Ever happened to go into an office and get this energy vibe that it’s a great place to work in? I have. Both in physical offices as well as online spaces where I would just see those people and think “They look pretty happy working here. I think I’d love working here as well”.
The vibrant energy of engaged employees who make space a great place to work in is a key element in talent acquisition. From the first interaction a prospect has with your company, to the first interview or their trial period.
What potential prospects are most interested in when deciding to work for an organization is its reputation (22%), the person they will be working for (20%) and workplace flexibility (15%) (Emerging Workforce Study 2014). In other words – what is it like to work in that company, what its culture is.
Engaged employees are brand advocates
People don’t trust brands anymore. Not like they used to anyway. But they do trust the people they know, who are constantly talking about their experiences with companies and products. That is a valid piece of information, from a reliable source. No advertising smoke screen, no push marketing.
If you want your company to be top-of-mind for all the talented minds out there that could one day contribute to the success of your business, you need your employees to advocate for it.
Employee advocacy means involving everyone in the company in your communications efforts, to share and endorse your company culture, events and thought leadership. In order to do that, employees have to be engaged in the workplace.
Building an employee engagement culture
Engaged employees find meaning in what they do. They collaborate effectively in teams, they have value-driven behaviors and they proudly advocate for your company.
Here are some good case practices from some of our clients, to get you started:
Involve employees in long-term plans
- Communicate your organization’s mission and values;
- Communicate your plans for the future;
- Involve employees in setting goals for those plans;
- Get employee feedback;
- Keep employees aware of the external market tendencies;
- Ensure that every employee knows what their role is and how they are contributing to the overall company goals.
Practice respectful leadership
- Apply essential leadership principles such as transparency and constant communication;
- Get leaders actively involved in promoting and measuring employee engagement;
- Constantly ask for feedback;
- Follow-up on employees’ suggestions and ideas;
- Cultivate a collaborative way of working;
- Be compassionate and show that you genuinely care about people.
Make employees feel valued
- Create an individual learning plan for every new employee;
- Design educational and mentorship programs;
- Provide development opportunities;
- Recognize employees and encourage them to recognize each other;
- Celebrate team victories, big and small alike.
Oftentimes, you can win or lose a talent acquisition battle before you even email your desired prospect. It’s very likely that they know who you are and that they have a certain feeling towards your company.
It could be an “I’d love to work there” feeling, or rather a “Thanks, but no thanks” one. Make sure you inspire the right feeling to attract the right talent.
Image via StockSnap.io under C.C.0 license
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