We’re all familiar with the September feeling: the nights start to draw in, the rain arrives and passports are put away for another year.
Returning to the office after a summer break we can’t help but take some time to evaluate our careers. At LinkedIn we call this ‘the back to work blues’ and it’s something we see on our platform every year. January was the only month that trumped September when it came to our members viewing jobs last year.
So now is the time for businesses across the country to be thinking about how they can make the most of the opportunity to hire new talent, and retain existing staff.
To help employers do this we took a look at what drives UK professionals to change roles in our recent Inside the Mind of Today’s Candidate research. And, by shining a light on the habits and attitudes of the UK’s jobseekers, we’ve put together four ways you can avoid a September blues slump.
1. Treat your employees as ambassadors for recruitment
Did you know that an employee’s opinion is seen as three times more trustworthy than the CEO’s when talking about what it’s like to work for an organisation?
Employees are your ultimate ambassadors for recruitment, and they can give an authentic voice to the visions and values you set out for your business. This means you should encourage your employees to shout about your achievements and showcase why you’re a great place for talent on social media platforms, for example.
2. Educate and empower employees
Our research shows that retaining employees through remuneration alone is not enough. Professional growth, challenging work, and skill development are crucial factors an employee considers before moving on or when deciding to stay in their current role.
Be clear from the start what training courses you offer and how you see the role growing. And remember no two employees are the same so a tailored approach to learning will set both your business and staff up for long-term success.
3. Get social
When a candidate applies for a job it is increasingly likely that they will have spent some time online researching your company. Our research shows that nearly half of all professionals (49%) follow certain companies on social media solely to stay aware of their vacancies.
It is important that you don’t simply use social media as a broadcast opportunity, by constantly firing out news and openings at your company without taking the time to interact with your network. Companies must make that all-important connection with would-be candidates by answering questions and responding to comments in a way that will appear favourable to them. By using social to shout about what you stand for you’ll also see existing employee engagement rise.
4. Team up with the marketing department
It can sometimes be difficult to find the right way to communicate your message to your target audience. This is why it’s important that HR teams work closely with marketing. As experts in communication, these colleagues will be able to offer advice around how best to present the benefits your offer to existing and prospective staff.
While September is a great place to start, for your business to thrive retention and recruitment needs to be a year-round effort. With so many businesses vying for top talent the candidate market is competitive, and it can be challenging to find, hire and keep talented people. By continually investing in making your company attractive to candidates, and making changes needed to boost staff satisfaction when necessary, you will reap the rewards of a motivated and committed workforce.
Jon Addison is head of talent solutions at LinkedIn UK