How to be an employer of choice
Posted on 31st March 2023
Becoming an employer of choice is more important than ever as UK companies continue to face a critical skills gap.
Anne Mulcahy, Xerox’s CEO, famously said ‘employees are a company’s greatest asset’. Importantly, she continued: ‘You want to attract and retain the best; provide them with encouragement, stimulus, and make them feel that they are an integral part of the company's mission’.
Attracting the best employees
How are businesses quantifying the return on their investment of time, money and effort in recruiting the best people?
In many cases there isn’t a strategic plan or a commitment to career development and personal growth that the best employees are looking for.
Across all business sectors, successful talent acquisition requires much more than an attractive salary. Simply advertising a ‘competitive package’ won’t be enough to attract the brightest and the best. In the country’s current economic conditions, outbidding competitors is a risky approach as businesses struggle to manage costs.
Value-based recruitment
The pandemic cemented a trend that was already well underway. Many people are now looking for employers whose culture and values align with their own hopes and values. The ‘Great Resignation’ was driven by a growing enthusiasm for working in environments that contribute to personal goals and wellbeing.
There is now a strong business case for investing in your ‘employer brand’ and highlighting your commitment to ethical and sustainable employment practices.
What is employer branding?
To become an employer of choice you will need to think carefully about the value proposition you offer potential employees.
Even large corporate organisations now recognise that they need more than a well-recognised logo to attract the best talent. This is equally important for small and mid-sized companies. All businesses need to be bold and creative in everything from their recruitment advertising to their job descriptions.
The employee offer might also include place of work, options for remote or hybrid working, benefits and flexible holiday arrangements. Management style, career development, training and incentives can all be included. The key to success is understanding what is relevant to your potential employees, which could vary according to job role.
Websites, social media pages and marketing campaigns should all include an element of employer branding. Businesses that tell a compelling story will gain an advantage in the recruitment market. As with all other aspects of branding, your employer brand is not defined by you, but ultimately by your employees.
Inspiring through innovation
Sharing details of your environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments, employee initiatives and your core values will build your profile.
Proactively sharing your story in professional and sector specific publications and attending events will raise awareness. Case studies about your new recruits on social media platforms will provide real-life examples of your unique employment offer.
The benefits of this ongoing investment in employer branding are:
• faster and more cost-effective recruitment
• improved employee engagement
This all adds to a growing momentum for your branding efforts as your employees become ambassadors for your business.
Become an employer of choice with the help of recruitment professionals
The Ascendant Recruitment team builds long-term relationships with clients. The goal is always to provide good value for money based on a common-sense approach to building business success.
You can take advantage of our 20 year track record as recruitment specialists in Milton Keynes.
Start building your employer brand today. Just give us a call.
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