer, we have found that a straightforward, open-ended question like this is a great starting point to get employees thinking about their experience. Even a short answer can be powerful in the proper context. Ultimately, asking this question creates a space for employees to share the stories that truly define their connection to the company.
2. Do you feel this organization is invested in you as an individual?
This question opens the door for an employee to think about the ways in which the organization has supported their career. It also makes the topic personal. If you were to simply ask about their "career growth," they might only talk about titles and promotions. Framing it this way encourages them to think about the people who have supported them and how those individuals helped them grow.
Candidates are interested in career advancement and good pay, but above all, they want to know they will be treated like human beings. If they hear stories about people being supported personally, they will likely assume that professional advancement goes hand-in-hand. Ultimately, stories of personal support are the most powerful proof that your organization invests in its people, not just their job titles.
3. Do any of your personal values align with the values of the organization?
Often, company values are broad concepts like "integrity," so it should be relatively easy for employees to identify parallels with their own standards. However, it's possible they have never taken a moment to consider how much a value aligns with who they are. By simply asking, you shed light on a deep connection they might have never considered.
This may prompt them to look for that connection in other company values, identifying deeper parallels. With this wider view, they may also begin to recognize shared values in their fellow employees and their own daily activities. In this way, a simple question can forge a powerful and lasting connection between an employee's identity and the organization's mission.
Conclusion
While these three questions have proven to be consistently effective, we have found that the best insights often come from the follow-up questions that arise in an organic conversation. However, these prompts are a great way to start that conversation, identify your culture champions, and capture quick, powerful quotes for your website or social media channels.