Becoming an Employer of Choice

Being an employer of choice is more than simply offering fun office perks or better benefits. Employers of choice differentiate through a variety of initiative including (but not limited to):

• Developing their leaders
• Providing effective training and professional skills development
• Fostering a learning environment
• Staffing and scheduling flexibility
• Creating an environment of genuine recognition and praise
• Helping employees sustain a healthy work/life balance
• Creating an environment of respect and equal opportunity
• Clarity, vision, and inspiration
• Comprehensive benefits packages (healthcare, retirement, PTO, etc.)
• Competitive salary

There are many benefits for companies as well as workers when a business becomes an employer of choice, such as:

• More effective hiring: Having the reputation of being an employer of choice elevates interest in your organization and increases the probability of strong candidates applying.
• Increased employee engagement: Workers who feel like they are working for a company who cares for them and values their contributions are more likely to be, and stay engaged.
• Better employee retention: Increasing engagement is directly related to higher rates of employee retention.
• Increased productivity and efficiency: Employees who are invested in their workplace and believe their employer has their best interests at heart are more productive and effective.
• Strength in diversity: The more people want to work at your business, the more options you have to bring people with a variety of backgrounds and insights to the table.

Candidly, it is about your survival as a company. The demographic realities facing organizations today mean that those who focus on creating an environment of support for employees will be the companies that survive. Those that do not will find it increasingly difficult to hire and retain. Over time, this reality will reach critical mass and your organization will fail.

Becoming an employer of choice does not happen overnight. It takes time, dedication, and effort. Some organizations will take longer because they have reputations (built over years) they need to overcome. Others may go faster as their primary challenge is “getting the word out.” Whatever you specific situation, it is important to start and stay on the journey for the long run.

A lot of obstacles can prevent companies from becoming an employer of choice. Some companies have blind spots that prevent them from seeing their own challenges. Other organizations are so focused on their market and customers that they fail to see the burnout occurring internally. And some allow inertia to block their progress under the age old saying “This is how we’ve always done it.” The good news is that no matter what the obstacles are, it is never too late to start addressing them.