According to a recent report from employer branding agency, Ph.Attraction, one in four British jobseekers have either entirely stopped purchasing or purchased less from a brand because of a negative candidate experience. With this in mind, HR directors must ensure that communications with this vital group of stakeholders are on-point – or risk damaging their businesses bottom line.
Research from APSCo member, global talent management consultancy, Alexander Mann Solutions, confirms this sentiment. In its latest white paper, ‘The enemy within – why assessment processes may be sabotaging the candidate experience’, based on in-depth interviews with some of the UK’s and US’s biggest employers, the company advises that while assessment must always be robust enough to provide the right people for the right role, it must also offer a positive, professional, appropriate and understandable experience – or a ‘consumer-grade’ candidate experience.
Acute talent shortages mean than candidates can now be more discerning than ever before. Couple that with the fact that individuals now expect each and every touchpoint with a brand to be as engaging as the communications they have come to expect from their interactions as consumers, and it’s easy to see why candidate experience is rapidly increasing in importance.
The prevalence of social media, not least through specialist platforms such as Glassdoor, means that if a candidate is disgruntled, the consequences can ricochet. With this in mind, HR strategists should ensure that only suitable candidates should be targeted in speculative recruitment activity, application and assessment processes are intuitive and, crucially, all applicants are offed tailored and timely feedback.
What’s more, if a candidate is fed inaccurate information around company ethos, culture or what is expected of employees and then subsequently joins an organisation, the fallout can be even more damaging.
To this end, it is essential that HR directors invest time and resources in ensuring that recruitment processes are efficient, effective and fit for purpose. This includes ensuring that the recruiters you work with communicate your employer value proposition and use brand-specific messages when engaging with candidates to manage expectations as to not inadvertently sabotage your brand. It is advisable that in-house teams work with external recruiters who have been recommended. Those with professional trade body membership have been through a rigorous vetting process which includes testimonials from both clients and candidates.
For those who are unsure of their organisation’s external employer brand perception, it’s worth doing some research online. The results may surprise you, but it is only by realising your starting position that HRDs can take steps to improve processes. According to research by CareerArc and Future Workplace, just 12% of employers have never read negative candidate feedback online while almost 60% have been privy to negative comments about their recruitment process. The remaining 28% have never even checked.
It is worth noting that the Ph.Attraction research found that 18% of respondents felt more valued by a receptionist than the interviewer during their last job application – something I’m sure you’ll agree that the relevant HR teams should be aware of.
Ultimately, employer brand is intrinsically linked with wider brand perception – and HR is as responsible as any in-house marketing team for protecting the company’s value. A good reputation is difficult to gain and easy to lose – make sure you play your part in protecting and enshrining your brand.
