Blog

What does a jobseeker value?

27 Sep 2023

The priorities for jobseekers have shifted and Covid is a large factor for this. It opened opportunities for people and organisations to rethink the way they work. Questions around work-life balance, social value, and health and wellbeing to employees, alongside others, became priorities and have continued to grow in importance for jobseekers and employers alike.

A job’s salary will always be important. When somebody looks at a job advert, it’s imperative they feel they would be paid fairly for their work, and in today’s economic climate it matters that they are. 

It’s becoming more apparent, however, that salary isn’t the main factor in driving applications to a new role. So, what else has risen in the ranks for jobseekers?

1.    Flexibility and work-life balance
Before Covid, working flexibly and remotely were ‘nice to have’ benefits. March 2020 saw businesses facilitate employees working from home overnight in roles that were traditionally office-based. Although many people have returned to the office, it brought to light the benefits it can have on improving an employee’s work-life balance and in turn their overall job satisfaction.

Not all roles can support remote working, but candidates still want, and increasingly expect, some degree of flexibility. For example, we responded to feedback from working parents that our core offices hours finishing time was a challenge and so we changed it. A simple change had a significant impact for many people. Employees are keen to have jobs that fit around their lifestyle, rather than them fitting their lives around the job.

2.    Lifestyle benefits
People are drawn towards additional benefits which will enhance their current lifestyle, whether that’s going to the gym or shopping. Having a flexible benefits package is essential – one which enables employees to support their personal needs.

3.    Health and wellbeing
The importance of positive physical and mental wellbeing has grown in importance for organisations and employees. Jobseekers understandably want to know what support is in place to ensure a more positive experience in a new role.

To help support the wellbeing of our employees, we have a dedicated Welllbeing Hub and a wide range of initiatives including a calendar of monthly events, a toolkit of resources for physical and mental wellbeing available to all employees, and a network of mental health first aid trained wellbeing champions. We also have our enhanced family leave policy which ensures the wellbeing of employees who are new parents is as well supported as it can possibly be.

Ingeus has a core benefits package which includes private medical insurance, pension and life insurance, as well as a broader offering employees can tailor to suit their personal lifestyle, while enjoying money-saving perks. If an organisation has negotiated discounts with popular retailers or businesses, it’s going to help attract the best candidates.

4.    Personal and professional development
Being able to develop skills on a personal and professional level is a huge draw to jobseekers. So much job satisfaction depends on it. If people are going to stay in a job, they want to know there are opportunities to progress. It’s not necessarily always about getting a promotion, it’s often about achieving personal growth and a sense of purpose.

It’s important to have a blended approach to learning, where employees can easily access tools and resources. For example, our internal careers hub and range of learning & development opportunities gives employees the chance to accelerate their career development and work alongside our ‘personal development conversations’, which support personal growth.

It’s important to have a blended approach to learning, where employees can easily access tools and resources. Our digital learning platforms enable this to happen. Similarly, we have an apprenticeship programme and Continuous Improvement Academy for those preferring to work towards accredited qualifications.

5.    Social value
We have seen a shift towards people seeking the opportunity to give back within their roles and the company they work for. purpose in their jobs. That desire to carry out a meaningful role is continuing and employers need to promote the social benefits of both the organisation and their roles to jobseekers.

Ingeus’ culture is very values driven. Our values underpin everything we do and how we work across the business. Jobseekers ant to be a part of our mission to ‘enable better lives’ – it’s become a priority for people to work for an organisation that aligns with their personal values and allows them to feel they are making a difference.

6.    Diversity and inclusion
Candidates and employees are looking for a clear strategy embedded in the way things are done to support inclusivity. We’ve worked with colleagues across the business to create a network of diversity and inclusivity advocates. They work hard to raise awareness and create a fully inclusive culture, enabling all employees to bring their true self to work.

We have groups who work with communities – including disability, LGBTQIA+, and race and ethnicity – to create regular campaigns to promote inclusivity and ensure our policies and processes continue to foster our inclusive culture. This year we’re particularly proud to have achieved the industry-recognised, independently accredited Menopause Friendly Employer status.

If the talent market continues in its current state, with a candidate-led market of increased vacancies and fewer candidates, there will be a continued focus on promoting all elements and benefits of a role and the organisation that reflect what jobseekers are prioritising now. In turn, encouraging employers to attract the very best candidate they can.