Tag Archive for: human resources

How to Build an Employer Brand That Attracts Top Talent

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Attracting top talent is no longer a matter of luck—it’s a strategic effort that many organisations are struggling to master. In today’s competitive hiring landscape, businesses aren’t just vying for the attention of job seekers, they’re in a constant battle to stand out and present themselves as an employer of choice. With a tight labour market and high economic inactivity rates, it’s increasingly challenging to attract the best and brightest. But the secret weapon that can give companies an edge? A strong, compelling employer brand.

Why attracting top talent is a struggle

The global labour market has undergone a seismic shift. Unemployment levels remain low in many regions, yet the economic inactivity rate—people who are not working or looking for work—is high. Whether it’s due to early retirements, long-term illness, or lifestyle changes post-pandemic, many qualified professionals are simply not available. This leaves employers competing for a smaller pool of actively engaged candidates.

Moreover, the current workforce has more opportunities than ever. Flexible working arrangements, remote roles, and international companies expanding talent searches globally mean top candidates have a wealth of choices. To compete, organisations need to stand out in ways that go beyond traditional salary and benefits offerings.

top talent

Building an employer brand that attracts top talent

In a world where candidates hold the power, building a strong employer brand is no longer optional. It’s essential. A well-crafted employer brand communicates what makes your company unique and why candidates should choose you over competitors. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Define your employee value proposition (EVP)

Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is at the heart of your employer brand. It answers the question: Why should a talented individual work for us? To craft an effective EVP, consider the unique aspects of your workplace culture, growth opportunities, leadership, work-life balance, and employee benefits.

Action tip: Conduct internal surveys to get feedback from your current employees. Understanding what they value most about working for your company will help you shape a realistic and authentic EVP that resonates with potential candidates.

  1. Showcase your company culture

In today’s job market, candidates don’t just want a payslip—they’re looking for purpose, belonging, and a company culture that aligns with their values. Culture is often a deciding factor in a candidate’s job search. A toxic or unclear workplace culture can repel top talent, while a positive, inclusive, and collaborative environment can attract them in droves.

Action tip: Use social media, your website, and job descriptions to give candidates a window into your company culture. Showcase team events, employee stories, and workplace initiatives that reflect your values and work environment. Authenticity is key here—don’t try to present a picture-perfect image that doesn’t align with reality.

  1. Leverage employee advocacy

Your employees are your best brand ambassadors. When they share positive experiences about working at your company, it has a far more significant impact than any polished recruitment ad. A referral from an employee carries a level of trust and authenticity that candidates find hard to ignore.

Action tip: Encourage your employees to share their work experiences on social media or participate in employer branding initiatives. This could include writing blog posts, participating in videos, or simply leaving reviews on employer review sites like Glassdoor or Indeed. You can also create a formal employee referral programme to further incentivise this practice.

  1. Invest in employer reviews

Transparency has become a key part of the hiring process, and candidates now regularly check employer review platforms before applying for roles. Just like product reviews influence purchasing decisions, employer reviews affect a candidate’s decision to join a company. Neglecting your online reputation can have serious consequences.

Action tip: Encourage happy employees to leave positive reviews, and take the time to respond to any negative ones. Address concerns professionally and showcase your willingness to improve. An employer that shows it cares about feedback can turn a negative review into a positive outcome.

  1. Offer career development opportunities

Top talent is driven by ambition. If candidates see no clear path for career growth within your organisation, they’ll quickly move on to the next opportunity. Offering robust training, mentorship, and career development opportunities can make your company much more attractive.

A recent webinar I attended demonstrated GenZ employees don’t just want career development in the form of training or promotion, they also want to be involved in company improvement projects, which can run alongside their job.

Action tip: Highlight your commitment to employee growth in job postings and on your careers page. Consider offering clear advancement paths and programmes such as leadership training, continuing education support, or personalised career coaching as well as involvement in in-house projects.

  1. Promote work-life balance and flexibility

Work-life balance is no longer a perk—it’s an expectation. The rise of remote and hybrid work has transformed how candidates view flexibility, with many valuing it as highly as salary and benefits. Companies that fail to offer flexible working options risk losing out on top talent to competitors who do.

Action tip: Emphasise any flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, or policies supporting work-life balance in your job descriptions. Let candidates know that their well-being matters and that your company is committed to helping them achieve a healthy balance between work and personal life.

  1. Focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Diverse teams are not only more innovative but also more attractive to today’s workforce. Candidates want to work for companies that prioritise inclusivity and are actively working to create a more equitable environment. A strong DEI strategy can significantly boost your employer brand.

Action tip: Ensure that your hiring practices, company policies, and marketing materials reflect a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion. Regularly review your processes to ensure they are free from bias, and be transparent about your DEI goals and progress.

Conclusion

Attracting top talent is an ongoing challenge in today’s labour market, but building a strong employer brand can set your organisation apart. By defining a compelling EVP, showcasing your culture, leveraging employee advocacy, and offering career development and work-life balance, you’ll position your company as a destination for the best and brightest.

Remember, your employer brand isn’t just about attracting talent—it’s about keeping them. Investing in your employer brand today will help you build a loyal, engaged workforce that drives your business forward.

If you’re ready to build a brand that resonates with top talent, let Consult HR help you craft a strategy that delivers lasting results. Get in touch today! Call 07858089006 or email: julie@consulthr.co.uk to find out how we can help.

Employee Flight Risk – How to handle unhappy employees considering leaving

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What is a flight risk? 

In HR & recruitment, flight risk refers to the likelihood that an employee will leave the company presumably for a better job opportunity elsewhere. The flight risk most often involves an increase in salary, but there are many other reasons.  These non-financial motivators for switching employers include having a difficult relationship with a colleague, unfavorable micromanagement and little to no hope of career progression or personal development.

 

How can a flight risk impact your company?

Flight risk employees are a huge financial danger to a company.  If they decide to leave, not only are they leaving an employer with an added workload to redistribute, but they are creating a considerable financial burden for the company.  Indeed, if the employee has been with you for a considerable length of time, they will have a good handle on your business, suppliers and many contacts which they will take with them to their new position.  The hiring process alone to find a replacement, can be costly as well as the difficult matter of finding another candidate with the experience you require, to step in and continue working at the level the last employee did.

Of course, there are many other scenarios where employees may decide to leave.  Some of these, such as relocating or retirement are unavoidable but, there are many factors that can increase an employee’s flight risk that an employer can control.  By considering the motivators which make employees unhappy in their role, an employer can mitigate the risk staff leaving.

 

How to identify a flight risk

The trick is to spot the reasons why employees are leaving their jobs and adapting to try and retain them. Here are a few pointers to consider:

  • Competitive Salaries

Money talks and for an employee who works hard but doesn’t feel that their efforts are being gratified, they very quickly become a huge flight risk.   If a pay rise isn’t on the cards at the moment, consider implementing employee benefit schemes or a structured target with rewarding bonus at the end.

  • Clear routes for career progression

Frustrated employees who see colleagues progressing in their careers or changing direction within a company when they are not, are another flight risk.  Offer personal development plans, options to gain further qualifications and be transparent with your employees.  Ask them what their goals are and try to help if you can.

  • Minimise Stress

25% of all UK workers have said that their work or place of work has caused them stress in the past year. Employees often feel stressed because their workload is too much. A way to combat this is to get employees to tackle bigger tasks as a team instead of working individually. It’s best to let them decide amongst themselves how best to divide up the work as this also help great more autonomy. Many hands make light work.

  • Managers

For some people a poor relationship with their manager is the number one reason they leave their job. There are many different reasons why people don’t get along with their manager. For instance, failing to recognise an employee’s quality of work, undermining the employees work performance, and toxic communication.  By encouraging your managers to offer constructive feedback or help, it will allow the employee to feel part of the team and will pave the way for a better working relationship.

  • Keep things fresh

Monotonous tasks can make employees feel unstimulated and bored.  By doing the same things day in day out, many employees struggle to find motivation and actually end up being a lot less productive than if they have fresh, new and exciting tasks to complete.  Think about your workload and try to allow employees to do new things.

  • Strengthen your company culture

A company is only as strong as it’s employees thus it is paramount that they feel valued and looked after.  Your company values should be clear and concise and by introducing things such as healthcare plans will help to show that your employees matter.

 

 

If you require further support with staffing, please feel free to contact Julie Pollock on 07858089006 or e-mail julie@consulthr.co.uk. Visit our website here: www.consulthr.co.uk

 

 

 

 

6 tips for employers on how to re-motivate, re-energising and re-train staff as we return to work

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6 tips for employers on how to re-motivate, re-energising and re-train staff as we return to work

With restrictions lifting in the last week of May, many businesses are reopening their doors for the first time in almost six months. It’s been greatly anticipated by customers and business owners alike. However, employees may not feel the same.

It’s only natural: staff are returning to work after a 6-month hiatus. Within that time many will have established new routines and adjusted to having a lot more time at home. So, some staff may feel a little deflated and unmotivated. Others may resent having to return to work, even in the most positive of working environments. While this is understandable, it’s not efficient for business.

Until we fully adapt to the ‘new normal’, business owners are responsible for guiding their staff through this exciting, rapidly evolving period. Here are 6 tips for employers to build confidence in staff as we begin to open our doors again:

 

  1. Safety first

Clarifying and implementing COVID procedures is a crucial first step. Government guidelines change almost weekly in Northern Ireland, so staying up to date with advice is vital. Doing so ensures that you are providing the safest and most comfortable environment for your employees, and your clients. Update employees about internal changes within your company which impacts how they should operate.

 

  1. Support and adjust early

Over the course of the pandemic many employees may have faced incredibly challenging personal circumstances. Their health and wellbeing, and that of their friends and family, may have been impacted. Extreme changes in circumstances can be reported to the human resources department if necessary.

It is important to offer support, and provide an invitation for employees to bring their concerns forward so that necessary adjustments can be made.

Now is also the perfect opportunity to revise existing set rotas, team structures and employee development plans.

Businesses are facing an ‘evolution’ stage. Areas for improvement and issues experienced prior to the pandemic should be highlighted and resolved alongside the new COVID alterations, while people are already adapting.

 

  1. Hit the ground jogging?

The lockdowns have severely adjusted the pace of our lives; this is especially true for people who have received furlough and have had a full break from work.

Accept that employees may initially struggle to readapt to the speed and energy required to work. If staff are in agreement and it’s possible financially, offer reduced hours or staggered working days. Working shorter, more frequent shifts opposed to longer days should prevent overwhelming staff until they are ready to return to work at full capacity. Flexi-furlough may be able assist this.

Where this isn’t feasible, collaborate with staff to figure out which tasks need to be prioritised. Express expectations, and implement a plan to determine the best way to move forward with maximum efficiency.

If staff are unwilling to return to work, contact HR about how to proceed. There is no blanket approach on how to treat individual staff members following a pandemic. However, if an employee is unnecessarily underperforming or unreasonably refusing to return to work, disciplinary actions may have to be considered.

 

  1. Refresh and retrain

Relying on muscle-memory may not be the best strategy to adopt towards people who haven’t been operating in their roles since December.

Providing a mini-induction training to cover the basics and daily operations will provide comfort, and allow staff to readjust to their roles. A refresher course will also instil confidence in staff who may be intimidated at the thought of returning to a job they haven’t worked at for half a year.

For those in the hospitality sector, offering a trial day, for example a friends and family only day, should alleviate pressure from employees and help sooth anxiety among those who feel overwhelmed.

 

  1. Reconnect through a team building activity

Many people experienced long periods of isolation over the duration of the pandemic. Another thing to consider is that many staff members may not have seen or spoken to each other in almost half a year.

Team building exercises not only reduce potential awkwardness between co-workers, but are proven to increase long term productivity and communication, and reduce the occurrence of health and safety incidents.[1]

Ice-breaking activities encourage collaboration and solidarity among co-workers. They bring people out of their shells, and closer together as a team. As Margaret Carty said, “The nicest thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side.”

 

  1. Lead staff with compassion and clarity

Gather staff together for a meeting to acknowledge that you appreciate that things have been anything but normal for the past year, and that you understand discomfort – you are only human too, of course. Reminding employees that they are valued and an integral aspect of the business is also important.

 

Despite the challenges, it is time to move forward. Employees must be onboard and prepare to begin progressing enthusiastically, and as a team. Reinforce that they are still expected to work to a high standard upon reopening, even if that standard has changed.

 

If you require further support with the Coronavirus please feel free to contact Julie Pollock on 07858089006 or e-mail julie@consulthr.co.uk. Visit our website here: www.consulthr.co.uk

Tags: Coronavirus, Coronavirus HR, Covid-19, HR, COVID, return to work, adjusting to covid, motivating staff, human resources

 

[1] https://teambuilding.com/blog/team-building-statistics