With increased demand for people post pandemic and the number of job openings exceeding new hires, not to mention the shift towards remote working, competition has seriously ramped up. The tug of war for great people is in full force as employers fight for candidates.
So, what’s the answer?
Unfortunately, there’s not a quick solve. There is, however, steps you can take to become a more attractive place to work.
Be intentional about what you stand for
It’s key to be intentional about how you plan to attract great people to join your team and what you stand for. The best way to do this is through an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) framework which answers the question ‘What to employees get from working here?’, ‘Why should you join us?’ and ‘What do we expect in return?’
A lot of a candidates we speak to at yohrs are open to a new role because they want meaningful work, a positive culture, flexible working and improved salary & benefits.
Be clear on what you can offer candidates
You can’t compete on everything in the talent space, so pick the two or three things that you’re really good at and that few others can offer, then lead with this message when you’re reaching out to candidates.
Be a company with a purpose
A company’s purpose is what really stands out. By leading with purpose, you can create an instant, personal, emotional connection between the candidate and your company.
That said, expecting people to take an office based role with a below-market salary just because they like what you’re doing and what you stand for is overly optimistic. You have to be competing on all the basics like pay, flexible working, good benefits, strong culture, good career opportunities.
Be authentic in your narrative
It’s important to remember that you’re still competing for talent with other businesses that also have a compelling purpose, so the way you tell this story to the outside world is crucial to get right.
The story you tell to candidates has to be authentic. It has to be really clear that your values and your purpose as a business really do align with that story, and that the story is told consistently across all channels and touchpoints. Make sure that your careers page, your job adverts, the way you act in the interview process and the way you talk about your business all line up.
Be consistent and deliver what you say you will
Developing an EVP that not only tells a good story to the outside world, but also delivers on that message in practice, day-to-day, is the key to sustainably growing a great team. Tell candidates why working for you will be great for them - and then, when they become employees, work hard to make sure the reality is even better. In summary,
Attracting people is hard. Be intentional about which parts of your EVP you will over-index on!
Does your company have a clear purpose? Great - shout about it, but make sure you still pay good salaries, provide flexible working and offer development opportunities.
Focus just as much on delivering a great EVP as you do telling your story to the outside world.
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