Talent Attraction Tips: How to Win the War for Talent

At this age where this is becoming the “new normal,” the management is most likely wondering: how do we win this war for talents?

In today’s job seeking environment, compensation alone does little to fully attract a job seeker’s attention. A holistic approach to the employee experience—from recruitment all the way to moving up the ranks—is what spells the difference between attracting or losing a talent. There are tangible and intangible ways in which you can emerge victorious in this war that’s happening behind the scenes, and here are 4 examples:

1. Redefine the way you “keep your prospects warm” during recruitment

The employee experience begins the moment they submit that application letter to your company. In the same Forbes article, it is mentioned that people are rejecting job offers based on a company’s recruitment process, and rightfully so, as this is their first touchpoint with you.

Having a clear timeline for recruitment, and actually following through on those time commitments will make job seekers appreciate your company. Nobody likes waiting while being clueless. Constantly communicating with your applicants, letting them know where they are in the recruitment process, and being transparent in your selection criteria are other things to consider if you want to gain the upper hand in winning the talent war. Even if they aren’t hired, these applicants can tell other job seekers that it’s worth applying to your company because of the good experience they had, and who knows? Your company’s next best hire could be from this word-of-mouth advertising.

2. Offer flexible working arrangements permanently

Whether your company adopts it or not, remote and hybrid work is here to stay—and so does the demand for it. In fact, in one of its thought-leadership pieces, Slack revealed that only 12% of employees surveyed would like to return to the office, while a majority 72% of the employees prefer the hybrid office set-up. In addition, one of the top three reasons why job seekers look for opportunity elsewhere is because they are looking for a flexible working arrangement, according to McKinsey & Company.

These numbers clearly mean one thing: people like having the flexibility to choose where they could work from, and they are conscious about the best use of their time. Consider adding this to the offer sheet and it might just be the deciding factor, especially for great talents who are choosing between job offers.

3. Give your office culture its much-needed boost

Surely, a good compensation and benefits package is what can attract a job seeker to sign on with your company, but it’s the culture that would make them want to stay. When employees feel that they’re in a safe space, their voices matter, their opinions are considered, that their managers keep open their lines of communication, and that the company is genuinely rooting for them to grow, chances are employees will feel more at ease to work at your organization. Everyone will enjoy coming to work and bring their A-game, because they know that their company would always have their well-being in mind.

4. Ramp up employee engagement through an effective rewards program

Employees thrive when they feel valued at the company. They want to see their hard work being rewarded. They also want to know that their work is contributing to a project’s success, or the company’s growth. When these things are met, employees are seen to be more engaged and are more productive. This is why having a rewards program helps drive employee engagement.

The rewards program that you have should also be more inclusive, as your organization employs a diverse workforce with differing wants and needs. Shifting to digitalized gift cards (GCs) and vouchers would also allow you to hand out gifts instantly, with the added benefit of it being an eco-friendly move by your organization.

Why your reward program matters now

When it comes to your rewards program, it is also worth noting that rewards don’t always have to be in monetary format. Digital GCs and vouchers are becoming more and more popular nowadays, especially as people are shifting more into a cashless society. Going digital gives the impression that your company is innovative and forward-thinking, as opposed to being stuck in the old and traditional ways of working.

As such, Sodexo has three digital GCs that everyone in your staff are bound to enjoy. We have:

• Sodexo+ allows employers to manage and distribute monthly allowances to employees via a free app. Recipients can then use their Sodexo+ digital GCs to fully—or even partially—redeem items from over 9,000 merchants nationwide.
• Mobile Pass and Meal and Food Pass are also good options, especially for those of you who would like to mix and match the kind of rewards you would like to give your employees. Through these digital GCs, you can specify what product or vendor the recipients can buy from. Some examples include a rice and grocery allowance, clothing allowance, transportation allowance, health allowance and even meal and food passes.
• Premium Pass, on the other hand, is the country’s number 1 GC! A Premium Pass allows its holder to choose where they want to spend these GCs on since it is accepted by over 12,000 merchants across the Philippines.

Expecting something new from doing the same things repeatedly is insanity, as one saying says. If you want to attract the kind of employees you want for your company, you must be willing to break away from the norm; you must innovate.

Taking a holistic approach to attracting and retaining the right talent for your company needs creativity and courage to make changes. The workforce of today is continuously growing and diversifying, so your company also has to keep up. Consider these four examples and you might just emerge victorious in this war for talents.