must-have elements to create an attractive job offer

In today’s highly competitive hiring landscape young workers have endless work opportunities to choose from.

Workers are entering a job market that has seen an extended period of low unemployment. There are more open jobs than skilled workers to fill them. That leaves employers at a disadvantage. 

Smart employers recognize that creating attractive job offers is essential to sway workers to choose them.

Skilled candidates have choices, and they’re using that leverage to be selective about the employers they choose to work for.

Here are some key things that workers look for when comparing job offers. Are you including them in your job offers?

1. a competitive salary

Of course, when talking about hiring, salary is the first thing that comes to mind. It should be a given that a competitive salary is a key piece of your talent attraction package.

Job seekers want to be paid their worth and to be compensated for the expertise they bring to the table.

Thanks to the wealth of salary information available online, job seekers are well aware of their value on the labour market. So you should be too.

It’s critical that you keep up with what the market rate is for all positions you’re hiring for. It’s not enough to base salaries on what the last person made, or a gut feeling on what you think is fair. 

Check out our salary guide for up-to-date salary data that’ll help you stay competitive.

2. an attractive, socially responsible employer brand 

In case you’re not aware: your employer brand is your reputation as an employer. Your company values, charitable initiatives, and how you treat workers all factor into how your brand is perceived.

Job seekers, especially younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z, tend to choose a company that reflects their own values.

Young workers look for more than a steady job in their industry of choice. They want to work for a company whose values they can embrace.

This is why you should make an effort to showcase your values (especially on social media!) and how you’re involved with your local community.

In a job offer, you can provide workers volunteering hours and access to participate in other socially responsible initiatives with your company.

Go further : download our Employer Brand Research and discover what talents want

3. benefits such as health and dental

Though Canada is well known for its robust public healthcare system, workers seek out health and dental benefits from their employers as well.

The vast majority of full-time workers expect an employer-sponsored group healthcare plan to be a part of their compensation package.

Dental benefits and healthcare coverage are the bare minimum workers expect. Extras like a flexible health spending account, wellness perks such as gym memberships, or access to therapists and other mental health professionals can be extra bonuses that tip the scales in your favour.

4. social activities, free lunches and other treats!

Beyond monetary benefits, attention to the little details is important. Workers today look at their workplaces as a second home.

People spend a lot of time at work, so it makes sense that they want to work in a place where they feel comfortable and socially accepted.

You can build up team camaraderie by offering perks that offer opportunities for your team to socialize together. Food is a simple way to bring people together, as people tend to socialize during breaks.

Organize social activities during work hours (or happy hours during after-hours), free coffee and treats, paid team lunches, and so on. All of these contribute to the well-being and upbeat mood of employees and create a culture that’s attractive to new hires.

5. work-life balance and more flexibility

Today’s workers are not afraid to ask for more than the federally-mandated two weeks of annual vacation. There’s evidence young workers value their time over their earning potential.

They’re ‘experience-driven’ meaning they’d rather go exploring on a vacation or try out a cuisine than buy designer goods. So offering additional vacation can be a very attractive perk for young workers. Paid time off aside, how work is done is also important to workers.

Flexible work is not ‘a nice to have’ anymore, it’s a ‘must have.’ Thanks to advances in technology, workers can now work from just about anywhere there’s an internet connection, whether that’s from home, a coffee shop, or even from their vacation spot! If you want to attract new team members, show them you value flexible work, work-life balance and are willing to make accommodations to make their lives easier. Including days to work from home, or flexible hours in their job offer can be a huge selling point.

6. an awesome team and work environment

The average worker spends almost as much (or more) time with their coworkers as they do with their family. Their workplace becomes a second home, and their colleagues become their second family.

So it should come as no surprise that workers strongly value who they work with and where they work, as much or more as what they’re doing at work.

While it’s difficult to include ‘work with a great team’ in a formal job offer, this is absolutely something you should highlight in the interview and pre-hiring process.

Give potential new workers a tour of your office and introduce them to their would-be coworkers, so they can get a feel for the atmosphere they’ll be working in.

You may be surprised how much this small step can influence their choice to work for you!

7. training and opportunities to advance

Being ambitious and eager to climb the corporate is no longer frowned upon. Workers are often upfront about their career goals and desire to advance their careers.

Helping employees upskill and become leaders within your organization helps you retain workers long-term.

Filling leadership roles internally is less expensive and tends to create better leaders who have a deeper understanding of what their reports are working on based on their first-hand experience.

Showing that your organization is committed to ongoing training and development is a big selling point for workers looking for opportunities to grow in their careers.

Offering formal training opportunities or pathways into more senior roles in a job offer can be a simple way to showcase that you care about employees’ professional development.