4 Things Recruiters Need to Highlight About a Job to Attract More Talent

One-fourth of UK jobs were placed on furlough following the COVID-19 lockdowns, but in some industries, there’s been a need to expand their workforce. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation reported that while we’re seeing several permanent vacancies, the technology, banking, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and logistics industries have actually gone on a hiring spike.

“While job openings have dramatically fallen since the start of the outbreak, companies are still hiring, albeit a lot less than before,” says Glassdoor careers expert Jo Cresswell. This means that recruiters need to be more discerning about who they hire and what these individuals bring to the table—you need to attract the best talent. Here are a few things worth sharing on your job listing:

How environmentally-conscious is the company?

Millennials make up more than 50% of the UK’s workforce, and it’s important to them that you share their values. They’re deeply concerned and committed to fighting global climate change, with most of them shifting to eco-friendly and zero-waste lifestyles—and this extends to their employment choice. Green technology and sustainability efforts appeal to this age group, so these are definitely things you should highlight.

Companies like Procter and Gamble (P&G), who have their UK headquarters in Newcastle, put sustainability into practice, and it comes at a time where they’re targeting a younger market and trying to help reverse climate change, too. They engage their employees by equipping and rewarding them for sustainability practices, and instil responsible consumption habits through Ambition 2030, their latest campaign. “[Ambition 2030] addresses two of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges: finite resources and growing consumption,” said Virginie Helias, P&G Vice President of Global Sustainability.

Does the company do good?

In conjunction with good done for the planet, good done for the community is also something potential hires look for; they want their work to be meaningful and to have a positive impact on society. This corporate social responsibility could come in the form of projects, donations, and charity support, among others. For one, banking giant Lloyds Banking Group PLC has been known to make staggering amounts of donations to charity, giving out a total of £64 million in 2017 alone.

Additionally, the financial institution has a Helping Britain Prosper Plan, and works with Mental Health UK. They even encourage employees to volunteer some of their work hours to the foundations that they support. This way, they give employees the chance to affect change in a hands-on and direct way.

Does the compensation package include shares?

British citizens hold an accumulated 2.2 million stocks and shares, with increasingly more people looking to buy into the market every day. Investors buy stocks and shares in the hope that their funds will grow over time and appreciate in value. Then they can either sell or withdraw the assets when the price is right. Some companies like Morrisons help their employees invest and become shareholders by issuing shares to their employees as part of their compensation packages.

We’ve seen this pay off for thousands of Morrisons employees in 2018, when share prices skyrocketed and the staff received their collective shares worth £32m. They were given the choice to keep their shares or sell them immediately at record prices. Success stories like this make stock-sharing schemes attractive for employees who are looking to invest in a company they’re personally involved in.

Does the company offer tele-commuting options?

Several companies have had to shift to remote work to weather the pandemic. In fact, around 24% of the entire workforce has been exclusively working from home. While this is a temporary arrangement for some, others are planning to make it the norm.

It comes with advantages like having a more flexible schedule, and eliminating the need for transportation time and costs. Job hunters are looking for the option to tele-commute, and this could sway their decision towards accepting a position. There are a number of big companies operating here in the UK, such as Aiir, Amazon, and Sensee, have made remote and tele-commuting arrangements a major part of their culture. This has made hiring an easier process for their recruiters.

The competition to attract the best talents is growing exponentially, so be innovative and creative to find your ideal candidates.