5 Things You Need to Know if You Want to Attract Great Staff

Every year, we review applicant and candidate behaviours to see what’s “floating their boats”. This is the best way for us to accurately share what we know about market behaviour with our clients. When you know what people are attracted to, you can offer that. It’s a simple equation – find out what people are attracted to, make yourself attractive and snare a match. So, what’s floating candidate boats right now?

Bernadette Eichner

Feb 1, 2022

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Every year, we review applicant and candidate behaviours to see what’s “floating their boats”. This is the best way for us to accurately share what we know about market behaviour with our clients.

When you know what people are attracted to, you can offer that.

It’s a simple equation – find out what people are attracted to, make yourself attractive and snare a match.

This year, we looked at our own research and overlaid it with the Talent Market Driver Report produced by LinkedIn Talent Insights. As you would expect, two years of remote working has changed the world of work forever and that has changed candidate perceptions and expectations.

So, what’s floating candidate boats right now?

1. Work-life balance

Flexibility is the new black in the employment game. Work-life balance, which includes the ability to work remotely a few days a week (if not all the time) is the #1 requirement people are looking for.

2. Appropriate Remuneration and Benefits

It’s no secret it’s a candidate’s market when it comes to negotiating salaries. But this doesn’t mean that people are only interested in money. They aren’t. But they aren’t going to accept a below-market-rate salary. Apart from it being a bit insulting, it sends the message that they won’t be valued – the next thing on the list.

3. Company culture and Inspiring Managers

Coming in very closely after the first two, people are looking to be at a company that practices an inclusive culture, respects people’s rights and has a high level of inspirational engagement from Managers. A place where they feel their contribution is valued and their well-being of interest. We already know from numerous surveys conducted over the years, that people don’t leave jobs – they leave Managers.

Candidates are more and more actively choosing employers. And they start their research and engagement about 7 months before actually making contact – LinkedIn, company social media pages and newsletters are all good ways to evaluate a company culture.

4. Learning and Development opportunities

Candidates, particularly those newly on their career trajectory need to know they will be invested in. Training, new skills development, mentoring and supported study leave have become even more important over the past few years.

5. Job Security

After all the other things have been considered, job security has achieved greater importance over the last two years. Unless you are in the Project Management or IT space, short-term contracts are not seen as secure enough for someone to leave the job they already have. And unless you are at Uni or travelling the countryside, casual work is not of interest to people looking to really ‘dig in’ to a new job and employer.

How can you tick all these boxes to make yourself a more attractive employer?

Move away from any desire to replicate your 2019 workplace

The old days of 9-5 are gone. Forever. So too are KPIs around time and attendance, adhering to dress codes, and so on. Start looking at your workplace from a GTD (Getting Things Done) perspective rather than an “if you’re not here, you’re not working’ viewpoint. It is possible to have highly productive employees working remotely – it’s all about the type of work, the way productivity is measured and the way managers engage with staff and manage expectations.

Get your corporate and social messaging right

LinkedIn’s research shows that candidates start engaging almost 7 months before they actually make a decision to move jobs and they engage with your online content an average of 38 times to get a sense of what type of company you are and what they could expect as an employee. So, get busy on social media and make sure your content is engaging, pitched at showcasing the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and employee wellbeing, and giving people a reason to come and work for you.

Review your Job Descriptions, KPIs and approach to Performance Management

Not all jobs can be done from home. But there are aspects of many jobs that can be. Honestly review your Job Descriptions and determine what flexibility you can offer to get the best candidate.

Then do the same with the KPIs – are they based on SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based and therefore more easily and transparently managed?

Offer permanent jobs (full or part-time) and use the 6-month probation period wisely

The Fair Work Act allows for a six-month probation period on all employment agreements. Use it! Secure your candidate with an offer that infers job security and then give them the attention you would with any new investment – train them, coach and mentor them, and provide constructive feedback on their performance on a regular basis, documenting everything as you go. If you do all this and things don’t work out the way you’d hoped, then you part company.

In our experience, if you invest properly in an employee in those first few months and things aren’t working out, it is usually them who resign and move on.

Actions speak louder than words in any relationship

Like any relationship, the best outcome is achieved when both parties feel valued and supported. Employment relationships are like any relationship – it’s very much a case of actions speaking louder than words. All the mission statements and policies in the world don’t mean anything if your actions are not aligned.

So, walk the talk and reap the benefits!