We are all aware that office space design largely affects employees’ engagement, productivity, and efficiency. But did you know that workplace design also plays a vital role when it comes to employer branding?
The more successful you are at building a reputation for your company and marketing yourself to internal employees and job seekers, the higher your chances of attracting (and retaining) top talent.
And it all starts with designing a workplace that will be an exciting and inspiring talent magnet. With that in mind, here are four reasons workplace design is a powerful recruiting tool and how to use it.
It’s a way of communicating company culture and brand
First things first, to understand how you can appeal to the right candidates, you need to understand what they want and if they`re in some specific situation, like relocating without a job. Surely, perks, benefits, salary, and geographic location are all important factors when it comes to selecting an employer. But the factor that’s often disregarded yet equally important is the company culture and brand. And what better way to communicate this important message than to invest in your workplace design?
Research suggests that over 80% of applicants would decline a job offer in case they didn’t like the office space. Another study found that 97% percent of employees see their workplace design as a sign of how much they’re valued and appreciated by their employers.
This only highlights the importance of office design to candidates. It’s a representation of who the company is and who they aspire to be. Given how it speaks volumes, it’s definitely something companies should pay more attention to.
It gives a company an edge over the competition
In today’s competitive business world, finding a way to stand out from other companies is crucial. Not only does this make an employer more attractive, but it can even entice those who aren’t active job seekers to pay more attention to your company.
To gain this competitive edge over the competition, you want to establish yourself as an inspiring place to work at. You can do this by capturing photos of a well-designed workplace, distributing them across social media platforms, and including them in their Google business listings. Companies can also use immersive technology such as animation and virtual renovation to illustrate lifelike experiences and use them as tools to influence customers’ satisfaction.
By relying on workplace design photos as your recruitment tool, you’ll allow your potential employees to envision themselves working there. On the plus side, you’ll also help your company stand out from others in the media.
It can boost talent retention and attraction rates
Making positive workplace changes isn’t only a great way to convey your brand message and gain a competitive edge. It is also a way to cut costs that come with recruiting new and replacing old employees. Both of these processes can get pretty costly, not to mention all the hard work they usually involve.
Instead of potentially losing thousands of dollars, make your office a place where your employees feel inspired and motivated. Make it a place that they want to work in, a place where they fit in perfectly.
In doing so, you will mitigate the risk of missing out on top talent while simultaneously boosting existing employee morale.
It leaves a great first impression on applicants
From the moment the candidate walks into the office, they are taking it for a test drive. They’re getting a taste of daily office activity, which will ultimately impact their decision to accept/decline a job offer. This makes it all the more important for companies to do their best to leave a great first impression.
The best way to approach this is to put yourself in the candidates’ shoes. Scan the office visually and think about how you’d like to make your candidates feel.
Then, make the necessary changes, paying special attention to office design essentials. This includes everything from decorations and hygiene to lighting and how the furniture looks. Once it’s built better, the only thing to do is to wait to start reaping the benefits of your investments.
Wrapping up
It takes as little as 30 seconds for a candidate to decide whether they want to work for an employer. As such, it’s very important that companies rethink their workplace design and make an effort to make it as motivational and welcoming as possible.
In doing so, they can increase their chances of attracting top talent and retain quality employees, so it’s a win-win.
