Recruiting with truth
As an employer, you now have to be from a good home to bring in people. The recruitment campaigns are flying around our ears. But be careful not to lure people in with nice promises. You can also lose them again in no time. So make sure your story is correct. But how do you present yourself as a good employer? What do you say and what do you show? And how do you keep employees inside? What does successful employment consist of?
Recently, we developed a campaign for Great Place To Work: 'Knowing what's really going on'. A campaign focused on new leadership to inspire CEOs to work on good employment and thus good leadership. We also had a nice chat with Wencke Ester Lorber, commercial director at Great Place To Work and board member of Inclusion NL. After working at various media companies, she is now committed to a fairer business. This is her story.
Interior and exterior
“Be honest in all your labour market communication. Because it's fun though: photos of a party in Ibiza with the whole team, or a flashy campaign video where only pretty happy people jump around a ping-pong table in an office. Of course, this attracts people, but the image you create of your company is in line with reality. I was recently on my way to a company and ended up at a warehouse in a desolate business park, but what a nice atmosphere there! They just didn't radiate that to the outside. Ultimately, you want the inside to match the outside.”
“But of course, the other way around is much more often the case. Many companies express great values because they want to profile themselves as a good company. After all, with the current developments in society, it is important to radiate good employment. But if you bring out beautiful values about your organizational culture, they should also be visible inside. Is it safe enough to make mistakes? As an employee, how do I know that I will not be charged there? This requires trust and inclusive leadership. As a manager, ask the question: what can I do for you? And really listen!”
Loyalty must be rewarded
“Where the focus used to be on bringing in more and more people, it has been clearly shifting to keeping people inside for a while now. And that means that, as an employer, you must do your best to keep seeing and hearing your employees. Give them the space to develop and show that you are happy with them. And don't just say this, but actually do something with it. Loyalty needs to be rewarded more. Just compare it to your KPN or Ziggo subscription. They bring you in with gifts and huge discounts, but as a loyal customer, you get nothing for years. Then the question is, are you going to call and ask for it or leave? This also happens in the workplace. When there is a crack in the relationship, it is often too late. Dare to face this as an employer!”
With the buttocks bare
“Workplace culture and people are the basis for your company's success. It's an open door, but that's just the way it is. Companies that come to us must be willing to go bare with their butts off. That requires guts and perseverance. Sometimes employers are shocked by the results of the employee survey. “Is this true?” is then the question. The answer is simple: it's always right! After all, it is the employee's perception. If you want to become a Great Place to Work, you must do this with an intrinsic motivation. Do you know what's really going on in your organization? Will all those beautiful promises you make at the front door also be fulfilled? Or do people run away from the back door just as fast? Building diversity and inclusiveness is important for a healthy organization. We are still working hard on this ourselves.”
How far should you go?
“Did you know that only 1 in 10 employees thinks 'good employment conditions' is important?
It's about making someone feel valued and respected. Flexibility is also important. Not only when it comes to the workplace, if possible, but certainly also for working hours. That is something we have embraced from the corona period. In addition, you see that more and more companies are introducing unlimited days off. We also have that in our own office and it works really well. You give responsibility and trust and for that, you get commitment in return. Not every employer already dares to do this.”
“And what about 'open hire'? You just have to dare to launch a campaign with the slogan: everyone who signs up can come and work for us. Greyston Bakery in the US did it. And successfully. They got the people they wanted and the people who responded were super motivated to work there. After all, you were hired immediately... How far will you go as an employer?”
5x Do it immediately
- Don't lose sight of your current employees.
- Create ambassadors and let them tell the story about their work.
- Show the outside world what it's really like with you.
- Compliment an employee for commitment, flexibility, or commitment.
- As director, enter into the conversation. Only then will you get a good idea of what's going on and what drives people.
What is Great Place To Work?
It is a research and consultancy firm in the field of organizational culture and good employment practices. Great Place To Work has been around for over 30 years and is active in 60 different countries. As a result, the organization has a lot of data and knowledge about good employment and labor market communication. With Great Place To Work-Certified™, organizations show that they are a good employer. The Trust Index™ employee survey that is used for this purpose provides reliable insights and tools to build a successful organizational culture.
