By: Be Kaler Pilgrim, Futureheads founder
Attracting new talent isn’t just about a tempting salary and an interesting role. In the current candidate-driven climate you need to go the extra mile. You might think that means attention-grabbing office spaces, free breakfast and regular social events, but the people your team needs might be more interested in hearing about hard hitting company objectives that drive positive business and social change. Either way, you need to think about how to make your brand appeal to current and prospective employees to cut through the competition.
Kaler Pilgrim- Futureheads founder
We’re starting to see an unprecedented boom in job-market movement, with a 46% increase in vacancies from January – March of this year seen by digital recruitment agency Futureheads. They have compiled six tips that will help nurture and develop your employer brand, whether you’re in a recruitment rut – or just considering a bit of business maintenance.
1.Focus on what matters. In our recent survey, we discovered that 73% of technology jobseekers rate company purpose, alongside diversity and environment policies, as very important in a new role – yet only 16% believe their present work has purpose. This not only suggests that employers aren’t focussing enough attention on the issues that matter, but also indicates organisations that tackle this and work on offering a clear purpose will be at an advantage.
2.Show you care about work/life balance. Amongst our survey audience, 66% of people valued flexible working hours as the most popular perk, over things like unlimited holiday or free food and drink. Candidates want to know that their job will fit around their lifestyle and if you aren’t providing flexibility, your competitors are, so it’s worth reassessing your offer.
3.Embrace hybrid working. Only 6% of workers want to be fully based at home, with the majority (68%) seeking a combination with office-working. It seems that the unprecedented increase in home-working caused by the pandemic, rather than leading to a permanent shift, has instead driven a desire for hybrid working models which offer benefits to employers and employees alike. Take advantage of the fact that we’ve all adapted to being in multiple locations and build this into your business model now that there’s the infrastructure to support it.
4.Take real action on equality, diversity and inclusion. A recent poll by Futureheads found that although it’s moved higher up the business agenda, most felt that their employers were not taking enough real action on EDI. There are simple measures you can incorporate into your hiring process – such as anonymous CVs – to help move away from unconscious bias and show potential candidates that your business is offering more than lip-service.
5.Take health and wellbeing seriously. Not having mental health policies in place leads to a tired, burnt-out workforce, low morale, an unproductive workforce and ultimately bad staff retention, plus all these issues have been magnified by the Covid pandemic. If you want a healthy, happy and productive team, develop a wellbeing programme and make your approach into a business pledge that shows your commitment.
6.Offer career development and stability. Ultimately, job-hopping requires effort and if you keep your current employees happy there’s no reason for them to look elsewhere. People rarely see their positions as ones they will stay in for life so some movement is inevitable, but listening to their needs, offering training and incentives, communicating regularly and delivering on the perks that they really want will all help to retain your staff and reduce both recruitment costs and the impact of training and developing new talent.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.