“I’m a strong believer in ‘fit,’” Nutter says, drawing on the example of, “You could be the best purchasing manager in the world, but if you don’t fit with the company, it probably wouldn’t work.”

Brannick praises such an emphasis on company culture in the hiring process. A strong personality match between candidate and company can mean both better performance and longer employee tenure, she says.

“The culture of a company drives how jobs are done,” she says. “A lot of times people leave not because they don’t like the job, but because they don’t like the way they have to do the job at that company.”

Valuing Success

Being focused on how you keep employees can be just as important to your business’ success as how you hire them. And, contrary to what you might think, money isn’t always the primary motivator keeping a strong performer on staff, long term.

“Money — giving raises — is a temporary thing,” says Jeff Cline, owner, as well as architect and chief construction manager for Littleton, Colo.-based Cline Design Group. “The thing that really motivates somebody is giving them a sense of ownership.”