What do we value when searching for a new role? At Simple Recruitment, we just love trying to answer challenging questions!
What we value is going to vary between different roles, different industries, and at different stages of our lives. It’s not necessarily a black-and-white answer that we ourselves are certain of.
Our LinkedIn poll suggests that the majority of people value work-life balance as the most important factor, receiving half of the total votes. Employee benefits seem to be the least important receiving zero votes. This was quite surprising to us as we thought there would be a more even spread.
Our LinkedIn poll isn’t of course the be-all-and-end-all but it got us thinking (dangerous, we know). When looking for a new job, it’s easy to get caught up on passing the application process and focusing on employer demand, however, it’s important to consider what you value. It’s also important for companies to see what actually attracts top-tier talent.
The Value of Work-life Balance
A workplace with a strong work-life balance can enable staff to feel more in control of their working life. People value flexibility as it allows their career to work around their lives and not the other way around. Work-life balance can be anything from hybrid working to flexible hours to generous paid leave to “no work after hours” policies to even encouraging frequent breaks.
There are also incredible benefits that employers can enjoy from providing work-life balance such as a less stressed and more engaged workforce, reduction in sickness, as well as improved retention and employee satisfaction.
Salary
Pay is possibly the most important factor for applicants when shortlisting jobs they wish to apply for. In a study from Reed, a staggering 78% of people looking for a job would be put off applying if the salary was not displayed. Reed also found that 22% of job seekers exclusively apply for jobs with a listed salary.
A fair salary is essential when it comes to ensuring that your business can attract talent. It’s important to list salaries that are in line with the market as nobody wishes to be underpaid.
While salary isn’t everything, it does factor heavily into an employee’s perception of their own worth within a company. Underpaying workers can lead to poor retention and low levels of employee satisfaction which will also result in a less engaged, unproductive, and frustrated workforce.
Employees Value Career Progression
Career progression is far more than just the big milestones, promotions, and pay rises. It is an ongoing investment in employee growth and development. Employees may particularly value progression opportunities earlier in their career. This may be because it gives them the skills to succeed in both their long and short-term goals.
It is important however to not have a blanket policy as some employees might not be driven to take the next step in their career and find value and comfort in the stability of a steady role. This is understanding as change can be intimidating and requires confidence. It’s important for employers to tailor their offering to both types of employees.
Employee Benefits
Employee benefits don’t seem to be the most important thing that we value in our search. There are still huge upsides to including them in job packages. They can help employees pay for healthcare, save for retirement, and take extended time off work when needed. Offering a legitimate and strong benefits package can aid employers in finding and retaining talented workers.
Final Thought
There are far more factors we value in searching for a role such as location, the company culture and ethos, stability, as well as having a simple gut feeling during the application process. Whether you’re looking to attract recent graduates or skilled individuals with years of experience, offering a healthy combination of the above factors is likely the best way to attract and retain top-tier talent.
