Free smartphone for private use, drinks and fruit, own choice of operating system – for over a decade now NEW WORK SE has been providing all this and more for its employees. Benefits like these used to push a company into the top rank of attractive employers. Today these aspects are much less important. Of course, no-one “looks a gift horse in the mouth”, and my colleagues and I are happy to have these things. And applicants will surely look favourably on these goodies too. But it’s been a long time since they were likely to tip the balance. And that has nothing to do with the fact that many companies now offer these kinds of extras, but more to do with the recent developments which have made many working people more acutely aware that what matters in their professional life is not just getting the cool gadget for free or saving the expense of three euros for a cappuccino. The pandemic has opened the eyes of many employees and highlighted what is really important: aspects such as flexibility, free choice of where and when they work, and also the meaningfulness of what they are doing.
Successful recruitment in times of changing values: New Work needs a new understanding of recruitment
When the expectations of working professionals change, then recruitment must evolve in response. Especially in times when skilled employees are in short supply, it is important to be aware of these changes, to learn about them and to recognise the way they affect our approach to recruitment. In short: New Work needs a new understanding of recruitment – New Hiring – that starts with employer branding, then finding talent and even includes the candidate experience. Let’s have a closer look at this means.
Employer branding: highlighting your company culture
There is one important rule for New Hiring: successful recruiting means more than just data and numbers. As a recruiter you need to see potential applicants as individuals and structure your approach around their requirements. The “cultural fit” is a crucial factor here. Professionals today value self-determination at work, the opportunity to develop their own talents and an open communication style built on trust, respect and appreciation.
Values like these are the key to appealing employer branding, and help companies to attract talent and win candidates over. So take a close look at your online image and consider carefully whether your values and your working culture are authentically reflected in the way your company is presented.
Active sourcing: proactive approaches and personal contact
People are individuals, and there is no other recruitment discipline where it is possible to address the needs of the individual in such a targeted way. In times when potential candidates need to be seen as individuals and their needs taken into account, “active recruiting” is indispensable.
This approach is even more effective in the context of New Hiring, because you can have immediate contact with the candidate, present your company values in a direct and targeted way and at the same time sound out the “candidate fit”.
Furthermore, for most employees the management style of their immediate superior plays a crucial role in their job satisfaction. In the active recruiting process you can showcase the company culture by giving the line manager an active role at an early stage.
And last but not least, you can also keep in contact with promising candidates who cannot be recruited for the company just yet. This gives you the opportunity to tell such candidates about new developments in your company culture and to keep potential talent interested. You will then have suitable candidates up your sleeve when you need to fill new vacancies.
It’s important to remember that active recruiting works best when the individuals making the approach are happy with the company and feel a sense of identification with it. So take care to give your active recruiting team the appreciation they deserve.
Making the most of job ads
The job ad itself also plays a key role in New Hiring. It is often the first point of contact for the candidate. But be careful: the job ad is not a list of the company’s wishes or requirements. Instead you should see this as an opportunity to showcase your company a little. Here too the employer branding must be evident. Aspects of company culture should be an important element of the job ad as well as the usual list of conventional employee benefits. Particularly for companies based in less attractive locations, mentioning aspects such as remote working options can be a real bonus. And in the context of diversity issues, it is also essential to choose the right words for your job ads. Question carefully and regularly which groups of people will really feel the content of your ad is addressed to them.
Candidate experience: a key factor in New Hiring
Auch die Stellenanzeige spielt eine Rolle im New Hiring. Denn sie stellt oftmals den ersten Berührungspunkt für Bewerber·innen dar. Aber Achtung: Die Stellenanzeige ist keine Wunsch- und Anforderungsliste des Unternehmens an Bewerber·innen. Vielmehr sollten Sie die Chance nutzen, diese als kleines Schaufenster zu betrachten. Denn auch hier muss sich das Employer Branding wiederfinden. Unternehmenskulturelle Aspekte sollten neben der üblichen Angabe klassischer Mitarbeiter·innen-Vorteile eine wichtige Rolle in der Stellenanzeige finden: Gerade Unternehmen, die an weniger attraktiven Standorten sitzen, können hier durch die Angabe von Remote-Angeboten u. ä. punkten. Im Rahmen der Diversity-Debatte geht es in Stellenanzeigen auch um die richtige Wortwahl. Hinterfragen Sie regelmäßig, welche Personengruppen sich durch die Inhalte wirklich angesprochen fühlen.
Candidate Experience: Ein Schlüsselfaktor im New Hiring
“Candidate experience” has become a key factor in New Hiring. 40 percent of applicants have dropped out at least once because of poor communication from the company, although they were interested in the vacancy.
To keep the candidate journey consistently tuned to the applicant’s needs and to make a good impression at every stage of contact, it is helpful to use an intelligent applicant management system with a seamless and transparent process as well as persuasively attractive touchpoints. This includes ensuring that applicants meet their future line manager at an early stage, because management style is an increasingly important factor for talented professionals.
The harder the search for suitable talent, the more vital it is to have an intelligent applicant management system, which radically simplifies and speeds up time-consuming administrative tasks such as compiling candidate profiles and checking applications. AI and machine learning are becoming increasingly important in this context.
HR makes a significant contribution to a company’s success
Whether it’s a large corporation, medium-sized business, agency or start-up – the topic of recruiting, finding and hiring talent, is at the top of the agenda. And not just in the HR department.
Now’s the time to take advantage of the opportunities offered by New Hiring, find the new talent you need and secure the ongoing success of your company. Because without the right talent there is no growth.
