_{By Susan Kandalaft}

Do employees care about their company’s workplace brand?

You want the best talent, but have you ever considered if you’re the best employer?

When companies fight for a competitive advantage, their success is won through the people on their teams. People-power matters, so more companies should get realistic about whether the environment they’re creating holds enough allure to draw winning talent.

Do you wonder where you stack up as an employer? Do you hear great feedback from employees, or do you hear crickets for every job post?
So, what does “employer of choice” mean? Is it a tangibly different way of doing things, or just words? Either way, employees eventually learn the truth.

In my 35 years as a recruiter, I’ve interviewed many candidates leaving their employers for good reason. But equally, I have a knack for spotting excellent employers and bosses.

And so, from decades of observation, here’s my secret formula to being a top employer. Read on to find out what bragworthy businesses are doing to attract and inspire successful people and harness their amazing efforts.

Culture is More Than a Catchphrase:

There’s a difference between a few photos on corporate social media accounts depicting a team-building event versus genuinely building a company filled with top-notch talent and decent humans.

When ‘culture’ is just a buzzword thrown around at meetings or the occasional office party, your employees will feel its emptiness. Authentic culture is lived and breathed in environments where support, teamwork, and mutual respect are the norms. Unfortunately, some employers think they’ve ticked a box for creating a team environment simply by throwing the occasional pizza party in the staff lunchroom. Socializing over free food can be a welcomed break. Still, it can only take you so far if every other office interaction is as crusty and one-dimensional as your discarded pizza boxes.

Lead with Heart and Vision:

Good managers who are good people make a big difference. They’re not pushovers or everybody’s pal. Instead, they’re fair-minded, don’t play favourites, and ensure everyone has the tools to do their job well. They’re available for dialogue with their people, foster creativity and autonomy with their crews, and don’t micromanage or play games. As a leader, your approach can make or break the experience for your employees. Poor leadership can stifle growth and dim the brightest spirits. Leadership must be consultative, supportive, and aligned with the company’s core values.

Train and promote people into management who can mentor. Cultivate leaders within your ranks who carry the company’s vision and lift their teams.

Say it with cash: Reward Fairly and Generously

Compensation is more than just a paycheck. It’s a reflection of how much you value your employees’ contributions. Lowballing new hires can save pennies today but will cost fortunes in turnover tomorrow. An inexperienced but clever candidate will sometimes endure a low salary for a short time until they’ve gained experience. But you can’t fault them for moving on to a higher-paying company.

Some clients may make an honest mistake and initially offer a low salary, looking for junior employees to stick around and prove themselves. This rarely works out. I always inform our clients of current salary norms and advise them to either match the industry or expect to replace employees more frequently.

If you can afford the most competitive salaries, ensure this is your first strategy to retain your team. Alternatively, tie compensation to performance. Think about the employee achievements that matter the most to the bottom line and map out a pay-on-performance portion of compensation or a bonus structure. A profit share or any compensation for performance usually guarantees an uptick in employee engagement and their focus on department goals.

Give the People What They Want:

The days of rigid 9-to-5 schedules are fading. Today’s workforce craves flexibility – and why shouldn’t they? Whether it’s hybrid work options, flexible hours, or a greater understanding of personal needs, flexibility is a cornerstone of a modern, empathetic workplace. It’s about giving your team the room to balance their professional and personal lives without a hitch. Be clear about what is permitted so that the benefit is understood, and teams can plan around times when individuals are away.

The drive for flexibility proves that not all compensation is strictly money in exchange for services. Working from home allows households to lower their expenses for parking, fuel, time in traffic or even the cost of childcare. If you can’t enable full-time or hybrid work-from-home roles, consider subsidizing travel costs, providing flex days or meaningful health or lifestyle benefits that offset the workplace structures that can’t be changed.

Hire with Precision:

Find the skill, attitude, and fit for your company culture. Pre-screen rigorously, and you’ll safeguard your team from the disruption of a poor hire. Think of it as protecting the ecosystem of your workplace – help it flourish.

Overloaded people may understandably show displeasure under pressure, affecting the morale of whole departments. Don’t fall behind in your staffing power. Keep workloads distributed fairly among the correct number of well-qualified people.

My vantage point as a recruiter since the 80s has allowed me to see how old-school operations glorified overwork and created a false badge of honour for those who stay late or come in on weekends. Those operations are rare. But still, every business has times of exceptional workloads. So, if you require an employee to produce long hours in an emergency or in the face of a deadline, recognize it then provide time off. Or hire a temp or contract employee to ease their workload. Don’t make employees feel guilty about expecting something reasonable, like uninterrupted evenings and days off to recharge. Manage your human resources with enough qualified people to do the work.

Stay Financially Sound and Talk About It:

Fiscal stability is more than just good business sense; it signals to your employees that their jobs are secure and that their livelihoods are not at the whim of market tides. It builds trust and fosters a sense of security that is invaluable. Take the time to explain your company’s performance regularly and purposefully in terms that affect employees. For example, communicate how bonuses are a direct result of success. In challenging times, jobs are saved by cutting expenses or efficient systems or by winning contracts through business development activities. Lack of transparency can lead to distrust and speculation, eroding the organization’s fabric. Make sure pertinent financial messages reach your employees. Include everyone. Clear and open communication fosters an environment of trust if all employees feel informed, involved, and integral to the company’s success.

Make Social Responsibility More than Words:

Too often, employers view social responsibility as a marketing message and an image-boosting public signifier that they “care” about the world. Don’t make this mistake. Be aware that genuinely kind behaviour is infectious, and if the workplace feels good, you can expect a more gracious group of employees. Social giving can be enabled through small gestures of individual employees who can officially represent your company for charity work during office hours. This carries more meaning for your staff than big corporate displays of giving. Allow employees to set up their social responsibility initiatives. Or support causes they bring to you.

Meanwhile, be consistent about how your company lives out social values when interacting with employees. Are you helping the marginalized in your community but failing to respond appropriately to an employee privately facing tough circumstances?

Unfortunately, I’ve also seen or heard of cases where organizations maintain a public reputation as humanitarians. But in their offices’ privacy, they don’t treat their own people well.

Final Thoughts:

At the heart of it, being an employer of choice means creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and part of a purposeful journey. It’s a place where they can grow professionally and personally. In the workplace, people create trusting bonds with some of their most significant life connections.

I’m here to help you create workplaces that not only shine in the eyes of potential candidates but also in the hearts of our current team members. After all, a company is only as strong as its people – and your people deserve the best.

Warmest regards,
Susan
_{Advising with heart and experience}