From Core Beliefs to Key Questions: Translating Values Into Hiring Success

Find new employees who fit in

When it’s time to add new people to your team, asking about their skills and background is easy. Figuring out their professional principles is harder. Still, it’s worth taking the time to learn what your new hires actually care about. If they share your values, they’ll probably get along with your current staff and help you accomplish your long-term business goals. If not, they may not feel motivated to do their best work every day. Ask the right interview questions to find the right fit for your company culture.

Values in the workplace

What are your core business beliefs? Before you hire workers who share them, you need to state your values outright. Do you want to disrupt old-fashioned industries or keep up traditions? Do you leave work at work, or finish the job no matter what? Even your dress code says something about your business.

These principles help your employees work together and navigate tough professional situations. Whatever you believe, put it down in writing somewhere and make sure that your employees have easy access to it. You should also post it on a company website so that job applicants can see it, too.

New hires who know and agree with your core beliefs may fit in better at your business. They’ll probably like their coworkers, support your objectives and feel comfortable with the pace of the work. On the other hand, workers who don’t mesh with the company culture—however talented they might be—may feel stressed, bored, restless or confused.

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Interviewing for a cultural fit

You probably already know how to interview candidates about their skills and experience. Learning about their values is a little trickier. You have to ask open-ended questions and let applicants zero in on what’s most important to them.

Try asking candidates about these topics:

Work environment

Is your workplace fast-paced or laid-back? Highly collaborative or mostly independent? A candidate who feels comfortable at work can produce great results for your company. Try asking:

• What would your ideal workday look like?

• Do you prefer a quiet workspace or a lively one?

• How much guidance do you need on new projects?

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Coworkers

Your new hire has to get along with the rest of the staff. In some companies, coworkers build deep, lasting friendships. In others, everyone keeps a polite, professional distance. Some fields require constant teamwork, while others encourage solo work. Consider these questions:

• Did you know your coworkers well at your last job?

• Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?

• How would you contribute to a team project?

Motivation & goals

“Why do you want to work at this company?” is a bit of a cliché, but it provides useful information. Beyond paying the bills, what does your candidate want out of a job? Why choose this field? What do they want to achieve in the long run? Questions include:

• What is your professional code of ethics?

• How did you first get interested in this industry?

• What would you like to accomplish in this role?

Personality traits

Some personality types will fit into your company more easily than others. A talkative employee may not like a quiet office, while an overachiever might get bored when business is slow. Ask potential new hires:

• How would your professional colleagues describe you?

• What is your greatest strength/weakness in a work setting?

• If you weren’t in this industry, where else would you like to work?

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Work-life balance

Your employees need to get their work done, but they also need to live their lives. Every company handles work-life balance a little differently, so make sure that your potential hires are on the same page as you. Use these questions as a starting point:

• After the workday is done, do you disconnect completely?

• What do you see as acceptable/unacceptable reasons to work extra hours?

• When can an assignment wait until tomorrow? When does it need to get done ASAP?

Following up to find the right hire

After the first interview, you should have a rough idea of whether a candidate’s values match yours. From here, you can take a few more steps to find out whether the applicant would really be a good fit.

First, ask your staff to weigh in, particularly if they’d be working closely with the new hire. See if a few of them can sit in on a second interview. They may ask questions that you didn’t think of. You could also ask staff members to read over a candidate’s resume, cover letter or social media profile.

Second, give the candidate a practical test. This can be a mock assignment or actual contract work. Not only will you see how they perform, but you’ll also learn how they communicate with coworkers, follow instructions and manage deadlines.

Finally, check a potential hire’s references. Ask them about their experiences working with the candidate and see what they have to say.

Build your company culture with Walmart Business

Building a strong company culture takes dedication and a clear, consistent vision. To learn how other leaders turned their core beliefs into successful businesses, check out the Walmart Business content hub. There, you’ll find financial guides, marketing strategies and other articles to help your organization thrive.

Also consider signing up for a Walmart Business account. At Business.Walmart.com, you can find a variety of useful products from office supplies to professional workwear. You can also buy goods in bulk, create multi-user accounts with shared payment options and view complete order histories for both online and in-store purchases.

If you already have an account, upgrade to a Walmart Business+ membership. With it, you’ll get free shipping from Business.Walmart.com¹ and free delivery from nearby Walmart stores on orders of $35 or more.² You’ll also earn 2% back in Walmart Business Rewards on orders of $250 or more.³ Together, these perks could save your business more than $500 per year.⁴

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply. 

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).