Everyone knows the sort of people that they like working with (and those people who are slightly less pleasant to have around).
Imagine, then, if the wider team had a say in the recruitment process?
Would companies attract better people and retain them for longer?
I have always wondered about the potential impact of the involvement of the wider team in the recruitment process – would you hire the same people if their opinions were taken into account?
There is much to be said for “the wisdom of the crowd,” but for too many reasons this direct option (probably) won’t ever be on the table.
That is not to say, however that there isn’t another way for them to impact the process.
When your people own your employer brand values, in influencing their direction, they are indirectly having an impact on the sort of people who are brought into the business. When their employer asks “who are we and where are we going?” it is only reasonable to expect that new hires will fit into the mould to a decent extent.
If they don’t, then what is the point of asking?
When employee engagement and recruitment engagement are closely matched, the results can be stunning.
We are one of very few consultancies who work on a 360-degree basis from talent attraction to talent retention, and I can say without any hesitation that the work that is done in retaining employees is critical when it comes to attracting like minds.
With an all-encompassing approach, it also means that employees feel that they have a stake in helping the new starters get up to speed. If they existing employees know that the newbies were selected for cultural fit as well as their personal and professional qualities, then they will have an interest in helping them to integrate and become part of the whole.
If a company’s employer brand is prevalent through the recruitment process, it is noticeable how much quicker people see the new starters as “one of us.” This makes the transition into the company that bit smoother, and the new starters also feel that they “fit in” in the big scheme of things.
I have been in many employee workshops where this question has been raised and it is interesting how people seem even more passionate about hiring people who fit into their culture when they have actually played an active part in shaping the culture.
It is almost as if they feel ownership of the success of the new recruits.
As an HR Director, this is the best possible outcome.
We do a lot of work helping companies to align their employer brands with their recruitment practices. When this is done consistently, every new employee has the potential to reinforce and strengthen an already awesome culture.
Employees do have a say in the choice of their future colleagues.
This is a very, very healthy thing indeed.
Introducing the employee app.
The employee app is a great tool for improving internal communication, employee engagement and the overall employee experience. The app also has some great features when it comes to recruitment and on-boarding.
Recruitment -
Through the app you can easily promote and advertise internal vacancies. You can also add in a referral page to encourage employees to refer relevant professionals to your vacancies and reduce recruitment costs.
On-boarding -
By using the app you can introduce new starters into their role before they start.
From inside the app you can:
- Introduce them to their new team
- Send them a welcome video message from the boss / management
- Send them a survey to find out how they found the recruitment process
- Provide them with important information to digest prior to their start date