Employee Engagement: How Does It Impact Talent Acquisition?

You may think of employee engagement as an internal issue, but in today’s connected society, it can have a major impact on your ability to attract and retain talent. Company culture and business practices are spread through networking, social media and review sites. Candidates know more about organizations than ever before and will quickly scratch you off their list of potential employers if your values or management style do not mesh with their own.

Here are just a few ways that employee engagement can affect your talent acquisition prospects and what you can do about it.

Engaged employees refer top talent

Employees who are happy in their jobs are eager to bring in people they know. The best workers don’t just bring friends; they bring people they believe have something significant to contribute. They are invested in the success of the organization and will not refer potential candidates who can’t make a positive impact.

Unhappy employees go to social media

The sentiment goes that satisfied customers tell a friend, unhappy customers tell ten. That effect is multiplied by instant access to social media. It only takes a moment to dash off an angry tweet. Candidates who are considering working for you conduct an online search and could be unhappy with what they find and look elsewhere. A bad comment or two won’t hurt, but an overarching trend will.

Review sites can help or hurt

Sites like Glassdoor and other review sites provide potential employees with insights into what it’s like to work for a company. Unfortunately, they are not always fair assessments. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to employee engagement and manage your online reputation.

You can’t hide a lack of engagement

If your company is a great place to work, it quickly becomes evident in employee attitudes. When you bring someone in for an interview, they can tell whether people are happy or unhappy. Are candidates greeted warmly or are people wary? Is there a cheerful buzz or a chill in the air in your building? Your company climate doesn’t have to be like Google for people to be happy. It just has to be a place where they feel valued and they are making the best use of their skills.

They have to believe they have a future there and that management cares rather than thinking of them as just another cog in the wheel.

How can you improve engagement and attract better talent?

• Have a clear path for each employee’s career within the organization.
• Foster a culture of respect and appreciation for each individual and their talents.
• Keep employees up to date on company goals and initiatives.
• Solicit ongoing feedback. Encourage employees to share their thoughts in-house rather than through social media.

For more ideas on how to improve employee engagement and attract better people, contact the executive search consultants at BrainWorks for assistance. Contact us today to learn more.