The visibility of job listings is at an all-time high, which means that your competition is now a lot more fierce. There are, on average, 119 applicants for one job role. Sifting through applications of this volume can be daunting, not to mention time-consuming.

Instead of hiring new employees in the traditional method and spending money on advertising, it’s wiser to attract potential employees.

By implementing a few key strategies, you can increase the number of applicants interested in the company and the quality of those you’re interviewing.

This will help you become more attractive to potential employees and make the best use of your time while hiring. Read on to learn ten tips on becoming attractive to potential employees.

Create a healthy and happy employee culture.

Healthy and happy employee culture is one of the first things a potential employee will notice. When you create an environment that people enjoy, they’ll want to stay.

One way to encourage employees to stay is by ensuring there are opportunities for growth. Growth opportunities make it feel like you’re getting somewhere in your career and not stagnating. You should also focus on building a diverse workforce so that employees feel included and have something in common with others at the company.

The last thing you want is to have many unhappy employees who are only staying because they can’t find another job. 

Instead, try to create an environment that encourages collaboration and teamwork, where people feel valued as individuals. This will make them want to work harder for the company, making it more likely to stay when opportunities arise elsewhere. 

Have regular team building exercises or take employees out for a few drinks. Or, you could use more natural ways like encouraging employees to spend time outdoors during their lunch break, getting out into nature, or organizing a neighborhood clean-up.

Forcing employees to work long hours can also lead to an unhappy workplace. Although it may seem like this is the only way to get things done, extended hours will increase turnover rates and lower productivity levels.

Companies need to remember that there are many reasons someone would leave their job – not just money or benefits. Even if it means spending more money on hiring people than you would otherwise have had to, don’t let your workforce dwindle and maintain an ideal balance between work life and personal life.

Another bonus is that happy employees will be your biggest cheerleaders, and this will show through in their work and how they interact with clients, which can only be a good thing. Don’t be naive to think that new hires won’t immediately pick up on a poor employee culture during the hiring process, entering the workplace for an interview, or within the first few days of being an employee.

Emphasize the benefits of working for your company.

One of the best ways to make your company attractive to potential employees is by emphasizing the benefits. Your prospective employees are more likely to be interested in the perks and benefits you offer on your job listing.

81% of millennials want to know about these benefits before accepting a job. You can list those benefits in the “About Us” section on the company website and include them in your job listing.

You can use different aspects of your business, such as the culture and values, to entice applicants. For example, you may want to talk about how much travel expenses will be reimbursed or the number of paid vacation days that employees get.

This will allow you to stand out from other companies and show your potential employees that they’ll enjoy working at your company.

You can also consider implementing ats software. It streamline the hiring process, helping you efficiently manage applications, track candidate progress, and enhance your overall recruitment strategy.

Cultivate a positive brand image and code of ethics.

A code of ethics is important for any company, whether it involves a physical or digital space.

It’s not enough to have a sign at your office that says “No Smoking, Please.” Your company needs to be committed to this rule by having designated smoking areas, employing smoke patrols, and enforcing the prohibition every time.

This should also be the case with your online presence. If you want to cultivate a positive brand image and code of ethics, you need to adhere to these values in all facets of your business – including on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Be transparent about the job role, salary, and expectations.

One of the best ways to attract quality hires is transparency about the job role, salary, and expectations.

If you have a clear understanding of what the position entails and your expectations, it’ll be easier for potential employees to decide if they want to apply.

By being transparent from the start, you won’t be wasting time interviewing candidates who don’t meet the qualifications because they weren’t aware of what was expected in the first place.

It also saves time when a potential employee isn’t a good fit but still wants an interview with you. By being upfront from the beginning, you can keep everyone’s time!

Be flexible.

Potential employees want to feel valued. The more flexible a company’s policies, the more likely they will be interested in that company.

For example, if you have a policy of working remotely once a week, you need to be flexible with your employees and allow them to work remotely. 

Flexibility is essential because it will enable people to work remotely at times that work best for their families and personal life.

Offering flexible hours can also increase the quality of applicants because they will feel appreciated and know that you understand their schedule.

You should also offer flexibility in other ways. Like setting up dress codes, allowing employees to bring their pets to work, or adapting their workspace and schedule for unforeseen circumstances such as emergencies or illnesses.

While we’re not talking about letting employees set the rules, engaging with them to find out how you can be a better employer will allow you to not only find out more about the people who work for you but how you can improve their working experience which will, in turn, add massive benefits to the company.

Offer positive perks and employee benefits.

Almost everyone wants to work for a company that offers perks and benefits. What’s more, around 90 percent of employees will stay with an organization if they feel valued.

So, what are some of the best perks and benefits to offer your employees?

Time off: The average employee takes about ten days off a year. However, many companies provide more time off than this – some offer up to 30 days per year!

Paid vacation: According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), only 39 percent of employers offer paid holidays. That means 61 percent of employers don’t give their employees paid vacation time! You can attract potential employees by providing paid vacations or increasing the number of days allotted for vacation time per year.

Employee health insurance plans: If you pay 100% of the health care costs for your employees and their families, it can be very attractive to potential employees.

Offering perks and benefits like these is a surefire way to attract potential employees looking for a company that cares about them as an individual.

Actively encourage and work on the feedback.

It’s important to know what employees think about their work environment, the company culture, and colleagues. The only way to do this is by actively encouraging feedback.

You need to understand the importance of employee communication to assist you in improving your employee culture and the efficiency of the work being carried out.

You might be surprised how much more open people will be with their opinions once they feel like they’re being heard.

Taking the time to encourage feedback actively will show your employees that you care about what they have to say, and you’ll get valuable input on how to improve the workplace.

Respect employees.

A good tip on becoming attractive to potential employees is to show respect for your employees.

You can do this by following through on your promises and communicating openly with them. Providing incentives and benefits that are considered valuable, like good insurance plans and 401(k)s, will also encourage your employees to stay with your company.

Another way to respect employees is to remember that they have lives outside of work. Creating a toxic work-only environment will be off-putting to many employees, especially those with young families or children who need additional support.

Research has shown that employees who feel valued and respected in the workplace typically put more effort into their job role and go the extra mile to repay this generosity.

So while someone having to call in sick or not be available for overtime can be an inconvenience for the company, during their regular working hours, they will appreciate being allowed to make the right choices for their family and invest more into their job.

In a highly competitive job market you need to make sure you are attracting the right employees to support your business and get the best results.