Josh Tolan“Anyone at Tesla can, and should, email/talk to anyone else according to what they think is the fastest way to solve a problem for the benefit of the whole company.”
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk recently stated these communication expectations in an in-depth email to employees. After explaining that there should be no hierarchical chain of communication, he went on to explain why.
“We are all in the same boat. Always view yourself as working for the good of the company and never your dept.” he wrote.
Musk’s demand for open flow of communication between all employees isn’t just above the movement of information. Instead, his communication philosophy is a call for true collaboration throughout all of Tesla — for the betterment of Tesla.
By applying this philosophy to the hiring process, HR pros can improve the quality of hires and the candidate experience. With strong collaboration, they can also stop wasting time and losing the impact of messages by siloing information between departments and employees.
Here’s how Musk’s communication philosophy will increase collaboration and improve your hiring strategy:
Cultural fit gets taken up a notch
Cultural fit is a company-wide issue. So, it should be approached in a collective and unified manner. Remember, “we are all in the same boat.”
Unfortunately, many HR pros drip information through departments. They talk to department managers about their cultural fit needs for a position, then managers speak to their staff, and the information is funnelled back around to the decision makers. This delays the flow of communication and lessens the impact of the messages relayed.
However, by stepping outside of departmental lines and openly communicating cultural fit needs, the entire workforce can directly focus on improving the company with better hires.
Drop the middleman.
Go directly to current employees to discuss cultural fit. Ask them what beliefs, attitudes, and personalities excel as part of their team and what an ideal candidate looks like.
Encourage them to discuss their own experiences. Did they immediately feel like they belonged on the team? Of employees they’ve seen leave, was it because of poor cultural fit?
Once you have a clearer picture, take collaboration even deeper into your hiring strategy. Bring employees in on interviews so they can assess a candidate’s cultural fit firsthand.
New talent pipelines are cracked open
When information is free-flowing between employees and the HR department, employees feel more connected with the hiring process. They’ll feel trusted and know their opinions are important when HR pros come to them for information.
This bond is crucial for the success of your hiring strategy. This is especially true when it comes to finding and nurturing those valuable new talent pipelines.
And if you’re like most companies, this is a major priority. In fact, in my team’s latest report, 2018 Growth Hiring Trends in the United States, 67 percent of the fastest-growing companies noted finding new talent pools as their highest priority in 2018.
Focusing on finding new talent pools becomes exponentially easier when you’re collaborating with your team. When employees feel valued, they’ll be more open and willing to share referrals. This creates an increased flow of new and high-quality talent delivered directly to you.
Candidates immediately feel welcomed
Inclusion and belonging aren’t important factors just for new hires and current employees anymore. Recruiters and HR pros are now making them a top focus in their hiring strategies.
Over half of companies in LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends 2018 say they’re “very” or “extremely” focused on both.
Tight-knit communications with all of your employees will shine through in every part of the hiring process. The more candidates see and interact with your current employees, the more they’ll feel welcomed early on in the process.
If employees are already included in interviews, encourage them to open up and discuss their role, what they love about it, and even something personal about themselves.
If bringing employees in on interviews isn’t plausible, ask a few employees from each department to make selfie-testimonials. These personalized videos will show off your team’s culture and company atmosphere, helping candidates make an immediate connection.
How do you collaborate with all the employees at your company? Let us know!
Guest Post
Spark Hire
