Wondering what you could do to make recruitment easier? One ideal scenario looks like this: candidates just magically come to your company, the way it was before the talent crisis. And that gives you plenty of room to choose from, without bothering with lengthy attraction funnels.

However, in order to replicate this scenario in today’s job market, you have to invest a lot of work. You have to humanize relationships with your candidates and demonstrate creativity in your recruitment campaigns. You have to show that you are an employer that cares about your people, about the way they feel at the office and what experiences they have. 

Eventually, all this effort produces a snowball effect. Because employees always talk about dedicated employers, contributing to the reputation of those companies and improving their talent attraction results. It’s no wonder then that in a 2018 survey conducted by eJobs, Romania’s top job platform, 64% of respondents declared that a company’s reputation is one of the most important criteria that influences their decision to apply. 

Learn from Romania’s Most Attractive Employers

Now is the time to learn how to build your employer brand and become one of Romania’s (if not the world’s) top employers. Discover valuable (and applicable) insights at LEAP, on February 27th 2020, where Federica Leotta, Country Manager at Universum Italy, will present Romania’s Most Attractive Employers Ranking, a study conducted by eJobs and Universum on 20.000 professionals and students.

In the meantime, however, we have asked Federica Leotta what HR experts and People Managers can do right now to grow their employer brand. As an employer branding advisor, Federica has helped companies from many industries develop their images and agendas in the employment market, including the automotive industry, pharma, FMCG, retail, banking, management industry and more. Discover the best practices she shared with us:

What are the most important lessons that you have learned during your time at Universum? 

Data has helped me realize how today all the generations, not just the youngest, are considering their job as a way to express themselves, to contribute to something bigger and to leave a trace. At the same time, companies have a huge responsibility in telling the whole story about the experience they offer: the more authentic and transparent they are (even about what is so not great about them) the more they will be seen as credible and trustworthy. And, speaking about experience, those who are perceived to offer an inclusive work environment, an open culture and an exciting mission are the ones that top the charts of the World’s Most Attractive Employer Rankings.  

What are the similarities between the top companies from Universum’s Most Attractive Employers rankings? What do the companies that make it to the top have in common as employers? 

Their strength lies in their ability to build a coherent experience in the life of their employees and in the minds of their potential candidates out there.

What about the bottom positions? What could those companies do in order to make it to the top? 

Awareness is definitely the way to start: making sure that they are present on the channels where their target talent spend their time, and that they communicate messages that are relevant for them. No need to talk about fast career progression when the people you want to attract prioritize a friendly and welcoming work environment. 

What is also important to keep in mind is that they do not need to be attractive to everyone. In recruitment marketing we spend a lot of time and money to attract the highest number of potential candidates to then say no to the majority of them. What do we do then? They need to make sure they have a clear understanding of their target talent, not just in terms of skills but also in terms of personality! And make sure their proposition is relevant for that talent. 

Could you share with us 3 values that each company should live by in 2020 in your opinion? 

I truly believe that consistency, integrity and inclusion should be key for the organization of 2020. Why? Because companies will need to be consistent throughout all the touch points of the candidate and employee experience and towards all their stakeholders. If there is no consistency, it will be difficult to be recognizable and trustworthy. Integrity is requested and it is necessary to remain competitive and attractive because the attention on doing the right thing in the right way is growing and growing. Finally, inclusion will be a must. It builds on diversity, but it ensures that diverse perspectives are listened and included, so that people (and the business) can benefit and advance. 

How do you think the new generations will choose their employers in the future?

Empowerment is key. New generations will choose employers that listen to them, develop them but, most importantly, employers that will really give them space to add something and to build a tailor-made career based on one’s own priorities and talent. 

How does the organization of the future look like in your opinion? What should change? What should stay the same? 

The organization of the future is more open and transparent. In the era of social media and instant sharing, organizations need to be true to themselves and be able to live by their values to reach their mission beyond profit. What should stay the same? Their true essence, what makes them unique (and the secret ingredient to their success). And trust me, each organization has its own unique trait!

How can a company make work less stressful and more engaging for the employees? 

Focus on what really matters, avoid over stressing what is less relevant. Set priorities straight, work on clear objectives and on a clear mission. 

In which way do you think the Gig Economy is affecting the talent landscape? 

The Gig Economy is based on trust and commitment. Workers are choosing projects rather than long term engagements, which implies that there is a shared interest in the activity, as well as the understanding that the project itself will contribute to their learning and development. It has to do with trust, as companies are setting up objectives and expectations, and have less influence on how the task is carried out. How will this affect the talent landscape? I think this whole model will impact the way we conceive work as a whole. We might be employed by a single company but more and more people want to be involved in smaller projects, learning through exposure and work, and be recognized by objectives reached and results accomplished rather than be celebrated for the amount of hours spent behind their desk.

Can you recommend two books for the beginning of 2020, that should be on every HR expert’s desk?

Elon Musk: Tesla SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. I found it interesting to learn how Elon Musk would choose the next person to join his companies and how he would motivate and engage his staff. Inspirational. Another great biography is Sergio Marchionne by Tommaso Ebhardt, a story of how national culture can shape a company and how its understanding is necessary to make meaningful contributions. Eye-opening. 

How could a company make a workplace more inclusive? What are the solutions that can reduce biases? 

Some companies have started implementing gender neutral toilets, nursing rooms, universal prayer rooms and other strong signals of inclusion. What does make the difference, however, is the attitude and how inclusion is embedded in the company’s culture. If people recognize diversity as a source of creativity and innovation and if they feel they can talk and be listened to in a respectful environment, that is where inclusion starts. Ideas that are good can be implemented, no matter where they come from; contributions are recognized, no matter who the author is. It is a long journey, but I am sure 2020 will bring more and more awareness about the need to change attitude rather than just the office layout! 

Be sure to catch Federica Leotta’s speech at LEAP, at Face Convention Center Bucharest! It’s bound to be thought-provoking. Book your tickets now → Buy LEAP tickets.