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Why your company’s reputation could be having an impact on your recruitment – and 5 things you can do about it
12 months ago
Studies into candidate behaviour have consistently shown that a company’s reputation can have a big impact on recruitment success. One study found that 69% of job seekers wouldn’t take a role with a company that had a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed, and 84% would consider leaving their current job if they were offered another role by a business they regarded highly.
Our own research into the best companies to work for in the HVAC sector has highlighted a strong desire from job seekers to work for companies that are well respected in the industry. We know from experience that reputation can be particularly important when you are wanting to attract candidates who are not actively seeking a new role.
So, how do you know what people think of your company and what exactly are candidates focusing on when they think about good or bad places to work? Most importantly of all, what can you do to improve things?
How do prospective candidates judge you?
If you think candidates are being put off from applying to your company, the first thing to do is understand how they form their opinions. For many job seekers, online sites like Glassdoor can have a big influence. It’s worth checking external sites and review sites and making sure your happy customers and employees are leaving reviews to boost your rankings.
Find out what people think
How often do you ask your employees what they like about working for you, or what they’d like to improve? Going through the process of a staff survey every once in a while is a quick and easy way to gather feedback and monitor employee satisfaction. It can also help you develop your culture over time by taking on board suggestions.
Look beyond your brand
Whilst some candidates tell us their ambition is to work for one of the big names in the HVAC industry, their decisions are rarely based on the quality of the marketing material or the logo. The key reasons people give for wanting to work for big brands are product range, availability, after sales service and other things that might make them proud to work for the business.
Share employee success
Social media and your website are excellent platforms for celebrating the success of team members who have won awards, completed personal challenges or reached a landmark within the business, for example through promotion or length of service. Make sure you are recognising, rewarding and sharing your team members’ big moments.
Make sure your staff have a good leaving experience
Your best advocates are your past staff so it makes sense to create a positive exit process. People move on to gain different skills and experience, sometimes returning and bringing that expertise back with them. They will almost certainly share with others what their time was like with your business and by saying goodbye well, you can make sure they speak favourably. The exit interview is another great way to gather feedback too, so be sure to ask them how they found their time with your company and if there is anything they would like to see change.