It’s no secret that attracting qualified candidates in this job market is difficult, to say the least, and standing out from other employers is vital.
One way to differentiate your employer brand from others is by providing candidates with proof of the healthy workplace culture and its true commitment to employees. The trick is in making intangibles real and visible to the outside world.
The more a recruiter or hiring manager can do to answer the question, “What’s it really like to work here,” the more attractive the job will be to the candidates evaluating your company as an employer.
Here are some ideas for proving your workplace culture to potential job seekers.
Share your employee engagement data
If your organisation routinely surveys employees, gathers their feedback, and has an active engagement programme in place, congratulations – you have something very concrete and compelling you can share with candidates.
Our recommendation: prepare a brief that captures:
- The length of time the company has been actively focused on engaging its employees,
- A description of the programme, including the frequency of surveys, how the results are used, and the most recent scores for the company and department the candidate is considering,
- Examples of how the organisation has used the feedback it has received from the team.
Don’t be afraid to be candid with candidates. Describing initiatives that are works-in-progress provides an additional proof point, demonstrating a willingness to be honest and transparent. Here’s a great example from one of our clients:
Speak to the intangible reasons that drive many people to look for new jobs
While it’s true that gaining an increase in pay tops the list of reasons that workers left jobs in 2021, it’s important to note that low pay was tied with “no opportunities for advancement,” according to Pew Research, with 63% of respondents saying that one or both factored into their decision to quit a job.
“Feeling disrespected at work” is close behind, and was cited by 57% of respondents as one of the reasons they left a job. Flexibility was also a common reason, with 45% of respondents saying they left a job because they were seeking increased flexibility to choose when they put in their hours.
If your company has taken specific measures addressing elements of the employee experience, such as acknowledging employees’ contributions, ensuring people are treated fairly and with respect, or establishing a values system, sharing those details with job seekers can show them the organisation isn’t just paying lip service to these issues.
A large company I worked for previously had an incredibly well-developed values system that permeated the company, and was a compelling proof point of their commitment to their stated values. The values sat at the center of everything, from decisions about the strategy and customer experience, to the system used for quarterly reviews, and were also a central feature of the interview process.
Show employees (and candidates) you really care
Leaders can take their values a step further by creating a People Charter, which details the organisation’s commitment to how its employees actually feel at work.
Here’s a look at Engagement Multiplier’s People Charter:
At Engagement Multiplier, we are committed to creating a work experience everyone values. How you feel while working here is central to your experience. This People Charter details how we believe our employees have the right to feel in our workplace. You feel:
- Energised by our Purpose
- Excited and confident to be part of Engagement Multiplier’s future
- Personally empowered to live our IFACE values every day.
- A sense of belonging to something special.
- Engagement Multiplier genuinely cares about your physical and emotional wellbeing.
- Your personal and career growth is actively encouraged and supported to help you fulfill your potential.
- You have the opportunity to utilise your talents and work in unique ability in your immediate role and beyond.
- Proud that the work you do makes an authentic difference in people’s lives -your colleagues, the business, and clients.
- Respected by colleagues and leadership
- Your contributions are recognised and valued.
- Free to openly share ideas and opinions.
- You can bring your ‘whole self’ to work.
- You enjoy the company of your colleagues.
The beauty of constructing a People Charter using language describing how the workplace environment should make people feel is that one can use the elements of the Charter to survey employees routinely and ensure the employee experience is in fact meeting expectations.
(We’ve developed a free workbook detailing the process for creating a People Charter, and you can access it here.)
In an era when “feeling disrespected at work” is a prevalent driver of employee turnover, a People Charter can be an important tool for ensuring the workplace experience lives up to the leadership team’s vision. Additionally, sharing your organisation’s People Charter and ongoing surveys related to the employee experience provide powerful evidence to candidates that yours is a workplace that walks its talk.
Proving the intangible
The elements comprising a work experience may not be tangible, but that does not mean they aren’t real. Finding proof points and ways to make the intangible real and visible for your job candidates will establish your company’s credibility with candidates and differentiate your employer brand.
