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Understanding OurEmerging Talent
Attracting and Engaging our Future Workforce
FOREWORDCONTENTS
Therersquos no doubt in my mind that wersquore experiencing one of the most exciting and vibrant times in the world of resourcing The heady mix of economic uncertainty HR technology social and digital media all mean that we live in transformational times And shifts in generational mindsets appear to show that our future talent is at the forefront of the change
For many organisations staying in tune with future talent continues to be key to the health of their talent pipelines Partnering once again with EY and Bright Network we explored what students thought about their recruitment journey
The purpose of this whitepaper is to help you understand a little more about your future talent ndash what they like what they dislike and what they want to see more of In short we hope our findings help you to enhance your candidate experience as we head into graduate recruitment season
We have thoughts from Bill Boorman founder of tru Conferences blogger speaker and advisor to Meet amp Engage who shares his thoughts on the changing nature of the employer brand and candidate experience Steve Keith The Branding Man and expert on all things future talent also provides us with his expert opinion
Reaching Our Future Talent
Inspiring Career Decisions
Top 7 Tips to Create an Engaging Recruiting Process
The Employer Bland
Moments of Communication
Doing the Right Thing
Summary
Contributors
1
3
4
5
7
10
11
12
Within our research there are some standout themes
Firstly yoursquoll be aware of the consumer-grade expectations our candidates quite rightly now have
As consumers wersquore treated with care consideration and speed Conversely as candidates we can receive little or no reciprocation Therersquos a gap between our expectations and how wersquore treated as candidates
This is a huge missed opportunity IBMrsquos 2017 research The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience found candidates who felt positive about their experience during the recruitment process were 38 more likely to accept your job offer And more than twice as likely to recommend you as an employer to others
Secondly we live in an age of peer-review ndash the Edelman Trust Barometer finds we trust our peers (or people like us) far more than corporate brands This chimes with something Bill Boorman shared with us in a recent webinar He said ldquoLive chat and conversation are your new employer brand contentrdquo
We couldnrsquot agree more Wersquore seeing our clients - the likes of BT Deloitte Capco and The MET Police all using our technology to allow their employees to create content in tandem with their candidates ndash all through social media and live chat We know from Edelmanrsquos Barometer that peer groups are trusted more than corporate brands so this level of authentic peer-to-peer content creation makes a lot of sense
Finally future talent are increasingly factoring in positive social impact as a criteria when choosing their employer Our group felt that equality fairness and purpose were all factors they considered This resonates with several larger bodies of research
Deloittersquos report in 2017 also found that 88 of millennials ndash who now make up over half of our workforce ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment
So how does this emphasis on corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why future talent should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses In short I think social citizenship will fast become one of the keystones of your employer brand as Gen Z and Millennials make up more of our workforce
So without further ado I hope that you enjoy the read
NICOLA SULLIVANDirector Meet amp Engage
Focus groups with female undergraduates studying oraspiring to a career in technology engineeringandor consulting
meetandengagecom
REACHING OUR FUTURE TALENT
In exploring the way our audience are researching their potential future employers and what channels they are most likely to use when researching their options itrsquos clear that our graduates are still using a blend of channels including student job boards forums chat platforms networks career sites careers fairs careers services and social media such as Linkedin Facebook and YouTube
All of which is suggesting a multi-channel approach ndash or blended marketing strategy ndash is still highly relevant
Our audience are using different channels at different points in their recruitment journey and itrsquos worth bearing in mind from a content perspective for example student forums might provide the inside track on your assessment centre format but meeting your employees at careers fairs is still a primary way of testing for culture and work-life balance
WHEN YOUrsquoRE CONNECTED
The channel strategy is one thing but what do our audience want to see and hear from you Our research found that the following information and insight is the kind of content our job seekers find most relevant and useful
What is the end-to-end recruitment process ndash whatrsquos expected of them and why Clarity around the role and requirements
Culture ethos and aspects of the holistic offer such as worklife balance and approach to diversity and inclusion
Getting access to current employees ndash face-to-face or virtually ndash so they can get the real picture
And therersquos no doubt that personalisation and authenticity are key One student shared that ldquopeer-to-peer information is invaluable ndash someone I can relate tordquo Another shared that ldquoYou can read a lot about a company but the business comes to life and becomes real when you meet its greatest assets ndash the peoplerdquo
Linkedout
Our research highlighted that while they do use Linkedin graduates feel that they donrsquot use it to its full potential They want more upskilling in how to use Linkedin and make the most out of it during their job search Itrsquos a handy reminder that sometimes tools that are second nature to those of us already in the work-place arenrsquot necessarily familiar to our audience
1 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
SO YOUrsquoVE HOOKED THEM
Moving from being intrigued to applying and starting to invest real time and energy in an application process is an important step for a candidate
Given that the majority of our audience were anticipating making at least 16 applications wersquore talking about a significant amount of thought and effort
Wersquore big believers here at Meet amp Engage that the recruitment journey should be a reciprocal one for candidates what are you giving them back for their time Herersquos what our audience told us
Be clear not vague about the role responsibilities and expectations Give feedback wherever possible ndash to successful and unsuccessful candidates theyrsquore keen to use the process to learn and improve Stay in touch ndash regularly and with useful information on the next stage of the process Keep us warm ndash wersquore in demand
One of our students pleaded ldquoDonrsquot leave us in the dark offer us mentors or assistants to help with the process maybe offer a phone call or open a chat as FAQs on websites are not personal enough for merdquo
What does come through loud and clear is that graduates will put real effort into the recruitment processes we set for them They also want to learn how to master the process and do well So how can we reciprocate and ensure the process becomes a journey
2 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
FOREWORDCONTENTS
Therersquos no doubt in my mind that wersquore experiencing one of the most exciting and vibrant times in the world of resourcing The heady mix of economic uncertainty HR technology social and digital media all mean that we live in transformational times And shifts in generational mindsets appear to show that our future talent is at the forefront of the change
For many organisations staying in tune with future talent continues to be key to the health of their talent pipelines Partnering once again with EY and Bright Network we explored what students thought about their recruitment journey
The purpose of this whitepaper is to help you understand a little more about your future talent ndash what they like what they dislike and what they want to see more of In short we hope our findings help you to enhance your candidate experience as we head into graduate recruitment season
We have thoughts from Bill Boorman founder of tru Conferences blogger speaker and advisor to Meet amp Engage who shares his thoughts on the changing nature of the employer brand and candidate experience Steve Keith The Branding Man and expert on all things future talent also provides us with his expert opinion
Reaching Our Future Talent
Inspiring Career Decisions
Top 7 Tips to Create an Engaging Recruiting Process
The Employer Bland
Moments of Communication
Doing the Right Thing
Summary
Contributors
1
3
4
5
7
10
11
12
Within our research there are some standout themes
Firstly yoursquoll be aware of the consumer-grade expectations our candidates quite rightly now have
As consumers wersquore treated with care consideration and speed Conversely as candidates we can receive little or no reciprocation Therersquos a gap between our expectations and how wersquore treated as candidates
This is a huge missed opportunity IBMrsquos 2017 research The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience found candidates who felt positive about their experience during the recruitment process were 38 more likely to accept your job offer And more than twice as likely to recommend you as an employer to others
Secondly we live in an age of peer-review ndash the Edelman Trust Barometer finds we trust our peers (or people like us) far more than corporate brands This chimes with something Bill Boorman shared with us in a recent webinar He said ldquoLive chat and conversation are your new employer brand contentrdquo
We couldnrsquot agree more Wersquore seeing our clients - the likes of BT Deloitte Capco and The MET Police all using our technology to allow their employees to create content in tandem with their candidates ndash all through social media and live chat We know from Edelmanrsquos Barometer that peer groups are trusted more than corporate brands so this level of authentic peer-to-peer content creation makes a lot of sense
Finally future talent are increasingly factoring in positive social impact as a criteria when choosing their employer Our group felt that equality fairness and purpose were all factors they considered This resonates with several larger bodies of research
Deloittersquos report in 2017 also found that 88 of millennials ndash who now make up over half of our workforce ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment
So how does this emphasis on corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why future talent should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses In short I think social citizenship will fast become one of the keystones of your employer brand as Gen Z and Millennials make up more of our workforce
So without further ado I hope that you enjoy the read
NICOLA SULLIVANDirector Meet amp Engage
Focus groups with female undergraduates studying oraspiring to a career in technology engineeringandor consulting
meetandengagecom
REACHING OUR FUTURE TALENT
In exploring the way our audience are researching their potential future employers and what channels they are most likely to use when researching their options itrsquos clear that our graduates are still using a blend of channels including student job boards forums chat platforms networks career sites careers fairs careers services and social media such as Linkedin Facebook and YouTube
All of which is suggesting a multi-channel approach ndash or blended marketing strategy ndash is still highly relevant
Our audience are using different channels at different points in their recruitment journey and itrsquos worth bearing in mind from a content perspective for example student forums might provide the inside track on your assessment centre format but meeting your employees at careers fairs is still a primary way of testing for culture and work-life balance
WHEN YOUrsquoRE CONNECTED
The channel strategy is one thing but what do our audience want to see and hear from you Our research found that the following information and insight is the kind of content our job seekers find most relevant and useful
What is the end-to-end recruitment process ndash whatrsquos expected of them and why Clarity around the role and requirements
Culture ethos and aspects of the holistic offer such as worklife balance and approach to diversity and inclusion
Getting access to current employees ndash face-to-face or virtually ndash so they can get the real picture
And therersquos no doubt that personalisation and authenticity are key One student shared that ldquopeer-to-peer information is invaluable ndash someone I can relate tordquo Another shared that ldquoYou can read a lot about a company but the business comes to life and becomes real when you meet its greatest assets ndash the peoplerdquo
Linkedout
Our research highlighted that while they do use Linkedin graduates feel that they donrsquot use it to its full potential They want more upskilling in how to use Linkedin and make the most out of it during their job search Itrsquos a handy reminder that sometimes tools that are second nature to those of us already in the work-place arenrsquot necessarily familiar to our audience
1 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
SO YOUrsquoVE HOOKED THEM
Moving from being intrigued to applying and starting to invest real time and energy in an application process is an important step for a candidate
Given that the majority of our audience were anticipating making at least 16 applications wersquore talking about a significant amount of thought and effort
Wersquore big believers here at Meet amp Engage that the recruitment journey should be a reciprocal one for candidates what are you giving them back for their time Herersquos what our audience told us
Be clear not vague about the role responsibilities and expectations Give feedback wherever possible ndash to successful and unsuccessful candidates theyrsquore keen to use the process to learn and improve Stay in touch ndash regularly and with useful information on the next stage of the process Keep us warm ndash wersquore in demand
One of our students pleaded ldquoDonrsquot leave us in the dark offer us mentors or assistants to help with the process maybe offer a phone call or open a chat as FAQs on websites are not personal enough for merdquo
What does come through loud and clear is that graduates will put real effort into the recruitment processes we set for them They also want to learn how to master the process and do well So how can we reciprocate and ensure the process becomes a journey
2 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
Within our research there are some standout themes
Firstly yoursquoll be aware of the consumer-grade expectations our candidates quite rightly now have
As consumers wersquore treated with care consideration and speed Conversely as candidates we can receive little or no reciprocation Therersquos a gap between our expectations and how wersquore treated as candidates
This is a huge missed opportunity IBMrsquos 2017 research The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience found candidates who felt positive about their experience during the recruitment process were 38 more likely to accept your job offer And more than twice as likely to recommend you as an employer to others
Secondly we live in an age of peer-review ndash the Edelman Trust Barometer finds we trust our peers (or people like us) far more than corporate brands This chimes with something Bill Boorman shared with us in a recent webinar He said ldquoLive chat and conversation are your new employer brand contentrdquo
We couldnrsquot agree more Wersquore seeing our clients - the likes of BT Deloitte Capco and The MET Police all using our technology to allow their employees to create content in tandem with their candidates ndash all through social media and live chat We know from Edelmanrsquos Barometer that peer groups are trusted more than corporate brands so this level of authentic peer-to-peer content creation makes a lot of sense
Finally future talent are increasingly factoring in positive social impact as a criteria when choosing their employer Our group felt that equality fairness and purpose were all factors they considered This resonates with several larger bodies of research
Deloittersquos report in 2017 also found that 88 of millennials ndash who now make up over half of our workforce ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment
So how does this emphasis on corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why future talent should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses In short I think social citizenship will fast become one of the keystones of your employer brand as Gen Z and Millennials make up more of our workforce
So without further ado I hope that you enjoy the read
NICOLA SULLIVANDirector Meet amp Engage
Focus groups with female undergraduates studying oraspiring to a career in technology engineeringandor consulting
meetandengagecom
REACHING OUR FUTURE TALENT
In exploring the way our audience are researching their potential future employers and what channels they are most likely to use when researching their options itrsquos clear that our graduates are still using a blend of channels including student job boards forums chat platforms networks career sites careers fairs careers services and social media such as Linkedin Facebook and YouTube
All of which is suggesting a multi-channel approach ndash or blended marketing strategy ndash is still highly relevant
Our audience are using different channels at different points in their recruitment journey and itrsquos worth bearing in mind from a content perspective for example student forums might provide the inside track on your assessment centre format but meeting your employees at careers fairs is still a primary way of testing for culture and work-life balance
WHEN YOUrsquoRE CONNECTED
The channel strategy is one thing but what do our audience want to see and hear from you Our research found that the following information and insight is the kind of content our job seekers find most relevant and useful
What is the end-to-end recruitment process ndash whatrsquos expected of them and why Clarity around the role and requirements
Culture ethos and aspects of the holistic offer such as worklife balance and approach to diversity and inclusion
Getting access to current employees ndash face-to-face or virtually ndash so they can get the real picture
And therersquos no doubt that personalisation and authenticity are key One student shared that ldquopeer-to-peer information is invaluable ndash someone I can relate tordquo Another shared that ldquoYou can read a lot about a company but the business comes to life and becomes real when you meet its greatest assets ndash the peoplerdquo
Linkedout
Our research highlighted that while they do use Linkedin graduates feel that they donrsquot use it to its full potential They want more upskilling in how to use Linkedin and make the most out of it during their job search Itrsquos a handy reminder that sometimes tools that are second nature to those of us already in the work-place arenrsquot necessarily familiar to our audience
1 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
SO YOUrsquoVE HOOKED THEM
Moving from being intrigued to applying and starting to invest real time and energy in an application process is an important step for a candidate
Given that the majority of our audience were anticipating making at least 16 applications wersquore talking about a significant amount of thought and effort
Wersquore big believers here at Meet amp Engage that the recruitment journey should be a reciprocal one for candidates what are you giving them back for their time Herersquos what our audience told us
Be clear not vague about the role responsibilities and expectations Give feedback wherever possible ndash to successful and unsuccessful candidates theyrsquore keen to use the process to learn and improve Stay in touch ndash regularly and with useful information on the next stage of the process Keep us warm ndash wersquore in demand
One of our students pleaded ldquoDonrsquot leave us in the dark offer us mentors or assistants to help with the process maybe offer a phone call or open a chat as FAQs on websites are not personal enough for merdquo
What does come through loud and clear is that graduates will put real effort into the recruitment processes we set for them They also want to learn how to master the process and do well So how can we reciprocate and ensure the process becomes a journey
2 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
REACHING OUR FUTURE TALENT
In exploring the way our audience are researching their potential future employers and what channels they are most likely to use when researching their options itrsquos clear that our graduates are still using a blend of channels including student job boards forums chat platforms networks career sites careers fairs careers services and social media such as Linkedin Facebook and YouTube
All of which is suggesting a multi-channel approach ndash or blended marketing strategy ndash is still highly relevant
Our audience are using different channels at different points in their recruitment journey and itrsquos worth bearing in mind from a content perspective for example student forums might provide the inside track on your assessment centre format but meeting your employees at careers fairs is still a primary way of testing for culture and work-life balance
WHEN YOUrsquoRE CONNECTED
The channel strategy is one thing but what do our audience want to see and hear from you Our research found that the following information and insight is the kind of content our job seekers find most relevant and useful
What is the end-to-end recruitment process ndash whatrsquos expected of them and why Clarity around the role and requirements
Culture ethos and aspects of the holistic offer such as worklife balance and approach to diversity and inclusion
Getting access to current employees ndash face-to-face or virtually ndash so they can get the real picture
And therersquos no doubt that personalisation and authenticity are key One student shared that ldquopeer-to-peer information is invaluable ndash someone I can relate tordquo Another shared that ldquoYou can read a lot about a company but the business comes to life and becomes real when you meet its greatest assets ndash the peoplerdquo
Linkedout
Our research highlighted that while they do use Linkedin graduates feel that they donrsquot use it to its full potential They want more upskilling in how to use Linkedin and make the most out of it during their job search Itrsquos a handy reminder that sometimes tools that are second nature to those of us already in the work-place arenrsquot necessarily familiar to our audience
1 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
SO YOUrsquoVE HOOKED THEM
Moving from being intrigued to applying and starting to invest real time and energy in an application process is an important step for a candidate
Given that the majority of our audience were anticipating making at least 16 applications wersquore talking about a significant amount of thought and effort
Wersquore big believers here at Meet amp Engage that the recruitment journey should be a reciprocal one for candidates what are you giving them back for their time Herersquos what our audience told us
Be clear not vague about the role responsibilities and expectations Give feedback wherever possible ndash to successful and unsuccessful candidates theyrsquore keen to use the process to learn and improve Stay in touch ndash regularly and with useful information on the next stage of the process Keep us warm ndash wersquore in demand
One of our students pleaded ldquoDonrsquot leave us in the dark offer us mentors or assistants to help with the process maybe offer a phone call or open a chat as FAQs on websites are not personal enough for merdquo
What does come through loud and clear is that graduates will put real effort into the recruitment processes we set for them They also want to learn how to master the process and do well So how can we reciprocate and ensure the process becomes a journey
2 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
SO YOUrsquoVE HOOKED THEM
Moving from being intrigued to applying and starting to invest real time and energy in an application process is an important step for a candidate
Given that the majority of our audience were anticipating making at least 16 applications wersquore talking about a significant amount of thought and effort
Wersquore big believers here at Meet amp Engage that the recruitment journey should be a reciprocal one for candidates what are you giving them back for their time Herersquos what our audience told us
Be clear not vague about the role responsibilities and expectations Give feedback wherever possible ndash to successful and unsuccessful candidates theyrsquore keen to use the process to learn and improve Stay in touch ndash regularly and with useful information on the next stage of the process Keep us warm ndash wersquore in demand
One of our students pleaded ldquoDonrsquot leave us in the dark offer us mentors or assistants to help with the process maybe offer a phone call or open a chat as FAQs on websites are not personal enough for merdquo
What does come through loud and clear is that graduates will put real effort into the recruitment processes we set for them They also want to learn how to master the process and do well So how can we reciprocate and ensure the process becomes a journey
2 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
INSPIRING CAREER DECISIONS
Careers fairs and careers events are in no shortage especially when it comes to graduation season Recent graduates arenrsquot going to pass on the opportunity to kick-start their career and develop crucial connections We asked about the people that inspire their career choices
60 of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting at careers events This supports the idea that while your employer brand can be strong across your recruitment process hearing from a current intern at the company is hugely beneficial
The people in your organisation matter Thatrsquos not new news But to graduates theyrsquore especiallyimportant in discovering role models and developing new aspirations The majority of our audience said that they considered people a year or two ahead of them as the most valuable role models when it came to their career and future aspirations
Itrsquos clear that connecting your current talent with your future talent has never been so important Thatrsquos why many of our clients create group chats or live streaming events hosted by an employee or intern to share their own experiences and instantaneously answer questions helping candidates build meaningful and valuable connections with your organisation
of our audience said that current interns or graduates at an organisation were the most important people they were interested in meeting
at careers events
3 Meet amp Engage
60
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
TOP 7 TIPS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING RECRUITMENT PROCESS
12
34
56
7
Be clear ndash not vague when it comes to the role responsibilities and expectations
When it comes to regional roles market the perks that come with being outside the Capital ndash the benefits arenrsquot always clear
Regular and useful communication during the recruitment process is vital
Technology such as live chat alongside traditional methods of telephone and emails are the preferred route for more information
When it comes to the assessment and selection process let your candidates know why yoursquore asking them to complete a task Candidates want to know the why ndash not just the what
Gather and record feedback on your recruitment process Therersquos nothing more valuable than hearing feedback directly from your candidates
Lift the lid on your company culture and what you pride yourselves on from an inclusive workforce to great work-life balance
4 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
THE EMPLOYER BLAND
Itrsquos clear at Meet amp Engage both from talking to our HR clients and from analysing the content of their online chats that candidates of all ages increasingly want to understand how their next job is going to help them to develop their skills and boost their employability rather than how a particular organisation facilitates their career progression
Time and time again we see candidates asking role-focused questions rather than probing prospective employers on culture leadership or other company-wide concerns
Fom talking to delegates at industry events careers are no longer following the typical trajectories wersquove seen in preceding decades In 2018 therersquos no such thing as lsquonormalrsquo and we are seeing a new breed of jobseeker emerge
In the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland - they want a job of choice not an employer of choice They are often looking for a move in the here and now not planning for the future
Candidates today are eager to see beyond the sheen of a perfectly polished Employer Brand The increased traffic on review sites like Glassdoor tells us that people are looking for transparency they want to see right inside an organisation the good the bad and the ugly Less sell More tell and that the teller is more important than the story
Think about that for a moment
5 Meet amp Engage
By Bill Boorman
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
It is more than a throw away statement In todayrsquos connected noisy world you are battling for time and attention but you are mostly battling for credibility When there are upwards of 30 companies trying to get the attention of the same people what is going to cut it
Therersquos a rising importance of peer-to-peer content and peer-to-peer conversation in influencing career decisions and choices over employment destinations Developers want to hear from developers accountants want to hear from accountants and so on They donrsquot want a central message or to talk to a recruiter as their primary source of information until they have decided to become an applicant
We describe this decision-making stage as the Candidate Stage This is the time when they are formulating opinions about jobs and deciding if they want to go through the pain of applying They assume it is going to be painful time-consuming frustrating and that they are probably never going to hear back As employers if we are honest we probably need to put our hands up and own that
Now factor in that new candidates are thinking that the job is only going to be for a few years probably no more they need to be bought in when it comes to showing them why itrsquos worth hitting apply
It is the attention on an opportunity and the future team that convinces someone to go for it and apply The potential reward makes it worth the pain Yes they want to hear about Employer Brand (although they probably wonrsquot call it that) but they want to hear it from the horsersquos mouth from the people who do the job This convinces them to become an applicant or not Peer content and peer connection are critical if the candidate is likely to progress to being an applicant and itrsquos applicants who want to talk to recruiters because now the conversation moves from job and opportunity to how do I become an employee
The kind of over-arching top-down messages employers have long relied on about their culture vision and ethos are failing to promote opportunities to candidates looking for their next me-sized move
Itrsquos no longer enough to spread the word that your business is dynamic and ambitious to set out your vision and values or to convey a catch-all employer personality via a handful of carefully curated employee profiles No matter how true to life these propositions are or how well you present yourself as an employer they canrsquot be specific enough to help people to really understand the role and what it entails for them
Increasingly before going to the trouble of applying prospects want to know whatrsquos in store for them as individuals They want to ldquotry onrdquo the job They want to see inside the organisation They canrsquot glean this information through the typical channels they encounter generic heavily corporate copy on a careers site or job postings dwelling on the demands of the job Itrsquos against this backdrop that the idea of the Individual Value Proposition (IVP) is emerging because all people are different and that means that the needs of each person for each job will be unique and the messaging must reflect this
rdquoIn the eyes of these ldquoNew Jobseekersrdquo Employer Brand is becoming Employer Bland They want a job of choice not an
employer of choice ldquoBill Boorman tru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
Bill Boormantru Conferences Founder and Advisor at Meet amp Engage
6 Meet amp Engage meetandengagecom
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
MOMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
By Steve Keith
Irsquom a firm believer in the power associated with purposeful communication when it comes to delivering a message and I only have to look back across the last 12 years of my career to find plenty of examples of where I myself have failed in my own work ndash a Geography lesson that took hours of immaculate planning derailed in minutes by overlooking the explanation of how to complete the learning activity my firsts attempt at coaching where I gave advice rather than listening and guiding the conversation a response to a difficult question posed in the middle of a campus presentation that contradicted what I had moments before told an entire room to name just a few When it comes to communication this is not something that employers are the experts that they think they are Especially when it comes to recruiting students whether they join straight from school or upon graduating from university
I believe that many of todayrsquos business leaders are out of touch with the youngest members of their workforce speaking about their businesses in a way which other adults would even struggle to understand The world of work is changing and fast We donrsquot have the luxury of time anymore when it comes to succession planning so when they do communicate to young people exploring their career options it needs to be clear consistent and spoken in a shared language that is relatable
7 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ENGAGED
What strikes me the most from the findings in this whitepaper is an underlying desire to connect through meaningful and valuable conversations peer-to-peer The talent young people are most interested in engaging with isnrsquot who Irsquod have expected either ndash those who are just ahead of them having taken their first steps onto the career ladder rather than those who are sitting at the top Itrsquos something I saw time and time again during my time at EY before I left earlier this year to pursue my dream of owning and running a business A business that has in fact been inspired by this drive we can now see for authentic peer-to-peer content Real conversations with real people If this is the case then the question I ask is Are your apprentices and graduates ready to communicate your employer brand in a way which connects engages and inspires them to join your organisation And perhaps more importantly are you ready to support them in becoming effective communicators and brand advocates
hellipin exploring the world of work In 2016 the Careers and Enterprise Company published lsquoMoments of Choicersquo ndash a report which I would implore anyone working in the early talent space to read to better understand how young people think about career decisions and how they use the huge volume of information provided to them To summarise the cognitive burden that we are placing upon our young people is making it harder for them to choose a career There are too many options for them and very few ways to compare them Combine this with their limited frame of reference about what the world beyond the classroom is like and itrsquos no surprise to me that the majority are disengaged They simply canrsquot find the answers to three important questions at key moments of choice
What are the possible careers available to meWhat will it be like to work thereHow do I get there
Now as hard as it might be to understand how this is the case when employersrsquo career websites are packed full of the answers to these questions the issue that Irsquom highlighting here isnrsquot about a lack of information itrsquos that our young people canrsquot make sense of any of it Which is why this shift that the research has found towards peer-to-peer communication via live chat and conversation is so interesting to me because I interpret it as a cry for help A cry that we need to pay attention to and use to fuel changes in the way that employers invest their time resource and budgets towards enriching the candidate experience by actively supporting informed career choices
8 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
This brings me to the what I consider to be imperative to the success of any future employer brand campaigns ndash moments of communication
When we are uncertain we look for social proof and to othersrsquo behaviours People similar to us can greatly influence our choices ndash the so-called lsquolikabilityrsquo factor can go a long way here This is not a place for facts figures and fancy Powerpoint presentations Skilfully using our emotions is the key to ensuring the lsquomoments of inspirationrsquo during interactions with young people land with impact To illustrate my point consider the following approach
Speak in plain English No buzzwords no jargon and certainly no acronymsSpark curiosity by varying the form function and style of the conversationDonrsquot fight resistance use it Itrsquos a great opportunity to agree empathise and understand the
candidate better Help them to see their situation in a new light and from new angles Inspire action
Apprentices and graduates are now one of if not the most effective marketing tools employers looking to attract the best talent to their student programmes have to offer Engaging them through encouraging advocacy now hinges on the ability of employers to shift focus away from moments of choice (where hard decisions need to be made and where doors are often closed) towards moments of inspiration where our young people are asking questions around whatrsquos important to them what works for them (and is achievable) and which career pathway will support this If yoursquore looking for the best way to inspire the next generation then this most certainly is going to be it
COMMUNICATING WITH IMPACT
Steve KeithFounder and Chief Behavioural Officer
thebrandingmanthebrandingmancouk
9 Meet amp Engage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
DOING THE RIGHT THING
10 Meet amp Engage
There were a number of potentially interlinked themes that featured heavily in our research worklife balance equality and social impact In short doing the right thing by not just your employees but by society as a whole
Whether it was at exploratory or final decision-making stage our audience clearly considered these factors important to their choice of employer
And wersquore not alone in our findings Research by Deloitte in 2017 found that 88 of millennials ndash who make up over half of our workforce now ndash believe that employers should play a role in alleviating concerns such as inequality hunger and the environment It appears that Gen Z are continuing this trend
Another piece of research ndash this time by Nielsen - found that 67 of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company and Deloittersquos aforementioned millennial research found that employees who believe that their employer supports the local community are 38 more likely to stay at that employer for five years
Our audience shared that companies who were focused on remedying social inequality ndash such as the gender pay gap social mobility and the under-representation of women at leadership level were attractive And whilst being seen to need lsquospecial treatmentrsquo wasnrsquot appealing companies who ran programmes or events to support this kind of long-term change were appreciated for example women only networking events or social mobility entrance programmes
But perhaps the stand-out factor was worklife balance This was the most constant and spoken about indicator of lsquothe right employerrsquo amongst our group Our audience wanted peer-to-peer feedback on the reality of company culture one graduate suggesting this helps her check whatrsquos being said about apparent healthy worklife balance on the careers site isnrsquot being ldquoromanticisedrdquo Another of our audience checks how much parental leave men are given as part of her research she said ldquoif itrsquos more than standard itrsquos normally a positive indicator on how they treat family and worklife balancerdquo
So how does this affect your employer brand How does this emphasis on healthy worklife balance and corporate citizenship alter the way we articulate why people should join stay and enjoy success in our businesses It certainly seems that these factors increasingly need to be an integral part of both the business strategy and brand
Deloitte stated in their report that authentic social citizenship ldquois not a matter of altruismhelliprdquo but is crucial ldquohellipto attracting retaining and engaging critical workersrdquo It seems lsquodoing the right thingrsquo will now take its place alongside reward benefits career and culture as keystones of the employee value proposition And about time
Social citizenship is not a matter of altruism but is crucial to attracting retaining and
engaging critical workersldquo rdquo
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
SUMMARY
11 Meet amp Engage
We hope yoursquove enjoyed our paper ndash the research findings points of view and of course our guest contributors Steve Keith and Bill Boorman
By way of summary we wanted to leave you with a list of the key takeaways from the paper
Our emerging talent are still using a blend of channels to find their first employer including forums fairs social media and job boards suggesting a multi-channel approach is still a must And upskilling students on the use of Linkedin would be a win for employers
Itrsquos important to help candidates understand the recruitment process ndash and not just the lsquowhatrsquo but the lsquowhyrsquo What are you assessing and why is it relevant
Culture social impact diversity and inclusion are all key areas our audience explore in their decision-making process these aspects help our graduates understand the lsquofitrsquo with you Work-life balance featured very heavily as a theme throughout our research it certainly seems to be a key parameter for our audience And when it comes to DampI employers need to prove they walk the talk
Access to current employees is key and activity targeting specific universities is popular peer-to-peer insights are invaluable
When it comes to regional roles make the perks and benefits clear once clarified regional roles where more responsibility and access to senior team members is just business-as-usual are more appealing
Regular timely and personal communication throughout the process is key And our audience were keen to have access to and socialise with the business and their peer group post-offer
And lastly the majority of our audience are making 16+ applications making the process clear realistic and giving feedback can help employers stand out What can you be doing to ensure the recruitment journey is a reciprocal one
Wersquod love to hear your views and feedback so please do get in touch And of course if yoursquod like to find out more about the work wersquore doing with our clients to attract and engage the next generation of future talent contact me at nicolasullivanmeetandengagecom
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
meetandengagecom
CONTRIBUTORS
RESEARCH
EDITORIAL
DESIGN
RESEARCH
Bright NetworkEYMeet amp Engage
Nicola SullivanSteve KeithBill BoormanJodie GroveAdam WomersleyMonica Jinabhai
Why Employee Engagement is the Key to A Safe amp Inclusive Workplace Jodie Grove Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomdiversity-inclusionwhy-employee-engagement-is-the-key-to-a-safe-and-inclusive-workplace)
The Uses and Ideas Behind Live Group Chat amp Chatbots ndash Webinar Meet amp Engage (httpsmeetandengagecomgeneral-talent-acquisitionwebinar-uses-ideas-behind-live-group-chat-chatbots)
Nielsen Global Corporate Social Responsibility Report Nielsen (httpswwwnielsencomcontentdamnielsenglobaljpdocsreport2014Nielsen20Global20Corporate20Social20Responsibility20Report20-20June202014pdf)
Millennial Survey 2017 Executive Summary Deloitte (httpswww2deloittecomcontentdamDeloitteglobalDocumentsAbout-Deloittegx-deloitte-millennial-survey-2017-executive-summarypdf)
Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report 2018 (httpscmsedelmancomsitesdefaultfiles2018-01201820Edelman20Trust20Barometer20Global20Reportpdf)
The Far Reaching Impact of Candidate Experience IBM (httpswww-01ibmcomcommonssicgi-binssialiashtmlfid=LOW14341USEN)
Punam Kaur
12 Meet amp Engage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
MEET amp ENGAGE
LIVE CHAT EVENT AND ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGYEnabling deeper connections with your candidates
Organise a demo with us to discover how live engagement technology and live chat can support you and your team with your recruitment activity
BOOK A DEMO
CONTACT US WErsquoRE SOCIAL
meetandengagecom
infomeetandengagecom
+44 (0)20 3384 5058
meetandengage
