Often known as the lifeblood of any organisation, workforces are constantly challenged to evolve – not only in their roles, but also when helping to push forward their companies through changing times too.
And, while the face-to-face interview process might be a thing of the past for many enterprises that are firmly embracing a hybrid and home-working approach, existing employees can hold the key to the enterprise’s next addition – even when they’re not part of the overall hiring task. Nick Washbourne, our commercial director, spoke to UMi to explain more.
‘People buy from people’ is a phrase that many individuals will have heard of and, when rolling out a successful recruitment drive, there’s never been a more genuine statement.
That’s because it’s human nature to communicate with one another – having those all-important social exchanges ultimately assists in building trust and developing relationships. And, when thinking about the bigger picture, such deep-rooted conversations throughout a business can be the dynamic difference between the success and failure of a firm.
There’s no doubt that employees have a vital role to play in terms of an enterprise’s growth. They’re the ones who are able to create an authentic partnership with existing customers and colleagues, so why should they be overlooked when you’re searching for the best fits for your company?
Many employees won’t be part of the interview process, or final hiring stages, but they can still be an integral part in making sure your brand is a more attractive proposition. And, a great place to start is via an effective social media strategy.
1. Giving your workforces a voice online
Going back to how ‘people buy from people’, jobhunters will be looking to your workforce to tell them exactly what it’s like to be a part of your organisation. They’re the ones who can genuinely portray the image of your firm, so if you say you’re customer-facing – but your social channels are gathering dust rather than engagement – candidates will see right through you.
Many company leaders and founders at this stage may feel like they have to take all this on themselves. But that’s simply not the case anymore.
Yes, it’s important that you keep conversing with your audience, but employees can often be a vital driving force when pushing your business mission forward and out there into cyber space. Building a team of ‘employee advocates’ isn’t an overnight process but you can get well on your way by completing the first step – giving your teams a voice, and the confidence, to speak about your brand online.
Social media guidelines are crucial at this point, but not to the extent that colleagues feel restricted and aren’t able to say something in their own words. Empowering staff to share pre-written job ads, or speak to interested candidates and answer any questions they’re able to, will help to widen the net in terms of your recruitment – and send a powerful message that can land in the newsfeeds of potential applicants.
2. Providing a ‘behind the scenes’ view
Saying that you have a great company culture is extremely different to embracing and embodying it. And again, people will instantly see-through any efforts to look more together than you actually are.
Employees are perfectly placed to deliver truly relevant information to candidates, in order to help progress their job searches and applications. Alongside social media content, why not urge staff to think more creatively with their digital content?
Compelling blogs that detail what to expect during an interview with your company – or how future additions can bolster their skillsets to develop further – are great ways of promoting and helping the hiring process move forward.
And don’t forget about visual content that’s inclusive and accessible too – could a recruitment drive be video-led with subtitles, for example? Or comprise of a series of text and image-led carousel updates via Instagram’s grid and Stories options? PowerPoint slides are also proving to be popular on LinkedIn at the moment. Have a look to see what’s working for other brands – and listen to your employees to understand how you can diversify your hiring content.
3. Endorsement… from someone other than the boss
Colleagues will most likely have a different experience to business leaders when it comes to outlining what they appreciate about their firms and your enterprise’s differential. So, embrace that fact!
Happy employees are typically going to shout about the positive side of your company – whether that’s speaking about the culture, the rewards and perks, or the learning and development aspects. These are all golden elements in making talented jobseekers sit up and take notice.
Word of mouth endorsement, on their own accord, from those who know your firm the best can be a truly powerful thing when it comes to a successful recruitment process.
That’s why, as a leader, you shouldn’t ever forget your employees when it comes to advertising for your organisation’s next available role – they could be the key to discovering exceptional future candidates.
To build a team that lives and breathes your enterprise, generates recruitment leads via social media and creates a thriving workplace culture, email: info@soampli.com or call 0845 2725990. Make sure you also connect with us via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
