While the restrictions that the pandemic brought are slowly lifting, talent gaps are still rearing their heads. Tech skills are needed more than ever — but it’s becoming difficult to find a candidate with the necessary skill set. Attracting top talent is the goal of every recruiting team; but what does it take to hire the best? What are these candidates looking for? 

The current workforce’s priorities have shifted dramatically in the last few years. Today, we’ll be discussing the top attributes that job seekers look for in a company, and how your organization can reel in the best candidates.

A Flexible Workplace

With the ability to work from anywhere quickly becoming the norm, flexibility in the workplace is becoming one of the most important things to the American workforce. Over three-quarters of workers (78%) want location flexibility, while a staggering 95% desire flexible hours. When surveyed, 59% claimed that flexibility was more important than salary (although pay was still a priority).

Remote Options

The rise in demand for autonomy is indicative of a larger shift in attitude towards work-life balance. Employees want the autonomy to work where and when they please. While this may seem like a disaster in the making, remote work options have been shown to improve performance. A study by Stanford conducted over 9 months concluded that remote work improved productivity by around 13% — and that’s not all. 

The hybrid and remote-style workplaces are extremely attractive to young workers who want a less stressful work experience. Over 70% of workers believe that a reduction in the number of distractions around them both improves productivity and improves mood.

Converting to a hybrid workplace model can bring job seekers to your organization, help them be as productive as possible, and retain their skills over time.

Quality Benefits

A great benefits package is a great investment for an employer to make. Too many times employers avoid giving out more PTO or improving healthcare benefits because of the cost, but at the end of the day, this does more harm than good. A healthy employee is a happy and loyal employee, and the pandemic has only emphasized this point.

A survey conducted by SHRM concluded that more effort is being put into creating strong benefits packages than ever before in order to retain workers. Healthcare benefits remain the most valued benefits by employees, while maternity leave, family leave, and wellness benefits also rank highly.

Progression Paths

One of the most common reasons that workers quit, and that job seekers turn down offers, is a lack of foreseeable career progression. If there’s no room to grow within your organization, employees will seek their fortunes elsewhere. 

Career paths that are clearly laid out give employees a goal to aspire to internally, and keep their skills within your company. While many employers recognize these benefits, they don’t always practice what they preach. A study conducted last year concluded that while 73% of employers agree that fostering the growth of their workforce is important, only 49% of their employees say that they adhere to that sentiment. 

In order to snag top talent, your organization needs to offer workers stability, respect, and future growth — or risk losing them to competitors. The short-term payout may sting, but the investment will pay off when experienced and passionate candidates bolster your internal talent pool and your organization’s reputation increases among insiders.