As the future of employment moves further towards STEM, the competitive nature of the job market has made it increasingly difficult for companies to find and recruit the right talent. So how can you set out the welcome mat for the new generation of highly skilled workers? Here are five items to consider:
Create the right company culture
It is important for companies to create a culture that will match and attract the type of talent they are looking for. As a company’s culture acts as their personality and public image, it is important to ensure that it is an accurate reflection of a company’s values, ethics, and expectations. When career searching, people often look for a workplace they feel they can fit and belong in, so having the right company culture can attract the right talent. Companies need to create, assess, embody and brand their company culture in ways fitting for both them and the talent they are looking to hire.
Support community and team-building
A recent TinyPulse employee engagement report has shown that the number one aspect of work employees enjoy is their relationships with their coworkers. Because of this, promoting community and team-building to further those connections can be beneficial for companies in shaping their company culture and attracting talent. Regardless of the professional field, a workplace that facilitates a strong and supportive community helps to boost morale and increase productivity. In a recent FastCompany Graduate Employment Study, 60% of a new graduating class reported that they would prefer to work for a company with a positive social working environment than receive higher pay at another company without.
Embrace technology
With the ever-growing presence of technology and social media today, it is important that companies are keeping up in terms of online reputation and digital recruitment. As technology has opened the door to vast amounts of information, it is quick and easy for candidates to learn about companies online. Thus, like with company culture, companies must ensure that their online image is genuinely reflective of their brand. Having a strong online presence, whether it be through social media or a company blog, is also becoming an increasingly effective method of recruitment. In fact, nearly two-thirds of recent graduates said they used a mobile app to look and apply for jobs. With this technological shift, monitoring and maintaining an online presence is becoming increasingly important for companies in attracting and attaining talent.
Provide opportunities for growth and development
A Gallup poll recently revealed that 87% of millennials value and search for opportunities that provide professional growth and development. As millennials are predicted to make up 75% of the workforce by 2025 it is important to keep this in mind. Today’s candidates are looking beyond just a title and a salary. Especially with the ever-growing demand for STEM talent, candidates have the opportunity to also prioritize growth, purpose, and fulfillment. Thus, when searching to hire the right talent, consider providing and promoting such opportunities. Whether it is through adding training programs, mentorships, or increasing internal promotions, accentuating such opportunities can help a company better compete in today’s highly competitive job market.
Emphasize flexibility and work-life balance
In addition to growth and development opportunities, today’s job seekers are also prioritizing flexibility and work-life balance. When recruiting, it’s useful for companies to emphasize the benefits they do or are willing to provide, such as flexible hours, telecommuting, and short breaks. As reports have shown that millennials and generations beyond are more likely to be in a two-income household, where both partners will be working full-time, emphasizing and instituting such policies can make a company much more attractive to talent than their competitors. Additionally, because these qualities have become such a priority for today’s job-seekers, it has also been seen to increase retention rates. Thus allowing for flexibility and work-life balance can help a company both attain employees and keep them.
