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Universum Global recently released its list of the world’s most attractive employers. It’s mostly the list you’d expect, populated by the companies most people dream of working for: Google, Apple, Goldman Sachs etc. But just what do each of these companies do that make them so appealing? Big employers have an advantage in getting people interested in their jobs, but they’re also good at selling those jobs in unique ways. How do the top employers attract candidates? Let’s break down five of our favorites and see what they do.
Google — Encouraging Diversity
People have talked endlessly about how Google attracts top talent, so we’ll give you the short version. Google aims to be a meritocracy. They hire by committee, and hire people based almost solely on past performance. What’s more, they don’t go out of their way to hire people they like. As Google Executive Chairman (and former CEO) Eric Schmidt (@ericschmidt) himself says:
“You must work with people you don’t like, because a workforce comprised of people who are all ‘best office buddies’ can be homogeneous, and homogeneity in an organization breeds failure.”
Look for talent no matter where it lies, and skilled candidates will start looking for you. If you don’t get along, all the better.
Goldman Sachs – Adapt and Market
Your company culture should be strong, not unwavering. If you’re expanding your business and need the talent to match, there will eventually be a need to adjust your employer branding. Goldman Sachs had trouble attracting IT employees, so they redoubled their efforts and changed up their brand. They updated their website, held Google hangouts to attract tech-savvy candidates, and made their case for working on Wall Street over Silicon Valley. Even though Goldman Sachs is a bank, they were able to construct brand initiatives to attract specific industries, like IT.
How do you attract top talent? Take some tips from the world’s most attractive employers.
Apple – Think Progress
More than many other companies, Apple is a company teeming with personality — you can tell there are great, creative workers running the ad and recruiting departments. Of course, it helps that always finding ways to make a name for itself, such as when they announced they were offering programs to reimburse employees for any classes they might take. The program is both progressive (since it lets employees learn new skills that without worrying about costs), and promotes great employer branding, because it tells students and lifelong learners they’re welcome at Apple.
Sony – REALLY Encourage Employee Ideas
Sony is dedicated to ensuring its employees have projects they are interested in. How do we know? Because they’ve recently launched an initiative allowing their customers to directly fund employee ideas before they’re fully realized. Employees submit interesting ideas, and consumers can choose to spend their own money on them to help make the products a reality. It’s a fun initiative for customers, and it’s a great employer branding message: “if your idea is good enough, it’ll get made.” How’s that for a meritocracy?
Sony ensures their employees have projects they are interested in. Make sure yours are interested too!
PwC – A Benevolent Benefit
As a “multinational professional services network,” PwC isn’t exactly the most romantic place to work. And yet people still want to work for them. Why? Because they know there’s more to a job than romanticism. They make work rewarding in several ways, one of which is making a $150 million commitment to encourage their employees to volunteer. It’s a gesture that helps with both employer branding and morale by establishing a community presence. Knowing the company has a direct beneficial impact on the world can help employees feel more satisfied in their work.
No matter what kind of company you are, there’s always something you can do to make yourself a more attractive employer. You may not be among the companies on this list, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to be a great place to work. And when it comes to attracting talent, you don’t need to be the best in the world to find great employees.
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