As the UK labour shortage rages on and people’s demands of employers skyrocket, it’s getting harder and harder to find the best candidates. 

And we know that talent really matters. High performers can be up to 400% more productive than average ones, especially in complex or technical roles. 

So, to stand out in the scrabble for smart, driven employees, you need to really scrutinise what makes your company a good place to work at – and present an overall package that’s too good to ignore. You should also consider what beliefs your company holds, as 6 in 10 employees choose their employers based on their beliefs. 

Let’s take a look at three key things that’ll help you appeal to and reel in the best people.  

Tailor your employee value proposition to reflect staff concerns  

If you’re still working like it’s 2019, today’s candidates won’t be interested. 

While the basics like job security and a solid salary still matter, the pandemic has brought about a huge shift in attitudes across almost every sector. As a result, a whole new host of factors have shot up in the list of candidate priorities. In fact, flexibility was cited as one of the key reasons people are looking to change jobs during the Great Resignation, whereas before it was barely on the radar. 

Post pandemic staff are prioritising 

Purpose: 

• Does your organization have a sense of community based on a collective mission? 

• Do you give people the opportunity to make a positive impact and find deeper meaning in their work? 

• Can you help them flourish and do their job to the best of their ability? 

Progression: 

• Is your company a place where people will be rewarded and promoted for their hard work? Or overlooked and ignored? 

• Does your workplace seek out and deploy reward and recognition programmes that make staff feel seen and valued daily? 

• Will they be encouraged to pick up new skills that keep the job fresh and exciting over time?   

Work-life balance:  

• Is staff employee wellbeing a priority and are you doing enough to support those who are struggling?  

• Are people’s lives outside of work respected and protected? 

• Do you give people the option to work remotely?  

• Can employees change their hours depending on childcare, carer responsibilities and more? 

• Do you offer people the right tools to support their wellbeing?   

Remember: every interview is a two-way street 

It’s easy to forget, but your recruitment process is just as much about candidates getting to know you as the other way around. 

So make sure you present your company with the same level of professionalism, rigour and competence as you’d expect from candidates. 

That means: 

• Informing candidates upfront about the whole recruitment timeline and what they can expect at each stage 

• Streamlining the process by cutting down the number of interviews people have to go through. No one wants to endure a seven-stage process with three competency tests and an assessment day…. 

• Being curious about what candidates actually want from their careers – rather than pushing them into roles that may not be in their interest long-term 

• Treating candidates with respect and friendliness during the interview. Nothing makes a worse first impression than interrogating candidates who are – probably – already quite nervous  

Shout about your workplace with a strong brand 

Of course, making all these tough – and valuable – structural changes won’t have the same impact if people simply don’t know about them. 

That’s why you need to think equally as strategically about how you present your business to the world – using all the latest tools and technology at your disposal. 

You could:  

• Develop a mission statement or elevator pitch about why people should work for your company, which can then underpin all your marketing materials 
• Show potential candidates what it’s like to work for you through your website, social media and other channels 
• Develop a flexible and accommodating employee benefits offering that can be customised to meet the needs of the individual new hire 
• Set up a blog where employees post about life at your company. By using real-life testimonials, candidates will be far more likely to believe what you say 
• Fine-tune your job posts. Make sure they’re accurate, informative, reflect your company values  and are targeted at the right people 

Conclusion: in the war for talent, every detail matters 

When so many companies are fighting for so few candidates, it’s important to sweat the small stuff. 

And that means presenting an attractive proposition to candidates from the inside out. You need to start with your culture, before broadcasting benefits through an impressive recruitment process and employer brand. 

Making these changes will take time. And they’ll require you to work with a broad range of teams – from HR to marketing – to bring everything together into one consistent, compelling proposition. 

But once you’ve got all your ducks in a row, you’ll be amazed at the results. 

Eventually, you won’t be the one scavenging for candidates: they’ll be coming straight to you. 

If you’re looking to create a work culture that candidates can’t say no to, we can help. Get advice from our experts or subscribe to more of our blogs.