It comes as no surprise that many organizations have trouble finding and retaining top-quality Millennial talent. Millennial roughly describes the generation born in the 80s and 90s. As the most media and tech-savvy generation ever, they quite literally have the world at their fingertips. Pew Research also reveals that this generation comprises a majority of both the voting age population and the workforce, so the need to attract Millennial talent is absolutely critical.
Before you start crafting a foolproof social media and digital strategy, take a step back and look at your employer brand. Millennials want brands to be more authentic, and your employer brand is no different. With all of this in mind, take these four steps to better position your organization as an attractive place for the next wave of talent to work.
Know and communicate your purpose, values, and vision
Be real about what you offer your customers, employees, and the marketplace as a whole and build on it. The average Millennial is staying at their job less than three years, so you can approach this in one of two ways: try to fight it by pouring time and effort into initiatives that will encourage them stay a little longer, or embrace the fact that the workplace of the future will be in a constant state of flux. Millennials aren’t likely to sell out for a paycheck. They want to work somewhere that finds a way to be socially responsible, understands their thinking, incubates their ideas, and gives them enough room to flourish and build a future for themselves. If your purpose, values, and vision are already aligned with this thinking, half of the work is done already.
Respond to feedback
We speak of Glassdoor quite often, but for good reason. When it comes time to look for work, the majority of Millennials will turn to the internet, and as the leading employer ranking website on the planet, Glassdoor provides them with all of the information they seek. If your company has a social media presence, ramp it up, and turn to Unilever for inspiration. They take the time to respond to every review left about working at their company on Glassdoor. Transparency and engagement are made much easier through platforms such as this, and all you need to bring to the table is honesty and a commitment of time.
Facilitate success
The reason Glassdoor is so successful is that in addition to providing an anonymous platform for employees to review organizations, it provides insight into the interview process for a number of companies. Google, on their website, details their hiring process and exactly what they look for in every new hire. While Google’s employer brand is well known and admired—think office Segways, nap rooms, and a multitude of other perks—your organization can follow their lead in terms of openness. Offer opportunities or host events where Millennials are able to talk to you before applying for a job. Putting a face to the name and meeting in-person gives your organization credibility in the eyes of millennial prospects.
Seek honest feedback
If you happen to have a few sharp young minds in your organization already, tap into them. Learn why they chose to work with you, as well as what they like, dislike, and look forward to as an employee. Unless your workplace is toxic, you should already have a sense of what they’re passionate about. Use those passions as the foundation upon which your employer brand is tested for Millennial relevance.
A diverse workplace that attracts and fosters millennial talent positions itself well for future success. One of the main differences between innovative and traditional organizations is their ability to forecast and welcome change. Millennials want to change the world for the better, and want their voices to be heard. Crafting an employer brand to accommodate those voices will articulate that your organization is serious about moving into the future with some of the industry’s brightest young minds.
About Blu Ivy Group
Blu Ivy Group is a leading employer branding and employee engagement consultancy that aligns your organization with contemporary workplace paradigms. Our mission is to help client’s build award-winning people practices, inspire extraordinary employee engagement, and cultivate unique and desirable workplaces. We provide integrated solutions in employer brand and engagement research, strategic consulting, employer brand integration, creative and talent communications.
Blu Ivy Group is a trusted partner to many of North America’s most respected employer brands. For more information, visit us online at bluivygroup.com or contact us at info@bluivygroup.com.