Many organizations have growth goals, but are being held back by an inability to attract and keep workers. They are learning that a big impact of the pandemic has been a change among workers in what they want from a job. Millennials make up the largest segment of the workforce and generally have very different needs from other groups. More than any other generation, they’re seeking equity, transparency, flexibility, and purpose. And they’re not afraid to look elsewhere if an employer doesn’t meet their needs.
Make no mistake, monetary compensation is still especially important, but potential workers want to know a litany of other things:
- Will the work be challenging and career enhancing?
- Is the work environment supportive and flexible?
- What benefits do you offer?
- Is your organization competitive?
Think about how you and your hiring staff might answer each of these questions. Do your answers sound like these replies:
- “Work at home is an available option.”
- “We like to promote from within.”
- “We offer a competitive compensation package.”
- “Our organization has been around for years, and we have a stable customer base.”
These responses sound cliched and may not be compelling to candidates. They fail to differentiate your company and offer a convincing answer on why a candidate might want to work for your company.
How would you go about proving to a desirable candidate that your organization meets their needs? We have helped several companies find hiring competitive advantages that look similar to these:
- “Our average employee tenure is 7.9 years; nearly double the national average of 4.6 years”
- “80% of our employees work from home at least one day a week, including the president”
- “84% of openings in the past 3 years have been filled from within.”
- “Benefits as a percent of total compensation have grown 25% in the past 3 years”
These are randomly made-up responses, but hopefully they give you an idea of how you can build a compelling answer to “why should I work for you?” Support your answers with factual data.
Keep in mind prospective employees are looking for solid, healthy companies. Be sure to share your list of company competitive advantage with potential hires. Show them why your customers should buy from you.
If you don’t have that list well defined yet, Smart Advantage can help.
