As recruiters, we need to understand what makes our candidates tick. To gain a deeper insight into candidates’ priorities, Tiger Recruitment recently commissioned a survey of 1,000 UK employees, with interesting results. The survey revealed that the following values were most relevant to job seekers across the country, indiscriminate of sector or industry.
Meaningful work
For someone to find meaning in their work, their role must fulfill their individual goals and desires. This is entirely unique to each candidate, whether it’s working for a more sustainable or ethical company, performing a more challenging role, or choosing a job that fosters learning opportunities.
The quest for meaningful work is now an integral part of our job search; it’s something that 33% of female employees and 27% of male employees look for in a new role, according to Tiger’s recent research. This is also something that is valued at a higher rate in millennial job seekers (37%), and trends show that this looks likely to increase year on year.
Career progression
Perhaps not surprisingly, career progression is one of the most important factors for job seekers. Men are looking for this in slightly higher numbers than women (33% to 27%). For some, career progression means seeing a higher salary with their move.
Broken down by gender, 62% of men and 56% of women would actively seek a pay rise when changing jobs. Ultimately, it’s important to understand the motivations behind someone wanting to progress, as these will differ from employee to employee.
Work-life blend
A positive work-life blend is important to both female and male UK workers. According to our research, a surprisingly high number of men (40%) valued this over women (35%). Therefore, your clients should understand that what is desired by one employee in terms of the work-life blend may not necessarily work for someone else. Use this information to work with each employee to put together a solution that works for their lifestyle.
How can employers best use the data to their advantage?
In light of the low unemployment rate in the UK, we’re continuing to operate in a candidate-short market. Therefore, your clients will want to do all that they can to be attractive to potential new recruits and existing employees. Establishing initiatives in the workplace that reflect the desires of your workforce makes good business sense.
As with all workplace initiatives, it’s important to first identify exactly what each employee is looking for. This can be achieved by organizing an online feedback survey to understand the priorities of staff, which should guide any changes. This is an inexpensive yet effective way to gauge employee sentiment.
Whether they be the implementation of flexible working, encouraging CSR initiatives, training opportunities, or creating clear career progression strategies, changes should be implemented with clear communication and processes. Investing the time to take these steps will reassure employees about the meaningfulness of their work and pave the way to attracting new talent.
