How to Attract Employees: 7 Strategies

What Do Employees Want?

Over the past few years, the labor market has become increasingly complex, and the pandemic has significantly changed the recruitment and human resources world. To keep up and compete, employers have to adapt. That means changing their strategies for hiring, employee retention and engagement and the employee reward systems they have in place. That starts with understanding what employees are looking for, because in the same way that the way we work has changed, so have employee expectations. 

Employees want to be part of a team where they feel valued and are able to contribute fully. They want to be compensated fairly and given the opportunity to learn and grow. It is important to understand this so that you can implement policies and strategies that will provide these things for your current employees and the potential employees that you are hoping to attract. 

BeMo offers beneficial employer partnerships to businesses and employers who want to attract top employees. BeMo works with employers and businesses to be able to offer unique perks, professional training and advancement to your employees and their families so you can attract the right people to your business. Our employee benefits program is designed to boost not only your business but offer your employees unparalleled perks, including professional development training for your employees and undergraduate admissions counseling for your employees children. Through BeMo's employee benefits program, you can increase your employee retention and make your business more desirable to potential employees on the job market.

Seven Strategies to Attract Employees

It's important to understand what employees look at when they're job searching and considering potential employers. Understanding these areas which job searchers evaluate can help employers devise strategies to attract top talent.

1. Employers' Brand
2. Current Employee Satisfaction
3. Referral Process
4. Work Environment
5. Employee Benefits
6. Employee Training
7. Job Postings

These 7 areas job seekers will consider play into the 7 strategies employers can use to find the right employees. Without much further ado, let's take a look at some strategies that enterprises can employ to attract employees in this ever-changing labor market.

1.   Build Your Employer Brand

Many organizations do not realize that they have at least two brands - their business or corporate brand and their employer brand. Whether you are a small business or a large conglomerate, you will have a reputation as a place of work in addition to your general corporate brand and customer reputation. One of the best ways to attract employees is to build this reputation and use it to showcase what sets you apart as a place of employment. To do this, you do not need an elaborate and costly employer branding strategy. The key to building your employer brand is providing the general public with information about your organization as a place of work. You can do this using the following channels:

2.   Take Care of Your Current Employees

Your current employees play a significant role in creating and improving your employer brand. You will remember that we mentioned company review websites like Glassdoor and Indeed. The reality is that even when you do not encourage your employees to go on those sites, a few of them may still post a review, and most of the time, their comments are very frank. So, if you want those comments to contribute to building a favorable reputation, you need to understand the top job satisfaction factors and implement them to keep your current employees happy.

Look for innovative employee retention strategies, implement employee development programs, and offer adequate compensation, including non-traditional employee benefits. The key is to make sure that your employees feel taken care of and engaged in their work. Talk to them ( or better yet, have them fill out an anonymous survey) and find out how satisfied they are with their work, benefits, and overall experience with the company, then make the appropriate changes based on their answers. 

In addition to improving your employer brand online, happy employees can also help you attract new employees through their networks and word of mouth. Think of it this way: most people talk about their work life with their friends and families. Those friends and family members are your potential employees and potential consumers, depending on your industry. So what would you like your employees to tell them about how you treat your workforce? 

3.   Simplify Your Referral Process

If you want to attract employees, you need to take a look at all of your recruitment strategies, including your referral policy. If you do not yet have a referral policy, you should create one and implement it. If you already have one, you should look at it again and ensure it is as simple as possible.

Consider this scenario: An employee sees a job posting for a role in your organization. They have someone in their network who might be a good fit for it, and they want to use the employee referral program to recommend them. While looking into it, they find the process quite complicated and unpleasant, so they keep putting it off until they get too busy and forget to do it, or they decide that it is not worth the stress.

We recommend simplifying your employee referral program to avoid these types of scenarios. Employee referrals are a superior recruitment tool because your employees understand what candidates you need to hire more than many other sources. Furthermore, they usually result in faster hires, lower turnover, and improved workforce planning. It is, therefore, crucial that you make this process as user-friendly as possible.

We recommend having a specific, specialized email address- such as [email protected] – to direct all employee referrals into a dedicated hiring channel. You should also consider using a referral tracking system that offers automation and gamification features to make the referral experience more straightforward and engaging for employees.

4.   Offer Flexible Work Arrangements

The shift to more flexible work arrangements was already well underway, and the pandemic seems to have accelerated it. Some argue that this is because, in the face of a global public health emergency, people have become more conscious of the shortness and fragility of life, and it has forced them to take stock of the things they need to have a genuinely fulfilling life. But the reality is that this demand for more flexible work hours and better work-life balance has been many years in the making. 

One of the best ways to become an employer of choice and attract employees is to offer flexible work arrangements where possible. Often, when we talk about flexible work arrangements, people assume that we are referring to remote work options. Remote work is certainly one part of it, but not every company is able to do this, and even those who can, they may not be able to give this option to every single employee. 

To put it simply, flexible work arrangements are alternate arrangements or schedules from the traditional working day and/or week. There are different flexible working options that you can offer your employees. Here are a few ideas that you should consider: 

These arrangements make it possible for employees to have a better work-life balance and manage their work responsibilities with their family and home life. Advertising that you offer one or more of these options, or at least that you are open to them, is a great way to attract more employees. 

5.   Offer Unique Employee Benefits and Perks

A recent study by Glassdoor found that 79% of employees cared more about getting more employee benefits and perks than a salary raise. This is great news for companies looking to stand out to potential employees, especially for small businesses, because it means that job seekers are paying attention to the different benefits available to them. It's important to understand that we are not saying that salaries don't matter because they absolutely do. Employees want to be compensated fairly! However, they also want to feel that they are a valued team member and that their employer cares about their overall well-being.

79% of employees prefer employee benefits and perks than salary raise

It may seem like larger companies have the advantage here because they can offer slick benefits packages and attractive salaries, but there are plenty of employee perks for small businesses that won't break the bank. The key is focusing on unique employee benefits that can significantly impact employees' lives. Here are a few benefits that you can provide that are pretty impactful: 

Doing this can take many different forms, and the approach that you choose will depend on your budget and the organization's goals. However, we must stress that offering mental health and wellness programs is a sure way to attract more employees. If you're not sure that you have the budget for it, start small and work your way up. For example, consider partnering with a local company to offer certain paramedical services at a discounted rate, giving your employees access to a mindfulness app for free, or even having a few virtual yoga sessions here and there. 

6. Hire for Fit and Invest in Training

Too often, organizations are focused on hiring candidates who tick all or at least most of their boxes for education and experience, but those are not the only things that matter when it comes to finding good employees. While there are usually a few minimum requirements that can't be ignored, many skills can also be learned on the job. So, if you're finding it hard to check all the boxes as you look to hire, then you may want to look at your requirements and think about what you can let slide. For example, if you are hiring for an entry-level position, you do not need an employee who has three years of work experience in the industry. Focus on finding candidates who have a passion for the industry or the position, who are willing and eager to learn, and who have a good foundation.

Think about it this way: if you had two candidates with similar backgrounds and experiences, your preference would likely be to go for the candidate that is a better fit for your organization in terms of culture and personality. So why not take that approach from the very beginning? Employees understand that you can teach and upskill, but you can't change somebody's demeanor or character, so they appreciate companies that are willing to take a chance and invest in their training rather than looking for candidates who already have plenty of experience.

7. Write Detailed and Compelling Job Descriptions

Whether an employee hears about a vacancy in your company from a friend, relative, social media post, or job board, the job description usually plays a significant role in the candidate's decision to either apply or move on. This means that if you want to attract employees, you need a job description that is attention-grabbing and compelling. 

Your job posting is supposed to communicate a lot of information about the role you are hiring for and the company itself. If job seekers feel like you are withholding information or have to look for information about the role from a different source, they can easily decide not to apply. Furthermore, your job posting is supposed to give employees a feel for the culture in your organization. So the job posting should be genuine and written in a tone that is true to your company culture to ensure you're attracting people who are a good personality fit.

So, how exactly does one write a compelling job description?

Start by making your title as specific as possible. The more accurate your title is, the more likely it is to pique the interest of the right candidate. You should also use humor ( bonus points if it is industry-specific) or tell a story in your posting. This is the best way to provide a job overview that will grab the reader's attention and get them excited about the position and the organization. Lastly, your job description should provide candidates with detailed information about what you are looking for - including the role's core responsibilities and additional tasks, required soft and hard skills, and explain how the position fits into the organization.

FAQs

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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