Character counts. It’s true for organizations as well as individuals.
Recently this question was posed: what are the biggest HR turn-offs you want to avoid in your company’s recruitment efforts?
The biggest turn-offs for millennials and Generation Z often are often generated from a perceived lack of organizational character. New candidates want to know what they’re getting into from the top down. They want to know because they want connect to the company’s values, people and community.
Today’s talent really needs to understand the “why” behind what the company does. They need to know the purpose behind their work and believe in the mission. They want to know their work matters and how it benefits the greater cause. Having a great mission and purpose statement is a good start but it has to be genuine. Consistency and follow-through are imperative. The mission and purpose must be evangelized from the top. They want to be a part of the bigger picture.
Younger generations don’t like opacity from their employers. They want clarity about the corporate mission, in all communications. In fact, our research shows that their confidence in their managers—and in their firms’ strategic capabilities—is one of the strongest factors in top employees’ engagement.
Candidates also want you to articulate your expectations for them.
Culture is the broadest consideration in appealing to millennials and Generation Z. If it’s not apparent that you value team work, inclusion and social engagement, along with opportunities for leadership through training and development, you might lose points with the most motivated prospects.
So for presenting organizational character, you could sum it all up by keeping in mind three “Cs”: culture, clarity and connection.
We have a new program can help you establish this: Recruiting, Retaining & Career Pathing.