Job seekers and employees have been through a lot of changes over the last year. Expectations of their employer are no exception. It’s become increasingly clear that average salaries, nice-looking offices, and permission to wear jeans on Fridays are no longer the added value they may once have been.
With many industries experiencing massive growth even during the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for talented workers is still high in many industries. Organizations that can establish themselves as great places to work with a strong employer value proposition are more likely to attract the best candidates that will push them ahead of their competitors.
In this blog post, we’ll look at the employer qualities that job seekers look for most and tips for employers on how to highlight these qualities when searching for candidates. Let’s get started!
How do you attract and retain the best talent to work for you?
Building a good reputation as an employer is one of the best ways to attract and retain talent. This doesn’t mean that you just apply some marketing and PR to your image as an employer — you need to back this up with actions.
Companies that put a lot of effort into making sure their employees are happy reap endless rewards that have long-term benefits for their recruitment efforts. When your current employees spread the word about the perks of working for your company, potential candidates will hear about it. That means you’ll eventually have to put less effort into filling typically hard-to-fill positions as candidates will actively seek out your company in the hopes of landing a job with you.
Employee retention is also a big upside to going the extra mile as an employer. When your workers feel that they’re an important part of a company, they tend to stick around and do their job well. Improved retention can also lead to massive savings for your company as you reduce the huge cost of hiring the wrong candidates.
The 5 qualities that all top employers have
This is the part you’ve been waiting for. These are the most important factors that talented employees and high-quality candidates look for in an employer.
Mental health and wellbeing support
The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on employees across all industries. Those that work on-site may suffer from anxiety due to fear of falling ill, while work-from-home employees could be battling focus fatigue and burnout from a drastic change in their work-life balance. You can prioritize mental health support for your existing employees by offering them access to a therapist or by providing regular time off for them to recharge their batteries.
Potential candidates will want to know how your organization plans to support their wellbeing. You can communicate your company’s benefits and resources and show them how they’ll be part of a caring and empathetic organization throughout the hiring process to make sure they know they’ll have the support they need.
Depending on the industry, it might also be important to show that you care about employees’ physical safety. Share your organization’s safety protocols and medical support programs with potential employees to increase the likelihood of them seeing you as a top-tier employee.
Professional development opportunities
Employees of all ages are eager to learn new skills and take the next step in their careers. Employers can make this a reality by providing upskilling and training opportunities that not only benefit workers but also make an organization more resilient and adaptable during times of crisis.
As well as the opportunity to learn new skills, employees value organizations that set a clear path to promotion. By being transparent and communicating the experience, skills and qualifications you expect from your employees in order to consider them for a promotion, you’re setting them up for success and making it more likely that you retain your most talented workers. When candidates hear about these kinds of initiatives during the hiring process, they’ll be much more likely to choose a position at your company rather than at a competing organization.
Attractive work benefits
Yes, pay is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all for employees. Workers in 2021 also value other valuable elements of a total compensation package like paid maternity leave, paid vacation leave, childcare services, stock options and performance bonuses, among other things.
These kinds of benefits show your employee that they’re valued, that you want them to succeed, and that you care about them outside of work. A lack of benefit options can make your employees consider looking for work elsewhere, especially if they feel undervalued or that there’s a lack of support for them during difficult times.
Readiness for remote work
Remote work is here to stay, even as companies start to open their offices again in the near future. Great employers trust their workers enough to know that they can carry out their tasks from anywhere. Remote work or hybrid working models are the way of the future.
Candidates will want to know exactly what your organization’s remote work policies are, so having a fixed and transparent approach to this will improve how people view you as an employee. Most Canadians want to have the option to work from home, so by not adapting to your employees’ needs, you’ll likely damage your reputation as an employer and miss out on the most talented professionals in your industry.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion
2020 was a big year for discussions around diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and companies across Canada have focused on making this a top priority at all levels in their organization. It’s now commonplace for recruitment processes to include diversity goals and inclusion initiatives to remove any bias among hiring managers when dealing with candidates. D&I officers are also taking centre stage in many companies in an effort to build more equal and tolerant workplaces.
By taking a strong stance protecting diversity and inclusion in your workplace, your company will attract candidates who feel that your organization is a safe place where their voices will be heard.
Becoming a great employer
Those are the most important factors that employees look for in employers. By striving to implement these approaches at your organization, you’ll improve your reputation among candidates, retain your best employees, and make your company more successful while you’re at it. If you need a helping hand on your journey to becoming a great employer, Adecco is here to help. Learn more about our workforce solutions and contact us today!