Today’s competitive hiring environment has left many managers scratching their heads. You may find yourself asking, “how can we hire candidates with the necessary skills and experience to help achieve our growth goals?” Well, it’s not as simple of an answer as it used to be. When considering new opportunities, candidates are now weighing a multitude of factors — one of the main ones being work flexibility.
According to LinkedIn’s latest report of Global Talent Trends, work flexibility is quickly rising to the top of candidate requirements. And your competitors are getting on board! In fact, there has been a 78 percent increase in job posts on LinkedIn that mention work flexibility since 2016. Here are a few of the facts behind work flexibility and how it can completely transform your hiring process.
Attracts Candidates
51 percent of talent professionals state that work flexibility is one of the top features attracting candidates in today’s market. According to Anna Auerbach, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Werk, “candidates are asking about flexibility in the interview process, and that was not happening a few years ago. If your answer is, ‘let me check with HR,’ you’ve already lost the candidate.” Be sure to mention your flexible work policies in job descriptions and throughout the interview process. That way, you can simultaneously attract candidates while setting expectations early and often.
Increased Diversity
We know how important diversity hiring is to our clients. Have you ever considered that work flexibility could be the solution you’re looking for? According to LinkedIn, women are 22 percent more likely than men to rank flexible work arrangements as a very important factor when considering a job. Sara Sutton, founder of the organization 1 Million for Work Flexibility, expands, explaining that it’s not just about working moms. “It’s people with disabilities, military spouses, people with health problems, caretakers, and people living in rural or economically disadvantaged areas. People need and want work flexibility for a lot of different reasons.”
Employee Retention
When you reward your employees with trust, they are much more likely to stick around. In fact, 54 percent of talent professionals cite encouraging retention as a major perk of flexible work. This can significantly assist in your recruiting efforts. When your current employees are happy, that shines through to prospective candidates! Not to mention, you’ll have less turnover, and thus, fewer spots to fill.
Keep in mind, work flexibility isn’t just about allowing employees to work remotely. A flexible work environment encompasses full-time remote employees, occasional remote working situations, the ability to shift working hours, and the freedom to briefly step away when needed. Try implementing one of these flexible solutions and watch how your hiring process transforms along with your working environment!
