Recently, Forbes Magazine wrote an article called Ten Unmistakable Signs Of A Bad Place To Work and I wanted to highlight it because it provides some prime examples of what you should be aware of as a potential employee. With that list in mind, employers should really think about what they are projecting with their employer recruitment brand. Building your recruitment branding presence is extremely important, so here are some items from that list that are a perfect place to start.
1. The One-Job Restriction
Also known as a no-moonlighting policy, this type of rule restricts employees from having a second job. As a person who photographs for private companies, in my mind, that rule would be an automatic no-go. By saying that employees can’t work elsewhere on their own time, you are cutting them off from extra income and opportunity. This approach is not going to bring in a large amount of enthusiastic applicants.
2. No References
This policy is generally put in place to keep employees from seeking other options, but often it has the opposite effect. Companies who institute this policy are fine with accepting excellent work from their employees, but in the end refuse to vouch for them. References are key for obtaining new positions, but even if your employees are still with your company, chances are they may need it for a completely different reason like a LinkedIn profile. Don’t assume that they want to leave purely based on a reference request; they may simply want some recognition. By providing references, you are placing trust in employees, and that’s a real reason to stay.
*Note: According to the Forbes Magazine article, not all employers are up-front about this kind of policy and that needs to change. Employees shouldn’t be blind-sided by those details later on. It will definitely leave you branded, but probably not in the way you were hoping.
3. Internal Transfer Chokeholds
While I agree that your direct work superior should be involved in an internal transfer request, sometimes that is not the way it starts. Certain companies restrict employees from applying to internal positions directly through their managers. Applying for another position internally is just as stressful as applying for an outside position and should be given a certain degree of privacy. It could be that the position isn’t right for that individual, so what’s the point in upsetting their current supervisor? If you insist on retaining all control of internal applications, then you will find your employee will start looking externally.
*Note: supporting internal employee transfers or promotions will definitely brand you as an employer of choice. Employees love to feel supported.
4. No PTO Options
Everyone has a day where they have personal business they must attend to and that’s where Personal Time Off (PTO) comes in. Companies that don’t provide PTO options to their employees are not going to appeal to ideal applicants. If you want valuable employees, prove to them that their time is important to you.
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Of course, as I’ve mentioned before, overall company culture is another top reason applicants choose one company over another. Want to learn some top tips to improve your company culture? Subscribe!
