The great resignation of more than 47 million people in 2021 meant that America’s 8% unemployment rate in 2020 instantly shifted to a labor shortage. Staff shortages mean productivity issues for companies and reduced growth opportunities. With such fierce competition in the labor market, attracting and retaining employees remains the biggest challenge for every organization.

One of the most challenging characteristics of recruiting and hiring today is understanding candidate needs. Compensation may still feature at the top, but other things like work conditions and well-rounded employers play an equally important role.

Besides money, here are five ways to attract the best talent to your company:

1.      Provide Work Flexibility

COVID-19 has changed how we think about productivity, proving that employees can work equally productively from home as they can from the office. So even though networking activities, team meetings, and in-office consultations are sometimes essential, you can take advantage of more flexible solutions to attract the best talent.

Therefore, forget about the mandatory in-office approach if you want to expand your talent pool by offering remote and hybrid work opportunities. Research shows that workplace flexibility has become the next most important motivator for potential employees after compensation and perks.

2.      Employer Brand and Company Culture

Developing a people-focused culture is vital for attracting talent to your company. Employees want an engaging environment where their performance is recognized and rewarded. Creating a better employer brand that is people-focused will help you retain existing employees and attract various talents.

Include your employer brand in your recruitment strategy, letting potential candidates know what makes your company different. Additionally, take full advantage of your website and LinkedIn profile to improve your branding as an employer and demonstrate the excellent work environment in your company.

Company culture – the daily values aligned with your message and brand – provides the right environment to retain employees and helps them work toward your business goals. In addition, a healthy company culture enables you to keep your existing employees and creates an environment that attracts the best new talent.

When the whole team within the company helps to create and promote its culture, everyone at all levels can feel like they have a voice.

3.      Offer Equality, Perks, Transparency, and Inclusiveness

Besides flexibility, one of the most fantastic perks you can offer your employees, look for other resources that can help you create a competitive work environment that attracts talent. Perhaps you cannot afford benefits like those provided by more prominent companies but find solutions like discounts that benefit their wellness and financial security. Always give them options about which perks they prefer.

Support everyone on your team, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, education, etc. Equality and embracing diversity can help you to attract talents from further afield. Additionally, equality means everyone has the same opportunities to learn, train, and grow within the company. In a business where people from diverse backgrounds feel safe to discuss and voice their opinions, the prospects for growth and creativity immediately increase.

Transparency, trust, and respect in the work environment grow from within a background of open communication. Employees need to feel secure. Communicating the company’s goals, vision, and mission removes any feelings of uncertainty. In addition, feedback from every department and employee strengthens their trust and helps to attract other talented individuals.

4.      Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Social media is a powerful weapon, even when your company is not actively searching for talent. Use it like your website and LinkedIn page to share your company culture and build affinity, trust, and responsiveness with customers and potential personnel.

The platform you prefer depends on you, but use it for more than just marketing to communicate good content consistently with your audience.

5.      Build Relationships and Network

It would help if you looked for talent in the right places when you want to recruit the best.

Networking with others in your trade can offer all the right insights about where they find their employees and what they offer. In addition, as you mingle at events, the chances to learn about new employees increase.

Another place to find talent is to connect with educational institutions. Provide job listings to university career centers and join career fairs to attract young people wanting to gain work experience.

Finally, an open house event can bring talent into your space, where it is easier to show and discuss with future employees every aspect of your business and its culture first-hand. Open house interactions create the ideal environment to see more about a person, even if they don’t meet the requirements for the position you want to fill.

Final Take

Recruiting the best talent for your company does take a lot of effort and time. However, it becomes a quicker process when the company has an acquisition strategy, culture, and employer brand. Once you can appealingly showcase your business to talented people, recruiting the right talent to take it to the top becomes even easier.

The post 5 Ways You Can Attract Best Talent to Your Company (Besides Money) appeared first on StreetWise Journal.