BY AMY COOLEY
In today’s competitive, employee-driven job market, attracting talent has become increasingly challenging for businesses of all kinds. In the chauffeured transportation industry, an operator’s success depends on the quality of their employees, and hiring the right people is crucial to achieving the service levels we pride ourselves on. Talent attraction is the term we use for the things you do as a business to identify, engage, and hire the best employees for your business.
To do this effectively, you need to understand the needs and desires of today’s employees and jobseekers. Millennials and Gen Z make up a significant portion of the workforce, and these generations are often looking for more than just a paycheck (but it’s not limited to these generations). Many are looking for companies that align with their values, provide a positive work culture, and offer growth opportunities. This means you also need to be clear about your mission and values. What sets us apart from other industries? What sets you apart from other operators? How does your culture reflect your values? What is it like to be a member of your team?
Another difference in today’s workforce is where and how jobseekers go about looking for employment. Talent attraction strategies have evolved significantly over the past few decades. In the past, companies relied on traditional methods such as job postings in newspapers and magazines, career fairs, and employee referrals to attract hires. However, with the ubiquity of the internet and social media, the process of talent attraction has become more complex, sophisticated, and nuanced.
1. Employer Branding: Employer branding is the process of creating and promoting your reputation as an employer of choice. This involves showcasing your values, culture, and work environment to potential candidates. A strong employer brand can help attract top talent and reduce employee turnover. Sharing organic content is a great way to do this. Employee of the Month? Chauffeur with a remarkable safety record? Detailer who likes being behind the scenes but takes pride in doing great work? Share, share, share!
2. Employee Referral Programs: Employee referral programs involve encouraging or even incentivizing high-performing current employees to refer their friends and colleagues for open positions. After all, your great employees know what it takes to contribute to your success and will likely recognize others who might be also be a good fit.
3. Online Job Boards: Online job boards are a popular way to advertise openings and attract candidates. Indeed is popular for all types of roles, and you may find sites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn to be a good way to promote openings like operations manager, chauffeur trainer, safety officer, and others.
4. Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are still popular places to promote job openings and engage with potential candidates. You can also use social media to showcase your employer brand and highlight that organic content we talked about above. Testimonials from your team can be highly effective here as well as photos and short videos from team events or community engagement activities.
5. Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Offering competitive compensation and benefits packages can help attract and retain great hires. This includes not only pay but also other perks such as health insurance, retirement plans, and non-traditional scheduling. Since most chauffeurs earn gratuities, it’s helpful if you can share a range of their average pay in your recruitment messaging, rather than just describing the base wage.
6. Candidate Experience: The candidate experience is the impression a job seeker has of your operation based on their interactions throughout the recruitment process. A good experience can help attract top talent and improve your employer brand.
7. Diversity and Inclusion: More than just buzzwords, diversity and inclusion are essential for creating a positive work environment and attracting a diverse pool of candidates. Businesses that prioritize diversity and inclusion are more likely to attract great talent and experience lower turnover rates.
Talent attraction rather than just hiring has become vital in today’s competitive job market. To effectively recruit, you’ll want to focus on creating a strong employer brand and promoting a positive company culture, along with offering competitive compensation and benefits packages, leveraging employee referrals, and utilizing social media and other online platforms. But also know that you don’t have to go it alone: Working with an experienced recruitment marketing partner can really up your talent acquisition game. [CD0623]
Amy Cooley is HR Leader for The LMC Groups. She can be reached at amy@lmcpeople.com.