How to stand out in the crowd
Employers/ Business Owners: Never has your employment brand been more important than it is now!
Some key statistics to consider:
- NZ unemployment is currently 4.7% (vs the recent forecasts of +8% by many of our economists)
- Job Applications via SEEK (per ad) were down by 7% month-on-month for Feb 2021 in NZ, and this is certainly reflective of what we are seeing and hearing from large employers in NZ, up to May 2021, with increasing job ads and fewer applicants per ad.
Job seekers are looking for a genuine match/ partnership with their employers and who you are, what you stand for and their own ability to connect with that purpose is hugely important.
We are now seeing a large shift into this being a ‘Job Seeker’s Market’
We are often asked by People Leaders and our People & Culture Leads, what job seekers are looking for to make decisions about next steps and how they best stand out in the crowd and here is how we rank importance … right now:
- Flexible Working Culture
- Leadership & Team Alignment
- Remuneration Package
- Challenge & Growth Opportunities
Whilst employers may have anticipated that there would be more people in the market and that sourcing great people may get easier post Covid, the reality is that for many the opposite is in fact true and employers are struggling to identify great people due to some of the following factors:
- Covid Lag /Increased Workloads: Many who have worked furiously through Covid and have not had holidays or a chance to look up for next-steps and may not have the energy to engage in a new job search
- Lowered Appetite for Change due to Perceived Risk : Given Covid and associated market uncertainty and discussions we are having across the market, there has certainly been a marked decrease in people’s appetite for change and a mindset of ’better the devil you know’ in some instances, coupled with genuine loyalty for employers who have offered ongoing flexible working and taken good care of their people through lockdowns.
- Your Value Proposition Is Not Resonating: Always good to revisit how you are connecting with your desired employees/ talent out there and how you are linking purpose, culture, opportunity and challenge with these folk. Engaging experts for advice and gaining ongoing feedback, to keep things engaging and fresh is equally as important, to keep up with changing behaviours, market conditions and job seeker trends.
https://www.seek.co.nz/employer/hiring-advice/3-reasons-your-job-ad-is-attracting-fewer-applications
Looking for some inspiration for how you define your EVP and take this to market?
- Start to ask the right questions and establish if your existing team align on your purpose, desired culture and why this is a great place to work?
- Consider what great really looks like and where you can do more and ask your team, client’s and community to get involved?
- Research and ask for expert insights into connecting all of the above into something that speaks to the people you wish to attract into your business. (Tells your story, through people)
https://www.insperity.com/blog/employer-of-choice/
‘Creating a great work culture and sharing this with potential future employees/ job seekers never happens through osmosis and is a definitive and intentional act, which is never complete and is ever evolving. It requires hard work, conscious energy and everyone to be on the journey, across an organisation. Remember that when times are uncertain and tough, this is when employers needs to invest more time and energy into exactly this and take active steps to encourage, appreciate and communicate’.
