According to a recent study by Universum UK, 54% of professionals will be looking to change employers within the next year. In this highly competitive talent market, particularly for tech roles, the need for a strong talent attraction strategy has never been more important.
Because tech talent are in such high demand, it means candidates essentially have the choice of where they work next. So, if your organization is planning to recruit in the near future, it’s important to understand what talent are looking for in their next role so you can ensure you’re meeting market demands in this highly competitive market.
Below are some of the top attributes that talent find most important when considering a future employer.
Secure employment
For talent looking for a permanent role, they want to ensure they’re working for a stable organization that can make it through challenging periods, such as COVID-19. The thought of possible layoffs, or reduction of pay will deter talent from joining your company.
If you’re a young company that doesn’t necessarily have the legacy brand behind you, then focus on promoting recent funding or key financial backings that showcase your organization’s stability.
Purpose-led work
McKinsey did a recent study which revealed “nearly two-thirds of US-based employees surveyed said that COVID-19 has caused them to reflect on their purpose in life”. Plus, nearly half said that they are “reconsidering the kind of work they do because of the pandemic”.
When talent feel personally connected to their company’s purpose, there are a lot of advantages – from stronger employee engagement, to heightened loyalty, and a greater willingness to recommend the company to their network.
As a company, it’s important to ask; how does our product or service impact society? This is a key question to answer amongst your recruitment marketing initiatives.
As McKinsey puts it, “employees expect their jobs to bring a significant sense of purpose to their lives. Employers need to help meet this need, or be prepared to lose talent to companies that will”.
Sustainability
We’re seeing a rise of talent wanting to know what employers are doing from a sustainability perspective, particularly from Gen-Zs.
Tesla is an example of an organization who is heavily leaning into this as a talent attraction strategy. Straight at the top of their career page, they have a tagline that says “Accelerate the World’s Transition to Sustainable Energy.”
This is a simple but direct way to let future employees know that sustainability is at the forefront of their company – so if you care about the environment and sustainability, then Tesla is the workplace for you.
Clear career path
Talent are thinking long and hard about the future of their careers. They want to know that if they’re joining your organization, there is a clear path for success. They value learning and growth opportunities and want to know that their time and effort is going to help them ultimately be in a better position than when they joined.
So, when it comes time to recruit for a new team member(s), consider sharing real stories about your organization’s culture that includes stability, purpose-led work, sustainability, and career growth.
