Being a recruiter, talent acquisitions, or hiring manager do you ever wonder what jobseekers expect from you when they approach your job postings? Considering candidates are independent and aware of their rights, they expect complete transparency from their potential employers. As the relationship between an employer and employee is rather sensitive, it’s time that employers learn the psyche of job seekers to understand their thought processes, wants and needs.
It is essential to know that every job seeker asks him or herself this one question quite often: “What do I want from work?” In search of an answer to this, they approach recruiters, talent acquisitions, and hiring manager like you, hoping you would give them some concrete outcomes of their working with you.
There are other surveys and we’ll sprinkle in a few photos of their findings along the way BUT if you ask us, “What are job seekers looking for in 2023”? Here’s our conclusion:
- Complete transparency
- Flexible timings
- Inclusivity
- Work-life Balance
- Hybrid or WFH opportunities
- Acceptance and Tolerance
- Opportunities to learn/mentorship
- Opportunities for growth/promotions
- Employee Recreational Activities
Although it may seem like a lot, it is crucial to facilitate your employees and take care of their well-being or you can forget about getting a good workforce for your organization. In order to create a harmonious environment at work, it is imperative that employees are given enough space and flexibility so they keep the organization’s best interest at heart as they learn that the organization also prioritizes them.
So, if you want to put your best foot forward as an inclusive, and supportive employer, you need to start using some important keywords in your job postings in order to attract the right kind of talent that is most suitable for the given job openings.
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Complete transparency
Starting with first impressions, the only thing that will help you ensure transparency and openness to the truth is the declaration of the pay range! As per the pay transparency laws, you have to disclose the pay range anyway, but doing it with confidence is what helps you stand out among the other employers. The first thing what job seekers wish employers knew in 2023 is that no matter how attractive your job posting is, it misses the most important thing if you do not mention the pay range. It is not as bad as it may seem, in fact, it is every jobseeker’s right to know what the compensation package will be if they opt to work with your organization. Investing time and effort by both parties in screening tests and interviews will be rendered useless if the compensation is not discussed in advance. To save yourself from the hassle at a later stage when candidates try to negotiate or plainly refuse to continue with the hiring process, it is better to have them know the expected pay range for the advertised role.
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Flexible timings
Multitasking is the new way forward in 2023. Understanding that jobseekers might be doing multiple things at the same time to keep up with the ever-rising inflation, it is helpful if the work timings can be flexible. Imagine yourself in the same position when some days you cannot report to work on time and would appreciate it if your boss allows you to complete those working hours some other day! Seems plausible, right? This is another thing what job seekers wish employers knew in 2023 and there is absolutely no harm in it either! So, while preparing an attractive and in fact interactive job posting, make sure to mention that flexible timings can be made possible for employees as per their need and want. This will only ensure that jobseekers see you as an employer who is flexible, and supportive of employees’ needs.
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Inclusivity
Imagine yourself as a member of a minority in a multinational company. What is the most important thing that you would want for yourself? Did you think of being accepted, included and treated equally? Absolutely! This should be the number one priority of every organization to make sure that its employees are not being discriminated against and stereotyped in the workplace. Know that your employees cannot perform well if they are unhappy or stressed due to such acts of prejudice and this will affect your organization in return. So for mutual benefit, it is imperative to move past the obvious differences of race, color, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation because these things do not really affect the quality of work! Building an inclusive environment and promoting it only for the sake of mutual benefits for both parties should be the top priority of any organization.
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Work-life Balance
Imagine going to work, completing the task, going home to your family and enjoying your evening with them. This is the dream of every jobseeker to be able to live their life other than just working tirelessly to provide for themselves and their families. Work-life balance is something most employers tend to neglect as the aim is to be the best among the rest! Since being the best is only possible if the employees are well-rested and mentally prepared to handle everyday challenges, employers cannot expect the employees to work day and night without getting burnt out. So you are already one step ahead of your competitors if your organization ensures such a work-life balance. Create your job posting with this in focus and see the top-notch and talented jobseekers applying to take your organization to new heights of success.
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Hybrid or WFH opportunities
When it comes to flexibility, being able to work from the comfort of their homes is also what job seekers are looking for in 2023. It is a fact that hybrid jobs have been in more demand than on-site jobs ever since the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. As we got attuned to working out of our comfort zones, it is what seems more feasible in many ways. Especially with a continuous rise in fuel prices which has led to a sharp increase in the prices of other commodities, jobseekers want employers to understand that working off-site should also be an option as it only saves travel time, fuel costs and added stress if the office is located somewhere far from their homes. Having the employees work with this trust and confidence only increases their excitement for work and maximizes their productivity. As it also helps organizations reduce their expenses on seating and accommodation of so many employees in office spaces, this mutually beneficial solution works like a charm for both the employers and employees.
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Opportunities to learn/mentorship
With the advent of technology, the skills required to get things done are continuously improving and changing. Hence, employees not only want to work but want to continuously upgrade their knowledge and skills to keep up with this fast-paced world. What could be better than getting the opportunity to learn at the workplace instead of looking for courses and workshops outside work? So next time you are setting up a job posting do not forget to mention that your organization promotes employees’ growth and development.
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Opportunities for growth/promotions
A big reason for employee turnover is the lack of growth and promotion opportunities in the workplace. If employees feel dissatisfied with their role in the organization and see no chance of moving forward and upward, it becomes a discouraging factor for them and, naturally, they begin losing interest in their jobs leading them to apply for other better opportunities. This is one of the most important things that job seekers are looking for in 2023.
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Employee Recreational Activities
This may sound like an expensive idea, but giving employees a chance to enjoy and unwind after hours of work will only boost their energy levels and surely get their creative juices flowing. This will also help the organization in return as their hard work will take you one step closer to your organizational goals. Such activities may not even be very expensive when it comes to collaboration and working with different businesses in the industry. This will also give opportunities for active and passive learning to the employees and will help in team building as well. So try and mention it in your job posting next time as this is also one of the things applicants look for in a job! Hitting just the right spot will get you the most talented and diverse pool of applicants that you can invite for the interviews.
Now this may sound like a very exhaustive list of things to ensure job seekers interact with you after seeing your job postings. But if you ask us, we’ll tell you the 5 most important things in a job that make it a dream job for anyone!
If we have to narrow the list down, according to the priority from the most to least likely to be demanded, the 5 most important things in a job that job seekers wish employers knew will be:
- Complete transparency
- Flexible timings
- Hybrid or WFH opportunities
- Acceptance and Tolerance
- Opportunities for growth/promotions
So if you have ever thought “What do employees want from their leaders?” You know what they want! You also know that a good leader is one who cares about their followers and this is exactly what jobseekers are looking for in 2023. In this age of equality, equity and tolerance, caring for employees works wonders for an organization. The importance of employee satisfaction in this age is undeniable because to grow into better and more successful organizations, happy employees are the key!
