When it comes to hiring, it’s a buyer’s market out there. Where companies once called the shots on how and when a new hire was made, new realities brought on by COVID have left many people looking harder than ever at what a company stands for before choosing to join it.
That means companies need to pay more attention to the recruitment process than ever before. That includes ensuring one’s company is appealing to potential recruits in ways that go beyond salary and benefits. It comes down to how your company brands itself, says Stephen Borer, partner at DMC Recruitment Group. That brand, he notes, “is so heavily tied into what a company needs to work on when they’re attracting that talent.”
Matt Frost at Lock Search Group says that how a company brands itself is more important than ever—and not just for the sake of customers or shareholders. It’s something that must run through the very heart of a company. “In today’s environment, a company is not selecting a candidate. The candidate is selecting the company.”
Frost has seen instances of a company’s charitable or community involvement swaying good candidates who were otherwise on the fence about joining. It’s no longer a case of laying out salary, benefits and vacation, or workplace environment. “Another layer has been added,” he says. “Here’s what we’re doing for the environment; this is what we’re doing to give back to the community.” While salary is still the biggest piece, these “soft” issues can play an important role in a job candidate’s decision process.
Branding is not just about advertising. “It’s all very well to shout that you’ve got a great brand,” says Borer. “But the most efficient way to have a great employer brand is have your workforce be engaged and love coming to work, and they in turn tell their friends about it.”
That word-of-mouth impact can be especially valuable for dealers in smaller towns or communities. “You need people in the town to go, ‘Oh, that is a great place to work.’ And that comes down to your customer service and to every interaction anyone has with your brand. It comes down to how happy your employees are. It comes down to your compensation program, whether you’re paying people correctly.”
For Frost at Lock Search, a healthy company brand must reflect resiliency as the pandemic lingers. “Candidates are often looking for a hybrid work model,” Frost says. “Some companies have adapted, while others have not. This ability to adapt will no doubt have a direct impact on retaining top talent throughout 2022 and beyond.”
