How to Recruit a Value-Drive Generation Staying Ahead of Key Market Trends

The most significant change in hiring is the shift to a candidate-driven market, where there are more open jobs than there are candidates. The talent now entering the workforce are value-driven, concerned with diversity and sustainability efforts, as well as being more selective about the jobs and the employers they associate themselves with. This generation of digital natives are adept at navigating across multiple platforms and are eager to consume engaging and motivational content. So, how can employers meet the demands of this generation? The Potentialpark Talent Communication Study gathers the voice of students and graduates around the world to gain insights into what the up-and-coming workforce want and how employers can become leaders in talent communication.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Communication is a Must-Have

Candidates are emerging from the pandemic with a clear commitment to social issues. Globally, 45% of candidates believe that it is very important for employers to work towards diversity, equity and inclusion, and a further 40% of candidates rate it as fairly important or important. The breakdown of this global percentage sees the Latin American region placing the greatest importance on prospective employers working towards diversity, equity and inclusion, with 56% of candidates rating it as very important. Comparatively, 47% of US candidates, 46% of European candidates and 30% of Asian candidates view it as very important. Employers must know about and understand these variations as it likely means that their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts will be more critical for some regions while having less engagement in others.

For this enlightened and always connected generation, it is not enough for a prospective employer to simply do the right thing but to be seen doing the right thing. The 2022 Talent Communication Study determined how employers can do this. Active steps towards a diverse workforce, promoting internal advocacy, and providing training on diversity, equity and inclusion are the top efforts candidates would like to see globally. Notably, in the Latin American region, internal advocacy was the highest priority. In comparison, in Europe, Asia and the US, candidates most wanted to see employers taking active steps towards a diverse workforce. Candidates are not afraid to hold employers accountable and will turn to review platforms, job fairs and other sources to seek out employers who are truly aligned with their values.

Talent Communication: Communicating Authentic and Attractive Internal Realities

On average, one in two candidates globally have decided against applying after visiting a company’s career website. In Asia and the US, the most commonly cited reason for this decision is that the company is not an attractive employer for them (Asia 60%, US 63%). In Europe, the lack of open jobs and unattractive employers are equally responsible for over half of the candidates dropping off at this point in the recruitment funnel, 58% and 57% respectively. As candidates seek out new value propositions from their prospective employers, companies need to dive deep into their own company mission, purpose and culture to identify what makes them a differentiated and attractive employer. Internal realities must then be communicated authentically on the platforms where the candidates are, to allow for informed decisions on whether or not they would be a good fit.

When searching for information about employers online, candidates in Europe and the US most often rely on companies’ career websites, job boards and professional networks. In Asia, candidates also rely heavily on companies’ career websites and job boards but social networks replace the importance of professional networks. In Latin America, over three quarters of the candidates engage on professional networks to search for employment information, while job boards are much less popular in this region. Unsurprisingly, these top sources of information about employers are also perceived to be the most credible sources among candidates in the respective regions; employers have the opportunity to present their authentic and attractive internal realities to candidates across multiple talent communication channels.

Hybrid Work is Here to Stay - especially for Top Talent

Last year, The Talent Communication Study collected the voice of young talent in the midst of the pandemic, with their new experience of and different approach to varied working models. 54% of candidates globally were very open to remote working, and 24% claimed to be somewhat open. Fewer candidates were very open to remote onboarding (44%) which highlights that from the outset, there has been a need for certain elements of work to be in person.

Hybrid work is still the clear winner for candidates, as many have become used to the benefits through working and studying in this format for two years now. The 2022 Study sees 54% of candidates preferring a mix of in-person and remote working. Only a quarter of global candidates want fully in-person work arrangements so employers should not assume that once global restrictions are lifted that work will once again be a ‘place’ to go.

Mirroring the trend from the previous year, 33% of global candidates in 2022 would prefer fully in-person onboarding and 45% would prefer a mix. It is clear that there are areas of work where being in-person outweighs the benefits of hybrid working. Onboarding is a time to get to know your colleagues, understand the dynamic of the company, and build the foundations for continued collaboration.

Growth for Retention

With the Great Reset or Reshuffle, companies have been working overtime to attract, recruit and hire the best talent. However, the market continues to be candidate-driven with opportunities abound for job seekers. Both for employers looking to retain top talent and for companies that have benefited from the historical talent transition, retention must be a top priority given the skyrocketing costs of recruitment.

As part of an attractive company culture, candidates are seeking opportunities for growth and development. Growth, however, is not simply about self improvement for the employee. It is also a reflection of how an employer values an employee and how companies can grow organically by nurturing their teams. Across Asia, Europe and Latin America, candidates indicate that information about professional and personal development is among the top 3 most important pieces of content on companies’ career websites. In the US, this piece of content is ranked as the 11th most important piece of content (from a list of 47 options) while there is a greater focus on personal well-being.

The Potentialpark Takeaways

The value-driven workforce is entering onto a candidate-driven market where employers across the globe are faced with unique challenges. This generation is concerned with seeking out employers that are aligned with their values and it is necessary to demonstrate how these values are an integral part of the company culture. Employers should continue to focus efforts on attracting talent through authentic communication on the key channels where candidates seek information. With more jobs to choose from, talent can choose companies that offer the ideal hybrid work arrangements and place emphasis on the growth and retention of their employees. There is a continuous pressure on employers to differentiate themselves to attract the best talent.

Rankings Summary

ams OSRAM took the number one spot in the 2022 Potentialpark Global Ranking after a year of consistently excellent talent communication. They have excellent scores across the topics and editions (ranked number 1 in the US, Europe, and Asia Potentialpark Rankings). For this reason, they were able to knock thyssenkrupp off of the top spot this year, who now sit in 2nd place. Continental completes the 2022 Global top three after defending their spot as the reigning #3 since last year with consistently high scores across the editions. Even though a few changes occurred in their career website and companies have been increasingly competitive across all regions, Continental managed to stay in the top 3.

There were a number of big jumps from employers who joined the above companies in the top 10. AstraZeneca and Dell both rose 7 places, Roche placed in 9th position after climbing 10 spots, and Bayer took the 10th spot after a 15 rank climb.

Top climbers in the 2022 Potentialpark Global Rankings this year include: Accenture who rose 28 spots; Google who climbed an impressive 38 places; and Kimberly-Clark landed in the top 20 after rising an incredible 41 ranks.

View the 2022 Potentialpark Global Ranking