Insights / Hiring Strategy
Don't Dangle the Carrot: Give Job Seekers What They Want!
A practical list of the benefits and workplace qualities employers should offer upfront—not as future incentives—to attract and keep job seekers.
Employers should immediately offer fair wages, health and wellness support, job security, career growth, regular feedback, and work/life balance rather than dangling these as future perks. Giving employees responsibility instead of micromanaging, setting achievable goals, recognizing them publicly, and acting on their feedback also builds trust, motivation, and long-term retention.
Why You Need to Give Better Benefits Right Away
A healthier workforce that calls of sick less.
Fair and equitable wages. This includes current employees that take on more job responsibilities and want a raise and promotion.
An emphasis on health and wellness across the company. Workers want work/life balance and good benefits that promote it.
Job security is something that most employees count on—and they build their lives around it.
Career growth is motivating and keeps your workforce engaged in their job. It will also attract ambitious candidates to your organization.
Regular feedback on their job performance. Giving employees honest feedback is something that validates their work and helps them learn.
Belonging in a cohesive team makes your workforce feel like they’re part of something greater than themselves.
Balance between work and family life. Employers that offer a solid PTO policy immediately upon hire along with flexible or remote work options are attractive to most employees and job seekers.
Recognition and appreciation, particularly in front of their peers. Public recognition by managers is a great way to motivate teams.
A purpose. Employees want to know they’re providing a meaningful service above and beyond generating a profit. This will also be a selling point for job seekers.
Strong leaders that they believe it. Many employees still leave their jobs because of a conflict with their direct supervisors. Make sure this doesn’t happen on your teams.
Responsibility, not micro-management. Give employees the freedom to solve problems and complete tasks on their own. This will in turn increase their motivation and innovation.
Goal setting is a huge part of motivating your workforce. Your employees want to feel like they’ve accomplished something so work with them to set metrics they can achieve.
You can demonstrate this by acting on employee feedback and acknowledging their suggestions.
Frequently asked
What benefits should employers give job seekers right away?
The article lists fair wages, health and wellness support, job security, career growth opportunities, regular feedback, PTO, flexible or remote work, recognition, and a sense of purpose as things to provide immediately rather than later.
Why is public recognition important for employee motivation?
According to the article, recognition and appreciation, especially in front of peers, is a great way for managers to motivate their teams and make employees feel valued for their contributions.
What commonly causes employees to leave their jobs?
The article notes that many employees still leave their jobs due to conflicts with their direct supervisors, so employers should ensure strong, trustworthy leadership on their teams to prevent this.
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