Three crucial pieces of information that jobseekers expect
By Carl Grönwall
Do you find it challenging to attract the right people to your company's workforce? Jobseekers are a demanding target group that require a lot of information from your corporate website. The results from our latest Careers survey show that it's essential to include your purpose, your approach to work-life balance, remote working and personal and professional development opportunities.
The corporate website is one of the most important sources of information for potential employees. Our latest Careers survey, in which close to 200 respondents from all over Europe participated, pinpoints what information jobseekers look for before they decide to apply. Although jobseekers visit most parts of the website when evaluating a potential employer, the Careers section is the part they visit most. This is also where it's important for companies to give a good impression. So, what is it that jobseekers expect from companies?
As our research has shown in previous years, basic information about the company such as, its culture, values and geographical locations is still essential. Jobseekers also want to know more about the recruitment process and the company's expectations of future employees.
On top of that, we see three additional areas that are becoming increasingly important:
Purpose-driven work
According to research made by Gartner, Covid-19 has made employees reflect more on their lives and what they spend their time on; this includes who they are working for. According to Gartner's survey, the pandemic has made 50% of the respondents question the purpose of their day-to-day jobs. 56% answered that they want to contribute more to society. A conclusion that can be drawn from this is that employees want to work in a purpose-driven company where they feel like their work is meaningful and contributes positively to society.
Our survey confirms that the company's purpose and how it contributes to society is essential to jobseekers; the importance of this has increased substantially this year. This is why it is crucial to highlight your company's purpose on your corporate website. It is also important to provide examples of how the work of your company and employees contributes to serving a higher purpose.
Work-life balance and remote working
Jobseekers value their health, family and leisure time to a greater extent than ever before. Our Careers survey shows that 87% of respondents said that information about work-life balance was one of the most important aspects when looking for a new employer.
It's essential to explain the company's view on work-life balance—i.e. how the company supports their employees in the division of time and focus between work, family or leisure activities. Examples are also essential to include to make it trustworthy, such as interviews with current employees about how the company has helped them with their work-life balance.
A good example of a company that clearly explains how they support their employees with work-life balance is Volvo Group, which presents a separate page with both a description of their approach and interviews with their employees.
Another study from Gartner shows that Covid-19 has also changed jobseekers' outlooks on work-life balance and remote working. Our survey confirms this since 86% of jobseekers appreciate information about a company's stance on remote work.
The pandemic proved that many workplaces could allow their employees to work from another place instead of the office. In addition to being able to work from home regularly or occasionally, jobseekers might come from different cities or countries. Companies should see this as an expanded market, making it possible to find talent outside the usual pools. By providing information about the possibilities of working from home or from another city/country, jobseekers can determine if it's worth applying or not.
Career development and progression
After understanding the company's purpose and view on work-life balance and remote working, jobseekers also want to know about alternative career paths within the company and possibilities for progression.
They also want to see that there is a potential to develop their skills continually while working at the company. Therefore, information about training and coaching/mentorship programs is valuable to help them decide if the company is a good fit for them.
How can we help?
The website plays an instrumental role in the company's employer branding activities, and the importance of a relevant careers section can not be exaggerated. Is it time for your company to revisit and improve the content in the careers section? If you don't know where to start or how to improve on this, we are ready to help.
Get in touch with us directly or read more about how we can help you with your content.
For more findings from our Career Survey, see the article How to create trustworthy employer branding.
