Trouble Attracting the Best Talent? Try What These Top Employers Do
Smart companies, whether they’re small or huge, know that success always boils down to having great people work for them. Here’s what some of the world’s top employers do to make sure that happens.
1. JE Dunn Construction: Show You Care With Philanthropy
Workers these days want more than a paycheck. They want to work for employers whose values they share, and they also want to help make a difference in the world through their work. That’s one of the reasons companies are ramping up philanthropic activities. Community outreach falls into this category, and brings the side benefit of allowing employees to be actively involved in giving back.
JE Dunn Construction, one of the nation’s top contractors and also one of the largest private companies in the country, believes wholeheartedly in this notion, and as a result is very good at attracting great talent.
They donate over 10 percent of pre-tax earnings to philanthropic organizations all over the country. Most employees volunteer (on company time) and get involved in their communities through work-sponsored outreach activities.
2. Google: Build a Teamwork Environment to Draw in Collaborators.
Since teamwork is a growing component of successful businesses, and agile management calls for vested individuals who can contribute in creative and innovative ways, cultural fit is very important in new hires.
So, rather than looking merely for technical expertise, seek out passion and character. This is how Google does it. They want passionate people who share ideas, so they value – and therefore develop – a strong teamwork environment.
To identify that passion and to gauge the ability of a prospect to fit in on the team, Google makes “Googleyness” one of their four standard criteria for hiring. Key factors in Googleyness are “team orientation” and interpersonal skills. Managers imagine being stuck for six hours at LAX airport with the prospect and if that seems unbearable, well that counts against him!
3. Life is Good: Clarify the Company Mission
Employees want to not only make a difference in the world, they also want to work for a company where they feel they make a difference in the company. Having a clearly stated and easily understood company mission is the foundation to attracting talent that, increasingly these days, cares about having a purpose within the company.
Want an example of an amazing company mission statement? The T-shirt company Life is Good has one that goes beyond cute T-shirts. They want to spread the power of optimism!
Chances are, your company doesn’t sell feel-good T-shirts. Nevertheless, it’s entirely possible to have an equally uplifting mission statement no matter what industry you’re in. Corporate giant American Express has a great one, with a focus on customer service that sets them apart from their competitors. They mention supporting their employees, too.
4. Cheesecake Factory: Help Employees With Their Careers
Investing in employee training makes for a happy workforce that’s inspired to do great things at work. It also helps attract great talent because if you’re good at your game, you’re always looking for ways to improve and learn.
Cheesecake Factory invests heavily in employee development and it has paid off. They are included on FORTUNE’s 2016 “100 Best Companies to work For” and have no problems attracting top talent.
Tuition reimbursement, strong training programs and mentoring programs can do wonders for employees’ careers and for attracting the best.
Conclusion
If you’re serious about attracting great employees, focus on the word “attracting” rather than “recruiting” and you’re on the right track. Let these examples serve as your guide as you re-think how you can attract the best talent in today’s modern marketplace.