While the pandemic created significant disruption and trauma, one of its biggest was a global shift towards human-centricity, a greater focus placed on people’s health and well-being. The shared challenge of COVID galvanized us as a community, helping to forge connections and support networks for navigating the uncertainties ahead.
After more than two years of lockdowns and hybrid work arrangements, I’m truly encouraged to see that people and organizations are building upon the lessons of the pandemic, maintaining a more human connection that puts health and well-being before everything.
Attraction and Retention
Culture is the values and ethos that define your organization. Even if your team doesn’t completely understand how your business works, they should at least have a clear picture of the company’s values and culture that permeate throughout the organization.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we’ve seen a global shift towards more people-centric leadership. Employees and jobseekers are placing greater emphasis on their mental health and well-being, which is driving leaders and managers to be more emotionally intelligent and empathetic toward talent.
Employees are actively seeking workplaces where they feel recognized and valued. This isn’t just about a competitive salary and benefits – it’s about finding an organization that aligns with their personal goals and values. Employees want a work environment and culture that understands the importance of work-life balance, employee development, flexible work arrangements and employee autonomy.
Culture is one of the best recruitment tools for an organization, which means your team should be the best spokespeople for your culture. It’s not enough to send out occasional posts on social media from the company’s branded page… people expect real stories from real people that reflect how the company treats its staff.
Diversity helps businesses mitigate risks and liabilities while potentially opening new customer bases to increase revenue. Dr. Edward E. Hubbard, author of Measuring Diversity Results and How to Calculate Diversity Return on Investment, believes diversity has four layers.
First is business diversity in terms of different markets, processes and management styles. Next is structural diversity, where we see a combination of various cultures, communities and hierarchies. Third is behavioral diversity, which comes down to different values and the various ways people work, think and learn. And last is workforce diversity, which is based on the various identities within a group, such as race or gender.
Each component is critical to building an innovative, resilient and harmonious work environment where differences are strengths. Inclusivity is vital to creating a healthy, compliant and welcoming workplace. Diversity and inclusion are not just compliance obligations but cornerstones of your company culture and long-term business strategy.
Recruitment and Onboarding
It’s crucial to outline company culture clearly and early in the employee lifecycle. This ensures people know the vision and values that drive the business. Creating alignment early puts people in your business who share your mission and will stay for the long term.
I got into recruitment because I thought the industry was lacking here in Australia. I saw how people often didn’t know what they were talking about and weren’t responsive to candidates or companies. Recruiters also fail to help candidates improve their online presence, optimizing their social media profiles to improve their employability and the digital impression they leave on potential employers.
Social media has significantly changed how people build connections, showcasing their personal and professional lives. Consequently, employers have more avenues to vet potential candidates, looking beyond their application letters and CVs. This is important for jobseekers to remain conscious of; whether they’re new to the job market or have spent years building their career, your digital representation matters and should positively reflect you as a potential employee.
Furthermore, when I started working in the Australian recruitment sector, I noticed that many people didn’t understand what recruiters are looking for, what red flags to look for in their work history and how to tell the “right” narrative during interviews.
The recruitment and onboarding process is paramount to ensuring cultural alignment between the business and job candidates. It’s the first opportunity to demonstrate shared value while setting clear career pathways and progression for talent. Furthermore, many candidates will share their recruitment experience with others, which can significantly affect how candidates view your business.
The Great Resignation
There’s been a lot of discussion about the ongoing “great resignation,” which has created a historic global talent shortage. This ongoing scarcity has highlighted the importance of employee retention, ensuring businesses create the right environment and culture that aligns with people’s own personal values.
The great resignation has also been spurred by a collective prioritization of people’s health and well-being. Employees are placing greater value on intangibles like work-life balance and flexibility compared to compensation. A recent study highlighted that people are more motivated by company culture and its treatment of employees than by their pay.
Upskilling is also critical in a highly competitive labor market. Employees want to feel recognized, respected and appreciated. Investing in their learning and development not only helps them feel valued and their role part of a clear progression path – but it also elevates the company’s capabilities, establishing a culture where people’s growth is encouraged and supported.
Staff retention is vital at this time since organizations can pay more for talent without ensuring improvements in productivity or employee longevity. While inflation highlights the need to care for talent financially, investing in employees’ experience, development and well-being is equally important.
The Role of Digital Technology
As I mentioned, digital technologies such as social media have important parts to play in disseminating and promoting company culture. These channels provide direct connections between employees, customers and the business. They also provide a platform for personifying your brand, creating some personality that reflects company culture and values.
A study found that 73 percent of Millennial jobseekers found their last job through social media, with the highest percentage using LinkedIn. Social media has created significant transparency for employers as candidates’ work histories can be more easily accessed and independently verified.
Furthermore, jobseekers can get a clearer picture of their potential employers thanks to review sites like Glassdoor, which offer employees a platform for detailing their experiences with the organization, whether to air out grievances or sing its praises.
The accelerated rate of digitalization seen across industries facilitates regular communication and collaboration that was previously impossible. Digital technology has democratized the labor market, breaking down geographic barriers to make work more accessible and inclusive. Through digital channels, employees can connect, work together and easily share experiences to help fuel performance and galvanize company culture.
However, we’ve seen lower-middle level and casual workforces hesitant to embrace technology due to job insecurity. It’s important to view technology as an enabler, a key component in elevating capabilities, reach and impact for the organization and individual. Technology empowers people when implemented with their experience in mind.
Redefining Recruitment with Reddin
We help our clients build better businesses through their people, establishing strong teams that inspire those within them. Reddin Group is an HR consulting firm that goes beyond recruitment and executive search. Our solutions put people at the heart of the organization, ensuring our clients have the right people representing and leading their businesses.
Amid an increasingly competitive and digitalized labor market, finding the right talent is far more complex and time-consuming. Employers have to offer much more than a compelling role and competitive salary – they must provide a clear career path with the right environment, support and resources to ensure talent is valued, nurtured and rewarded.
At Reddin Group, we understand the different organizations, markets, individual challenges, commercial cycles and evolving work arrangements that shape the labor market. Our combination of market intelligence with local and international research enables us to source and secure the right talent for our clients.
We take a more strategic, creative and holistic approach to recruitment. Working closely with our clients means being more selective and hands-on with them, allowing us to concentrate on their specific needs and goals. Our collaborative approach ensures we are quick and responsive, supporting clients through our comprehensive network and extensive recruitment experience.
Looking past the disruptions and uncertainties of recent years, we’re dedicated to helping our clients navigate through change and future-proofing their businesses to build resilience in a rapidly evolving labor market. No matter the discipline or industry, we match talent with organizations by ensuring alignment in their values, vision and ambition.