Mission statements say a lot about a business, and regardless of whether you’re part of a large company or a small privately owned business, your mission statement can play a key role in attracting top talent.
A company’s mission statement can resonate strongly with staff, suppliers, equity owners and a range of stakeholders, as well as job candidates. It can provide inspiration and an ongoing reminder of what the organisation is striving towards.
At the simplest level, a mission statement sums up your company’s goals and values. It helps to provide a path forward for newly established ventures, and as a company matures, the mission statement will continue to define what the business is aiming to achieve, shaping the future direction of the company as it navigates growth and expansion.
Here are some of the key factors to consider when writing a mission statement, and how it can support your organisation to recruit and retain quality professionals.
The key aspects of a company mission statement
There is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ mission statement. In fact, think of your mission statement as a valuable opportunity to differentiate your company from your competitors.
It is worth taking the time to craft a mission statement that accurately sums up the company’s strategy and core goals. This may sound easy but it calls for some soul searching about what inspired the company’s foundation.
A good mission statement demands honesty. Mission statements that are generic, impersonal, or uninspiring, can detract from the way job candidates, current employees, and even your customers view the business.
So focus on what is at the very heart of your business – what makes it tick, and what truly matters to the company.
How your mission statement can influence hiring
Mission statements are more than just impressive phrases. Having a clear, unique mission statement can support your efforts to attract and retain quality candidates in several ways.
1. Attracting top talent
Your company mission statement says a great deal about the business – it’s a chance to promote positive brand values, which can catch the eye of candidates.
2. Recruiting candidates with compatible ambitions
Hiring staff means developing a relationship with people. Ideally, that relationship will be long term, and this will only happen successfully if the goals of both jobseekers and the company are aligned.
By making the company’s goals clear through a mission statement, you are better placed to identify job candidates who fit your corporate culture. Your mission statement can act as a guide or point of reference during resume reviews and the interview process to help you find suitable professionals.
Five aspects to address in your mission statement
If your company doesn’t already have a mission statement in place, it’s worth developing a vision for your organisation to follow, and it’s never too late to develop your mission statement.
If you are unsure about where to begin, bear in mind that a quality mission statement centres on five key aspects:
- What your business does
- What the business aspires to achieve
- Who your business serves
- How your business supports customers, and
- The sort of culture you are trying to create for employees.
Aim to pull the best of these points together in a single mission statement. Remember, a good mission statement is short and concise – often comprised of a single paragraph made up of one or two sentences. It’s a good idea to jot some ideas down and circulate them among your team for feedback.
Make your mission statement accessible…to all
Once your statement is complete, make it visible. Add it to your company website, consider including it in emails or newsletters, and above all, review your mission statement from time to time.
Nothing stands still for long, and it’s okay to fine-tune your mission statement. Just be sure it continues to embody the passion shared by current employees because that enthusiasm could be one of your best tools when it comes to attracting new staff as well as retaining your existing team.
