What makes a business desirable to work for?
Apart from the obvious (salary), what factors are proven to be the biggest influences for candidates when choosing their new roles? How do you keep your employees engaged and loyal once you’ve found them?
We’ve created a list of things your business can do to make it more desirable to candidates. These factors are important to be aware of, as paying attention to just one of these could be the difference that influences a top candidate to accept your job offer over your competitors.
Here are our top three areas to consider.
Flexibility
A study has shown that 92% of millennials identify flexibility as a top priority when job hunting. As more and more businesses advertise their openness to flexibility in their workplaces, it becomes increasingly obvious, and less desirable, when your business does not.
Workplaces are changing, so it’s time to catch up if you haven’t already. There’s a strong argument for increasing flexibility, with many businesses reporting significant improvements in morale and productivity. One study by IWG found that 85% of businesses increased their productivity as a result of greater flexibility. If that’s not a good enough reason to try it, we don’t know what is.
Development & growth opportunities
The number one reason employees move on is because they can’t see opportunities for career advancement. If you fail to offer development and growth opportunities, and employees see their roles as dead-ends, your self-motivated employees will switch jobs for ones that offer a chance to grow. Simple.
When you hire new staff, make it clear from the beginning what opportunities are on offer for growth, development and career advancement. If you don’t offer opportunities, look for ways you can improve this, and how you can track employee development on an ongoing basis. If a candidate is considering multiple opportunities, they might just pick your role because of the development perks on offer.
Development is a win-win, obviously, for you and your staff. You’ll attract better candidates, get more out of each employee, and hold onto the best ones by keeping them happy and investing in their career.
Culture
When advertising for vacancies, employers try to showcase the company’s best side. It’s important to mention aspects of your business’ culture to interviewees – and check your company’s culture and values align with theirs.
Establishing and maintaining a positive, open and transparent culture where employees feel they belong at work pays off significantly in the long run, especially with regards to motivation and employee retention.
Employees who feel comfortable with their work culture are significantly more likely to stick around. A high recognition culture is a crucial part of this, with 59% of employees stating that being recognised for their accomplishments makes them feel like they belong at work. Other strong influences include open communication and opportunities to express opinions freely, feeling that contributions are valued and gaining feedback.
What will you change next when writing job advertisements, interviewing, hiring and managing your staff?
It could make the difference between hiring, and keeping, your most valuable team members yet.
