Why you can't recruit (even with a good corporate culture)

"The corporate culture here is great. I don't understand why employees don't stay, or why candidates don't line up in front of us. "

Spoiler: it's not (just) because your foosball table in the break room is broken.

Yes, having a good corporate culture is important. But believing that it's enough to attract the right profiles is like thinking that a good logo guarantees sales. It's a necessary condition, not a magic wand.

And above all... the culture has to be real. And not just a PowerPoint slide on the corner of an open-space desk.

Because "corporate culture" means nothing if nobody lives it

• Post LinkedIn "We value boldness." - Internal meeting: "Why did you do this without validation?"
• Post Instagram Field reality: "We're a human-sized company." - Field reality: "We're not here to manage your moods."
• Career page: "Kindness is part of our DNA." - Internal practices: "Here, if you make a mistake, you're on your own. To each his own."
• Onboarding speech: "You're free to suggest, to question." - Real-life experience: "Stay where you are. You'll see how it works over time."

If the gap between rhetoric and day-to-day reality is too wide, candidates are not fooled. And those who sign... don't stay long.

Because your ads sound boring (or even tongue-in-cheek).

If your offer starts with "As part of our development, we're looking for motivated talent..."... We'll stop you right there: nobody gets up in the morning for that.

The right profiles don't just want to "join a human adventure" (translation: do 10 jobs for the price of one). They want to understand why they should work for you, what they'll learn, and what they'll be good for.

Because it's not just about culture. There's also... the basics.

A 3-month recruitment process. Unclear interviews, with no framework or feedback. Sloppy onboarding. And "working in a hurry" has become a way of life.

I hate to break it to you, but even the best culture doesn't make up for poor organization.

Because it's the meaning that counts

Talent isn't looking for a personalized mug. Or a tote bag. They're looking for meaning.

To feel that what they do counts. That they are useful. Listened to. That they are given the means to do their job well. And that they really belong.

A corporate culture isn't something you write on a career site. It's what people experience every day. And if what they experience is vagueness, stress and silent management... Then it doesn't matter how "cool" your culture is: it's not enough.

The good news?

It doesn't have to be that way. But it requires a little more than a moodboard on Notion.

💡 A strong culture needs structure. 💡 Effective recruitment takes work. 💡 A sincere employer brand is built... through action.

And that's what we do.

At P2B Consulting we don't promise you an army of candidates. But we can help you become the company they really want to join.

It's up to you to decide whether you still want to recruit the old-fashioned way... Or whether you're ready to recruit with clarity, consistency, and a little more courage.

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