If you’ve been searching for new additions to your team over the past couple of years, chances are that you’ve at some point asked yourself, “What will it take for people to want to work here?” I can assure you that you are not alone in asking that question. Since the pandemic, there has been more mystery in creating a recruiting strategy than ever before. It can be easy to blame the candidates you’re recruiting, whether it be their work ethic, high standards, or any other variety of preferences. However, the reality is that you are the one in need, and those candidates hold the value you require. So the real question becomes, “What will make my organization a place people want to work?”
Whether you want to believe it or not, the pandemic changed the way that people think, the way they socialize, and the way they want to work. As a result, countless businesses were forced to transition to fully remote work for their employees. Few could have predicted the major impact this transition would have on the future preferences of employees across every industry.
In light of this shift, companies must recognize that potential employees are looking for jobs that offer flexibility in their workspace. These expectations can range from full remote work to a desire for a collaborative work environment. While some organizations are already built on that style of work, others still need help to shift, while some simply cannot make the leap due to the nature of their industry. However, it is still up to you as an employer to recognize what candidates want and where you need to make compromises to meet those needs.
No one wants to work for an organization that always expects them to work and never gives breaks for their life outside of the office. Now I’m not saying you should send people on vacation every week. However, you will often have employees with families, commitments to outside community organizations, or even employees who spend all their time at work without breaks. All those people need a work/life balance to function at their highest levels. It is up to you to foster a culture that encourages people to thrive inside and outside of the office.
Work/Life balance and intentionality go hand in hand. By “intentionality,” I mean that, first and foremost, your employees are human beings. As such, making intentional decisions to treat them accordingly and look not only to your needs as an organization but to theirs as people makes a significant difference. Perhaps you have an employee whose spouse works second shift, and they need to pick their kids up from school on certain days. Can you make a small adjustment that has little impact on you but impacts them greatly by allowing them to shift their workday schedule slightly? These are the little things that make your organization stand out to candidates.
Most potential employees want to know what growth opportunities exist within your company. Even those starting at base-level positions will always be searching for the next best thing to move up the ranks. There are several ways to offer growth opportunities to employees. Employees can grow both horizontally as well as vertically, and even diagonally. You must be ready to not only answer these types of questions but also to make sure those opportunities actually exist. Few things will make people leave an organization faster than being stagnant in growth.
Following Occam’s Razor theory, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. Your first idea when recruiting may be, “Will it help if I pay more?” Well, yes, it will never hurt to pay people more. While that is certainly not the only thing people care about, it will always catch people’s attention if you can offer more than your competitors.
Ultimately, there are countless recruiting strategies you can implement in an attempt to grow your organization. At HR Insights, it’s our desire to come alongside your organization and offer HR and recruiting insights to put your organization far beyond your competition in the quality of people you hire. Recruiting has become its own challenge, but we can help you simplify it. So reach out to us today, and let’s get started!
