Christmas is an excellent time for many companies. Especially as we’re now once again, many employers are really hoping to use this festive season to reunite teams and re-engage workers, even if it has to be virtually once again. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate all you’ve achieved as a team in the last year […]
For tech businesses, remote working isn’t going away any time soon. What was seen as a perk a few years ago is not only becoming the norm, but many businesses are choosing to be remote-first and having office spaces as optional, occasional meeting spaces. Over the last two years, hiring managers have concluded that the […]
In a market where employer branding will be even more crucial in the race for tech talent, it’s more vital than ever that scaling tech businesses get these strategies right in 2022. While large corporations have large recruitment marketing budgets and the capacity to hire at scale, every company has a culture and brand which should be celebrated. How you communicate these unique aspects will set you apart in 2022. Remember, not everyone is the same, and different aspects of work will appeal to different candidates, but all of these individuals are becoming much more aware of what they want. In a market where the candidates hold the cards, employer brand communications couldn’t be more critical.
The role of benefits at work has changed significantly. What was once an additional perk to help entice candidates has quickly become necessary to enhance their experience and lifestyle. Fully stocked beer fridges and ping-pong tables have had their day. Once upon a time, the more quirky or fun a benefit was, the more a business stood out in the eyes of candidates. But, the last two years have proven that benefits should be just that, a benefit, not something fun and out there to add to your employer brand communications. Benefits shouldn’t be there to capture attention but rather to enhance the lives of employees significantly.
Environmental issues are becoming more of a talking point than ever, and many of us are starting to prioritise the impact we have on the environment in our daily lives. More of us than ever are conscious about how we travel, the amount of waste we produce, and other renowned factors for damaging the planet. […]
There is also a lot of discussion around consumption and the amount we work; with many suggesting that working less could be the secret to saving the planet. But is this true?
An article published by the financial times, Norwegian research from 2016 suggests at least 60% of all greenhouse gases can be traced back to consumption. They argue that if the developed world worked less, we would earn less and spend less, helping the planet as a result. This supports the argument for a 4-day working week, which has been pushed since the pandemic. Not only would the extra day help employees, wellbeing but it could help save the planet too. In fact, research published recently by the environmental organisation Platform London showed that moving to a four-day, 32-hour working week (with no reduction in pay for workers) would reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes per year. It would reduce the amount of commuting, the amount of energy used by offices, reduce the need for office supplies and waste and also could give employees valuable time to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. Right now, time is so limited we’re all guilty of cutting corners. To put it into perspective, experts believe that a four-day working week would reduce the UK’s carbon footprint by 21.3%, which is more than the total carbon footprint of Switzerland and would be the same as taking 27 million cars off the road. It would mean UK employees would drive 558 million miles less every week. Crazy right?
In the last twelve months, recruitment strategies have had to adapt to change. Hiring practices that were the norm in a post-pandemic world are beginning to look dated and ineffective. With remote working and skills shortages taking over, it quickly became apparent in the early half of this year that the recruitment landscape wasn’t ever going to be the same as it once was, and many of us had to adapt. Therefore, we’ve had a lot of time to experiment and reflect on what hiring practices work best in this new normal.
Now everyone realises the importance of employer brand, it will take a lot more to stand out. Every business out there will claim to be a great employer. It would be stupid to say they aren’t if they wish to attract new talent. Plus, a lot of benefits like flexible working are now taken as standard. They’re not going to help you to stand out in the race for talent. Therefore, when it comes to communicating employer brands, companies who wish to attract the best talent will have to think outside of the box, tailor their messaging to resonate with the right talent and get loud with the aspects that make them unique.
Diversity and inclusion are two words that we hear a lot in the world of recruitment. However, when the market is so competitive, and all businesses are fighting for tech talent, do diversity efforts remain a priority or is it just about filling the roles and business continuity?
In 2020, we all wanted to prioritise diversity and inclusion, but then, no one could have predicted the challenging talent market we now have. Candidates hold a lot of the power and have their choice of employers; diverse candidates like female developers are even more in demand and therefore have even more options at their disposal. When you need to recruit a large number of roles quickly in such a fierce market, your D&I efforts likely fall by the wayside, and hiring managers maintain that this is a promise they will pick up again when things are calmer and attracting talent is easier.
However, the market isn’t slowing down, and more importantly, candidates have come to expect diverse organisations; non-inclusive companies will struggle to attract talent in this new era of work.
So, how can organisations ensure that D&I is a real part of their 2022 recruitment strategy and pave the way for more diverse hires in the future?
If you’re in the middle of a hiring surge, you cannot forget your existing team although it’s easy to get caught up in the hiring process. Dedicating all of your time and efforts to finding new talent, may leave your existing people feeling superfluous and neglected; they won’t seem like your priority. Your team may begin to feel overlooked if your entire people strategy involves recruitment and not considering their wants and needs.
money to replace a talented person. From advertising a job to the onboarding process, there is a huge process involved in finding and training the right person, it can take months which can cause issues for a scaling business. Attrition and turnover can cause many issues for businesses looking to grow. Firstly, it can put scaling on hold while you find someone to take over another role; you can’t prioritise new hires in the business if critical roles remain open. Secondly, it can also damage your employer brand reputation and hinder recruitment strategies; candidates will soon get wind that employees aren’t happy and that you have a high turnover rate. Therefore to avoid high attrition rates and going into 2022, employers need to refine their people strategy to ensure that they’re putting people first.
