The world of work is changing, and now employees want much more than just a regular paycheck every two weeks. Instead, they want to go to work at a place where the management appreciates what they do and shows it every day.
As a recruiter or member of human resources, it is important to have your finger on the pulse of what the modern-day candidates are looking for so you can attract the best people to your organization.
Here’s what makes for a positive workplace culture, how your company can shift and change to attract better candidates, and the benefits of doing so.
1. Candidates Want To Work at a Company With a Positive Culture
The main reason why you need to take a closer look at your workplace culture is that candidates in 2023 are often more interested in how their company welcomes and treats them every day than they care about pay or benefits.
According to recent research, candidates have a major interest in working for a company that shows appreciation through flexible schedules, open communication, and the possibility of growth within an organization.
Candidates also want to work for a company that allows them to enjoy a work/life balance. Employees will no longer tolerate a company that requires them to work endless hours of overtime or to come in on weekends.
Instead, they want to put in their eight hours and then call it a day and spend time with their families or do other things they enjoy. If your company can show that you provide this type of culture, then you are more likely to pique the interest of quality candidates.
2. A Poor Culture Is a Stressed Culture
In addition to knowing how to create a positive company culture, it is also important to realize the negative attributes that can turn candidates away and cause current employees to become stressed and fall short of expectations. It would behoove members of HR to take a walk around the office or pass out surveys so they can take the temperature of the company.
It is important to understand the signs of work-related stress and determine if you are witnessing them at your workplace. For instance, if your employees report that they have frequent headaches, fatigue, and trouble concentrating, then you need to make adjustments to their routine at work.
There are plenty of forums where employees can complain about their jobs, and if your company gets a bad reputation due to your corporate culture, then it can be bad news when it comes to future recruitment.
3. Discover Internal Talent
When it comes to recruitment, it is just as important to hire from within as it is to look outside of your organization. Your company needs to have a positive culture where everyone is able to talk and share ideas, even if they work in different departments. That is why an important step is to improve interdepartmental communication and collaboration.
You can do this by allowing employees to cross-train in different areas and pick the brains of people on other teams when necessary. By doing so, your company can experience a more efficient workflow and reduce conflict and unnecessary risk.
Also, when a position opens up in a particular department and a manager needs to find a qualified candidate, they already have a pool of qualified employees that they can turn to and fill the position. However, none of this is possible if your company does not promote a culture of open communication.
4. Bring Back Boomerang Employees
If you put work into your company culture, then you can not only attract more new employees, but you can also bring back the valuable employees that made a difference in your company in the past but decided to retire early.
These individuals are often referred to as boomerang employees because although they retired, they show an interest in coming back to work for their previous employer.
If these employees left because they didn’t feel like the culture at work was positive or supportive, then this is a time to show them that things have changed. Improve the company culture, and you’ll bring back employees who can truly make a difference for your organization.
5. You’ll Keep Employees for Longer
A great benefit of a positive company culture that we don’t always think about is how it has an impact on employee retention. When an employee feels like part of a community instead of a cog in a machine, then they are more likely to stay with an organization than the people that are unhappy at their jobs. This is especially true if they know that they have a chance to grow within the organization and reach their career goals.
When you retain a majority of your workforce, and you don’t need to constantly fill vacancies, then recruiters and HR representatives can instead spend more time focusing on finding the best people when necessary.
6. Encourage Employee Referrals
Another way that a positive company culture can help recruiters to streamline their efforts is through employee referrals. If an employee feels like they are really appreciated at their job and that management has their best interests at heart, then they are more likely to refer their friends when positions become available.
Like-minded people often pair up, so if an employee refers to a friend or acquaintance, they are likely going to be a good fit for your organization. However, if the company culture leaves something to be desired, then the current employee is more likely to be unhappy, and there is a good chance that they don’t want to refer their friends.
7. A Poor Culture Makes Recruiting Harder
Finally, it is important to recognize that poor company culture can make the jobs of recruiters and HR representatives harder. That is because when employees feel like they aren’t appreciated or valued, and they are required to work too hard with little benefit, then they tend to call out more often, or they could quit altogether. If this happens often, then recruiters and managers need to work harder to find enough employees to fill those vacancies, and it can be a never-ending problem that will ultimately affect the performance of the company.
There are many reasons why a strong workplace culture is essential for hiring and recruitment. See if your company passes this toxic workplace checklist. Find ways to improve your workplace, and you will attract qualified candidates who can help your company thrive.