Statistics Employers Should Keep in Mind in 2021

As the job market continues to heal and the unemployment rate inches closer to the pre-COVID 3.5 percent, employers are working hard to become more marketable. With the increase of remote positions, inclusive workplaces, and upskilling, employers must finetune their brand and assure work-life balance is achievable for their team. 

Earlier this month, the team at Glassdoor For Employers pieced together 45 statistics employers need to review in order to shape a healthy recruitment model and attract top talent. We review a few of our favorites below:

COVID-19: Health & Safety

As companies continue to reopen offices and create hybrid positions, the wellness of employees cannot be taken lightly. Ensuring the proper health and safety protocols are in place is an essential piece to retaining your key employees and attracting new candidates. Beyond the tangible health and safety measures, employers must stay attuned to their responsibilities of their team’s mental health as well.

  • 86% of employees say they would prefer to continue working from home, at least in a hybrid role, when their office reopens.
  • 68% of hiring managers say remote work is working better than when they first started working remotely in 2020. Reasons included reduced non-essential meetings (70%) and increased schedule flexibility (60%).
  • The challenges of working from home: 20% cited they lack interactions and often feel isolated when working from home, and 16% don’t have a home office or dedicated space, so they feel distracted.
  • 70% agree that employees should be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine in order to return to the office.

Employer Branding

Over 85% of job-seekers admit to searching a company’s reviews before choosing to interview. Whether it is on Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, or another social platform, responding to past or present employees plays an essential role in your future hires. A strong brand will not only help you attract top talent but will help you retain your top employees as well. 

  • 86% of HR professionals surveyed indicated recruitment is becoming more like marketing.
  • 75% of active job seekers are likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand.
  • 92% of people would consider changing jobs if offered a role with a company with an excellent corporate reputation.
  • Employee voice is 3x more credible than the CEO’s when talking about working conditions in that company.

Diversity

How much does diversity matter to job seekers? 76% of job-seekers and employees reported a diverse workforce as a critical factor when evaluating companies and job offers. In addition to the expanded creativity and innovation that a more inclusive workforce provides, the McKinsey firm also found that ethnically diverse and gender-diverse companies have proven to be more profitable.

  • About 1 in 3 employees and job seekers (32%) would not apply for a job at a company with a lack of diversity among its workforce. 
  • 71% of employees would be more likely to share experiences and opinions on diversity & inclusion at their company if they could do so anonymously.
  • Nearly half of Black (47%) and Hispanic (49%) job seekers and employees have quit a job after witnessing or experiencing discrimination at work, significantly higher than white (38%) job seekers and employees.

Work-Life Balance

As the stress and fatigue behind the 40+ hour work weeks continue to be spotlighted, the value of a healthy work-life balance is becoming more fundamental. Enhanced by the remote work shift, the blurred lines between work life and home life are a gateway to career burnout that cannot be ignored.

  • 70% of employees said that their work defines their sense of purpose. Still, only 15% of frontline managers and frontline employees say they live their purpose at work, compared with 85% of executives and upper management.
  • Employees on average are working three more hours per day than before the pandemic.
  • 41% of workers feel ‘burnt out’ at work, and 45% feel emotionally drained.
  • A survey at Imperative found that people who engage in peer coaching are 65% more likely to feel fulfilled; 67% more likely to report being a top performer; 73% more likely to report feeling a sense of belonging; and 50% more likely to expect to stay in their job for more than five years.

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Assessing The Mortgage Industry: Top Trends & Statistics

Is the U.S. housing market overheating? Within the stability of low mortgage rates and high buyer contention, the housing market continues to be highly competitive. While it is a great time to be in the market for a loan, borrowers don’t quite have their’ pick of the litter’ like in times past. Home prices continue to rise, as does the volume of offers placed on each listing. 

“Demand is robust throughout the country, but homebuyers continue to be held back by the lack of homes for sale and rapidly increasing home prices.” – Joel Kan, MBA Economist.

After assessing various expert opinions, knowledge, and studies, we have constructed the ultimate guide to the latest Mortgage industry trends and statistics of 2021. Courtesy of the industry professionals with The Mortgage Banker’s Association, Fannie Mae, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Bankrate, The Motley Fool, TIME Magazine, & more!

Mortgage Rates Staying Low

While banks and lenders compete for consumers, the lingering of favorable rates comes much to the delight of borrowers. Mortgage rates have hovered around 3% throughout 2021, and experts predict that trend to continue. While many foresee a gradual incline, the experts in Real Estate at the likes of Bankrate and Next Advisor are still forecasting rates below 3.5% through 2022.

Why are mortgage rates remaining low? Mortgage rates are also influenced by consumer demand for home loans and the lenders’ willingness and ability to adhere to the numbers. According to the Mortgage Banker’s Association & Fannie Mae, the total volume of loan originations (purchase and refinance) in 2021 is on pace for a $250 million decline (10%) from 2020. The current year is on pace to see an 11% increase in purchase mortgage originations at $1.8 trillion, but a 14% decrease in refinance originations at 2.2 trillion. With loans able to derive from any location, banks and lenders are making their best effort to beat out the competition’s low rates and hold on to their newly hired employees. 

Inventory Causing High Buyer Competition

Realtors across the country have reported seeing multiple offers come in on nearly every listing, and they expect that trend to continue through the Spring as well. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the U.S. housing market is short 3 million homes, and supply will likely remain tight for the next few years. As a result, we are experiencing the most significant annual growth in home value in over 30 years, including a 14.6% price increase from April 2020 to April 2021. Chief Economist with CoreLogic, Frank Nothaft, details how the low rates “have led to really eye-popping house price gains, and I expect that to continue.”

Why is the current housing supply unable to keep up with demand? In addition to the low mortgage rates that have new buyers emerging from every location, construction of new homes was also severely slowed by COVID-19 and has yet to get back on track. The NJ Lenders Corporation also reports that many homeowners who are removed from the big-city lifestyle are reluctant to sell their homes with the ease and comfortability they’ve found in working remotely. Homeowners are much more likely to explore refinancing to cut their monthly payments, focus on new home projects, and build more equity in their homes. Furthermore, these homeowners are well aware that choosing to reap the benefits of the seller-friendly market means they will become a part of the crowded homebuyer market.

via National Mortgage News             
(via National Mortgage News)                                                             (via Affinity Realty Group)

With sellers earning top-dollar for their listed properties, buyers need to be exceptionally savvy in hopes of striking a deal. More desirables homes, such as those not requiring renovations, encompassing ample living space and coveted amenities, are often swept off the market in 1-2 days. The mortgage reporting team at Bankrate implore consumers to enlist the support of a knowledgeable realtor to steer them through the competition. Buyers and sellers have a unique opportunity in the current market, but each must stay aggressive and calculated in their approach to capitalize. 

July 23, 2021 ~ Update: In June, the volume of existing-home sales rose for the first time in five months as more houses came on the market. (Courtesy of The Balance)

A Spike in Job Openings

Despite many lenders and banks reporting a decline in the volume of loan originations, hiring is seeing a dramatic increase as the economy heals. Courtesy of the National Mortgage News: “Users of the company’s compensation system found year-over-year processor headcounts in the first quarter were up 58% from a year ago. The number of registered loan officers increased by 32%.” The search consultants at Hunter Hollis confirm this growth and anticipate high demand in the real estate, mortgage, and title industry among those seeking a career change. With interest rates expected to remain low, many organizations are experiencing various career professionals who want to get in on the action.

What The Remote Work Shift Means in Mortgage/Real Estate

Regarding Potential Buyers

COVID-19 has forced employees from all lines of work into temporary or permanent remote working environments. With the ability to operate from a home office for the foreseeable future, homebuyers have reevaluated their priorities and created new arrangements for their futures. They have more freedom than ever before when choosing where and how they want to live. What does this look like in real life? Forget the perk of dodging NYC, Chicago, LA, or other big-city rush hours; employees can ditch their current home’s upscale, costly lifestyle for a more reasonable and desirable one. Whether it is to move closer to family or find peace and safety in a rural or suburban area, people across the country are taking advantage of the opportunity. In fact, a recent study from H.R. Executive revealed that 58% of workers would “absolutely” look for a new job if they were not allowed to continue working remotely. 

Regarding Your Employees & Talent Recruitment

Talent demand is high within the mortgage and title industry, and despite the plethora of job seekers, employers are admittingly finding it hard to fill their open positions with highly skilled personnel. Employers’ ability to adapt to the times plays a significant role in keeping up with competitors and constructing a healthy recruitment marketing model. Being locked down to one location due to a job is a thing of the past. Many employers have opened their opportunities to fully remote and semi-remote positions to adhere to national guidelines and reach a higher quality of talent recruitment.

Tech Trends via The MPA

The Rise of Tech-Savvy Home Buyers: “Where some companies were reluctant to invest in tech advancements prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, most lenders now recognize the need to offer online mortgage solutions.” – Allison Leung, Maxwell Financial 

Driven by customers’ developing expectations in “speed, seamlessness, convenience, personalization, and transparency,” here are a few of the MPA’s revealed tech trends that experts presume will shape the future of the mortgage industry:

  1. Adopting API To Improve Efficiency

Mortgage lenders are taking part in the transcendence of application programming interfaces (API) to streamline business processes. From workflow automation, data accuracy assurance, and facilitated compliance, employers are making a pivotal effort to stay up to date with the latest technology trends. Leung states: “A lack of efficiency in back-office operations not only affects loan processing speeds and loan officer morale, it also has an impact on the saleability of loan products overall.”

  1. Improving Self-Service & Omni-Channel Capabilities

The digital home-buying experience is here to stay. Allowing consumers to engage with you through their preferred method of communication will open up your lead attraction capabilities. I.T. tech consulting firm, Infosys, believes that if lenders can provide “online calculators, scenario analysis tools, and open mobile communication channels,” they will see lead conversation improve. 

“For many, working with lenders that offer an online experience that allows them to get quickly pre-approved, lock in their rate and upload required mortgage documentation is a welcomed departure from the traditional mortgage process.” – Glenn Brunker, Ally Home.

  1. Increased Machine Learning (ML) & Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)

Infosys suggest that the adoption of ML & A.I. can increase speed and efficiency within the document-intensive process for lenders. Key examples include paperwork organization and analysis and borrowers’ salary and credit history assessment. Completing preliminary mortgage advising tasks and offering product recommendations through the use of an A.I. chatbot will remove tedious, repetitive tasks from your desk.

Homebuyers Statistics: (Pulled Directly From Mortgage Calculator)

  • First-Time Buyers– The number of first-time buyers entering the housing market fell to its lowest percentage since 1981.
  • Median Age and Income of First-Time Buyers– The average age of first-time homebuyers in the United States stands at 31, showing little to no change over the last few years. Their average annual income was approximately $68,300. The median cost of homes purchased by first-time buyers is $169,000.
  • Median age and Income of Repeat Buyers– The average age and income of repeat buyers remain relatively stable, with a median age of 53 and an income of approximately $95,000 per year. The average cost of a home purchased by a repeat buyer is $240,000.
  • Household Composition of Homebuyers– The statistical make-up of home buyers has remained unchanged over the last few years, with 65% being married couples, 16% single women, 9% single men, and 8% unmarried couples.
  • Financing Profiles– 88% of all buyers financed their purchase, with younger buyers more likely to rely on financing than consumers aged 64 or older. 93% of first-time buyers opted for a fixed-rate mortgage, with 35% financing their purchase with an FHA-backed mortgage. The average down payment for first-time buyers was 6% of the total cost of their home, while the average down payment for repeat buyers was 13%.
  • Housing Profiles– 79% of buyers purchased a detached single-family home, while 16% bought a townhouse or condo. The average home purchased had three bedrooms and two baths.
  • Average Time Between Moves– The average time a family is expected to stay in their home is approximately 13 years.

Final Thoughts

In a recent writeup for NextAdvisor, Finance Journalist Jason Stauffer surveyed what mortgage experts project for the coming months/years. Surmised from industry specialists Lindsey Piegza with Stifel Financial; Tian Liu with Enact Mortgage Insurance; Jon Bodan with Perpetual Financial Group; Erin Sykes with NestSeekers International; and Robert Frick with Navy Federal Credit Union, the most commonly relayed messages held true to these three common themes: 

  1. A slight, gradual increase in mortgage rates, but remaining below 5% for the foreseeable future.
  2. Demand has overwhelmed supply, and the low housing inventory remains the greatest concern for lenders and homebuyers.
  3. Lenders are pursuing borrowers. While potential homebuyers are experiencing decreased odds at landing their future home, lending professionals and real estate agents are enduring increased workloads.

Learning About NexGoal

Want NexGoal to help you access the often-closed community of passive candidates and start sourcing top-performing employees for your organization? We have tracked great success within the mortgage and title industry and would love to introduce you to talent we believe in! Contact our CEO, Kevin Dahl, at kevindahl@nexgoal.com to start putting your plan into action.

*Reference this article, and we will promote your job openings on LinkedIn and/or Indeed for free!

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Evaluating Company Culture For A Remote Position

Do you fall in line with the 75% of U.S. employees who prefer to operate in a full-time remote or hybrid position? Pursuing these remotely operating positions begs to question how job seekers can effectively evaluate company culture without seeing corporate philosophy in action. What do you do when all your interviews take place over Zoom, and you’ve never stepped foot in the office? The career experts at The Muse understood the validity of this concern and took the time to address it.

Content contributor Kat Boogaard wrote a great piece discussing the vital role that company culture still plays within a remotely operating position and how candidates can adequately assess the culture during the interview process without ever stepping foot in the door. Kat explains how, despite any salary, benefits, or growth expectation the position may meet, the overwhelming factor of company culture will still have a tremendous impact on your experience and satisfaction in the role. She recommends taking these SIX steps before you even consider accepting your next job offer. We highlight two of them here:

1. Know What You’re Looking For

Do you have your must-haves set in place for your next position? Map out your expectations in salary, benefits, and company values you want your employer to prioritize. When your interview process is fully remote, the need for a high level of preparation is magnified.

With video interviews and online research playing the most significant role in your decision, you must key in on the job factors and features most important to you. Is a healthy work-life balance your top priority? While working remotely should, in theory, make this more achievable, you still would want to find an organization that is not continuously operating. Muse Career Coach & Life Coach Annie Nogg recommends filtering down to three ‘non-negotiables’ for your job preferences.

“It’s important to understand a company’s culture because you don’t just want to join an organization where you can do work, you want to join one where you can do your best work.” -Hannah Fleishman, HubSpot.

2. Do Some Independent Research

Despite the remote process, you still have many resources and research techniques available to you. First, you can learn a tremendous deal of company history and cultural standpoints through a company’s website content. Don’t fumble when it comes to thoroughly understanding the company’s origin and core values that are easily identifiable. With your career growth and happiness on the line, you would be doing a tremendous disservice to yourself to visit every page on their website.

Second, visiting their blog will grant you access to their most recent publications, such as recent awards/achievements, a behind-the-scenes look into their corporate handlings, or other key content they want pushed out as a representation of their brand. Third, visiting their social media pages will similarly offer great insight into their company culture, brand presentation, and reputation.

Lastly, platforms where past and present employees can leave company reviews, such as Glassdoor or Indeed, will highlight general aspects of the company you may not have otherwise discovered. Additionally, many employees will provide the job title they held, which can offer specific insight into the company’s handling of your desired role. As you climb down the rabbit hole, remember to keep your three non-negotiables at top-of-mind. Use your computer’s ‘Ctrl-F’ feature to find reviews containing your keywords quickly.

Wrap Up

Understanding a company’s culture from afar adds a level of complexity to an already complicated process, but following through on Kat’s and Hannah’s advice will allow you to stay informed and keep your best foot forward!

“Especially as companies commit to remote or hybrid work for the future, it’s more important than ever for candidates to know that a company’s values, work style, and goals align with their own,” Fleishman says. “Because that’s what shapes the employee experience—whether you’re in an office or remote.”

Check out the remainder of Kat’s SIX steps to uncovering an organization’s culture without entering the office here.

  1. Connect with Current (or Former) Employees
  2. Ask Specific Questions (even if they are difficult)
  3. Observe What You Can
  4. Use the Hiring Process as Your ‘Inside Look’

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Reduce Your Daily Stress With These Four Principles

Where does stress come from? The American Psychological Association reveals their top work-related examples:

  • Excessive workloads
  • Low salaries
  • The nonexistence of a work-life balance
  • The feeling of being undervalued and unappreciated
  • Limited growth potential
  • Unclear performance expectations
  • A lack of social interaction

If you are feeling a heavy weight on your shoulders from these everyday stresses, it is likely because you have not learned how to manage your stress effectively. 

With remotely operating jobs here to stay, it has become increasingly difficult to separate our work life from our personal life. While experiencing some levels of stress is unavoidable, there are specific steps you can take to move closer to a healthy work-life balance. Learning to limit your daily stress intake will not only play a tremendous role in your career growth but positively impact your physical and mental health. Hold tight to these four principles:

1. The Power of Saying ‘No.’

It’s always easy to say yes, and you may feel the pressure to do so to advance your career, but is it worth forfeiting your peace of mind? When you are overloaded with responsibilities and rapidly approaching deadlines, you are giving stress an open-door policy into your life. Saying yes to everyone is not the only way to propel your career. In fact, juggling too many commitments is an unhealthy habit that will often lead to experiencing career burnout and ultimately stall your career. 

The career experts at The Mayo Clinic provide three additional reasons to say no:

  • “Saying no isn’t necessarily selfish.” Honor your existing obligations and avoid taking on too much; otherwise, the quality of your performance is at stake.
  • “Saying no can allow you to try new things.” Stay focused on the tasks at hand and use free time to pursue other interests in or outside work.
  • “Saying yes can cut others out.” Saying no allows the opportunity for others in your organization to step up.

2. Set Clear Goals & Boundaries

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed in your current career? Does your fear of disappointing others lead you to put too much on your plate? Learning to set clear objectives and establish boundaries is an excellent tool to coping with your stress. Maintain self-respect by being assertive rather than aggressive and passive. During your workday, it is not recommended that you divide your focus across several responsibilities at a time. Prioritize and organize your tasks and projects and ensure that your daily tasks tie into an overarching goal. Plan your schedule for the week ahead, and be sure to include breaks (and actually take them!).

Many employees tend to blend their work and home life, which brings conflict and confusion when working to achieve a work-life balance. While the flexibility and freedom offered with a remote position has immeasurable benefits, the blurred line between work and home only becomes more magnified. Making yourself available to answer phone calls and respond to emails at any time of day is again laying a path for feeling burnt out. Establish boundaries in your job to disconnect from the laptop or phone and focus on your personal life. 

3. Relax & Recharge

Taking time out of your day to clear your mind by listening to some music or calling a friend can play a significant role in keeping your stress from catching up to you. Especially in a remote position, the importance of taking time to get away from your desk and get out of the house cannot be understated. Temporarily separating yourself from a stressful environment or assignment can allow you to return to a more focused, calmer state of mind with a fresh perspective. Utilize techniques such as meditation and mindfulness exercises. On a larger scale, using your vacation days is a great way to unwind and return to work feeling inspired and focused. 

4. Eat Healthy & Live Healthy

Don’t push back on your daily stressors with junk food or alcohol. Stress-eating through comfort foods is a safe way to deal with your issues but strictly serves as a temporary solution to your stress. After a difficult day at work, there is no better alternative to letting out your frustrations than a trip to the gym or unwinding at a fitness studio. If exercising is not your currently preferred method, consider alternatives of making time for friends or family, reading a new book, or picking up a new hobby. Prioritizing a good sleep schedule is also critical to effective stress management, which can be achieved by eliminating the use of stimulating devices, such as your phone or television, up to an hour before bed.

Recently, I had a discussion with a Cleveland-based CEO who shared the immense toll that operating from a home office took on his mental and physical health. In addition to becoming more susceptible to stress and drops in productivity, he revealed how he was confronted with a rude awakening after one year of working from home. On a recent warm weather day, he decided to go for a jog but failed to make it down the street. “I’m out of shape,” he admitted. He did not realize how intensified the effects would be from a year of no longer walking to and from meeting rooms and departments or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. This is especially true when the alternative is walking a mere few feet out of bed.

The solution? Take care of your mind and body.

  • Create your own commute to work or take a few meetings while you walk down your street. 
  • Extend your lunch break to include a quick trip to the gym.
  • Switch to an adjustable sit/stand desk.

Reminder: Experiencing Minimal Levels of Stress Can Be Healthy

Too much stress leads to career burnout, but too little stress? This will enter you into a career rut as you coast through the day-to-day tasks of your week. Facing the pressures of increased performance expectations can be detrimental to your career, but encountering stress in moderation can improve your job performance and health. Experiencing healthy levels of stress, or eustress, keeps employees motivated and ready for the next challenge and allows companies to grow.

Wrap Up

Encountering stress is inevitable, but managing the way you respond to stress can help rid of its negative ramifications. Asking for help is a sign of strength and courage. If you are struggling with feeling overstressed or overworked during this season, remember that you are not alone. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support from your friends, family, or company management. Whoever you reach out to can likely relate to your feelings of anxiety and share an experience that can help you cope. 

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Employer Branding Strategy: Trends To Monitor in 2021

Employers: Does your brand effectively communicate the value your organization has to offer? Are you proud of your reputation in employee experience and employee satisfaction? It’s time you make the necessary adjustments to show your team how much you value their hard work, especially during the unpredictability of the pandemic. Furthermore, your acknowledgment and gratitude will often boost your team members’ mental well-being, thus improving productivity and encouraging them to show the validity of your kind words.

Many employers get wrapped up focusing on the consumer aspect of their brand, but there needs to be an equal focus on the viewpoint of employees and job-seekers. When a strong, healthy image is established through upheld core values, the quality and integrity within each employee will organically strengthen the company’s consumer brand. 

Through a well-structured employer branding strategy, companies can propel their talent acquisition to an upper echelon of job-seekers and improve employee retention. The current shift in today’s workforce calls employers to go beyond the traditional employer branding strategies, i.e., an appealing website, five-star testimonials, and detailed job postings. Here are three workplace trends today’s employers need to closely monitor and implement to stand out as a top place to work:

Increased Workplace Health & Safety Protocols

As the restrictions surrounding businesses returning to the office are beginning to lift, the health and safety protocols remain at large. You can find the CDC’s up-to-date COVID-19 Office Building guidelines and restrictions here. People want to feel safe right now, and if you decide to reopen your office, it is your ultimate responsibility to make sure the proper measures are in place. 

The necessary health and safety protocols go beyond in-office cleaning, sanitization, and social distancing. It is your responsibility to stay up to date with mental health trends by enhancing work-life balance benefits through flexible schedules, childcare assistance, and therapeutic resources. Showcase your call towards mental health awareness and wear it proudly. For the years ahead, establishing a supportive environment for your employees is crucial to retaining your top performers and attracting new ones. 

Integration of Remotely Operating Employees

While some companies near a return to their traditional in-office capacity, others remain in the preliminary stages of that transition. Regardless, the concept of remote employees and Zoom conducted meetings are here to stay. Since companies across the country are making these remote hires, competition for top talent is greatly heightened. If you can adjust your vacant positions to operating on a remote or semi-remote basis, you will open your company to 26% of job-seekers that admit requiring a work-from-home option (via Career Builder). 33% of job-seekers also revealed they apply to jobs outside their location with the expectation they would be able to work from home. 

As a result of the emphasis on remote-based positions, there is an increased value placed on company culture and reputation. Having a quick commute, provided lunches, or an office-with-a-view are much less valued with the hiring shift. The concerns of a remote employee surround topics such as lack of communication, flexibility in work hours, feelings of isolation, and the fear of office politics getting in the way of a promotion. As the employer, you must prioritize ensuring job stability and providing reassurance and fairness in performance reviews. 

An Emphasis on Diversity & Inclusion

Companies that emphasize diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as fair treatment, equal opportunity, and education, will experience immense growth because of the different perspectives and ideas they invite. Consider implementing some of your employees as brand advocates, sharing their positive experiences and excitement about their job online. Your use of social media is a great tool to showcase your responsibility in building a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Conversely, any sign of discrimination that reveals a mark of privilege or bias will be immediately put under the spotlight and have intense ramifications. 

In today’s contest for top talent, the career experts at Smarp stress the importance of attracting the right employees and looking beyond the traditional talent recruitment practices. Here are 10 of the top benefits Smarp lists as a result of diversity and inclusion in the workplace:

  • Accelerated Growth & Financial Performance
  • Boosted Innovation & Creativity
  • Improved Reputation
  • Improved Decision-Making
  • Higher Talent Attraction (67% of job seekers describe diversity as an important factor)
  • Increased Knowledge exchange
  • Increased Employee Engagement
  • Enhanced Employee Retention
  • Increased Employee Empowerment
  • Increased Employee Loyalty

*BONUS* Maintain Accurate Candidate Personas

With the high volume of job-seekers, it has become increasingly challenging to identify all-star candidates. By thoroughly defining your ideal candidate persona, you can more accurately compose your job description to align with your existing team members and culture. Analyze the resume of your current employees and inquire about the qualities that have made them successful. Take note of their demographics, educational and professional background, and any career goals they may have. Other critical questions include:

  • Adding to our three listed above, which job features were most important to them?
  • Were they passive or active job seekers?
  • What tools did they utilize to search for jobs?

Wrap Up

Don’t downplay the importance of focusing on your employer branding and how an effective strategy can impact your company for years to come. Like anything else, it takes hard work and intentionality, but establishing a new narrative through emphasized health and safety, remote integration, and diversity and inclusion will lead you to see your culture and employee output evolve over time. 

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