How employee experience and social recruiting can win the war for talent

Recruiting skilled workers becomes increasingly difficult for companies in the B2B world. Although a constantly growing number of jobs need to be staffed, the number of suitable applicants is steadily declining in return. To make matters worse: Most B2C companies share a higher visibility than B2B companies, which lets them attract more attention in the job market. To prevail in this ongoing “war for talents”, standing out from B2B and B2C competitors is the only option to win over young professionals.

Employee experience – what’s there to know?

One thing’s for sure: Free fruit, a state-of-the-art coffee machine, or a football table in the shared space are no longer enough to get potential applicants overly excited. So, what does it take to stand out and attract the attention of employees? An excellent employee experience is the surest way to achieve this. What’s behind the concept?

In a nutshell, the term ‘employee experience’ summarizes all the experiences that employees have with the company that they work for. This includes all the interactions with colleagues and managers and the accompanying emotions. All these aspects affect employees’ satisfaction and motivation, thereby contributing to long-term staff retention and, respectively, your company’s success.

“A good employee experience is crucial as a unique selling point if you want to attract young professionals.”

How your recruiting benefits from the employee experience.

When recruiting, a positive employee experience is particularly important, especially for millennials and members of Generation Z, who are focused on more than the salary when applying for jobs. Like any other market, the job market is highly competitive and defined by supply and demand. Since finding skilled labour gets increasingly difficult, employers must cater to junior employees’ needs when attracting young talents.

Success in this matter requires creating an employee experience characterised by the appreciation and well-being of employees. One example to achieve this involves the option to work from home, which has now become a common practice in many B2B companies. To improve the employee experience in the home office, some companies provide financial support for employees to purchase office equipment such as height-adjustable desks. Another popular benefit is giving employees free access to relaxation apps – which may be something that can also be established for your workplace.

Social recruiting – how does it work?

A strong employer brand and a good employee experience are crucial as unique selling points if you want to attract skilled workers. However, you shouldn’t rely on the initiative of young talents and wait for their applications for jobs in the B2B sector – especially since many potential applicants who might consider a job change don’t really gather information about their chances.

Social recruitment experts estimate that 85% of employees contemplating changing their position do not actively look for opportunities in the job market. A lot of lost potential for B2B companies.

But even if many employees are not actively looking for new jobs, you can reach them. The best place to do so is where they regularly hang out on social networks. Attractive job ads and an uncomplicated application process allow you to spark interest even in passive job seekers.

“TikTok, Instagram & Co. will quickly develop into significant recruiting platforms. Why? Because they are substantially integrated into the lives of your applicants.”

But keep in mind: People on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook are used to quick responses. There is no time for old-fashioned and endlessly long recruiting processes. In contrast, quick feedbacks directly show appreciation and contribute to the employee experience already during the recruiting process.

To sum it up briefly:

The transition from an employer to an employee market will increase steadily in the long run. The ongoing demographic change is a huge factor contributing to this reframing of the job market. Companies that intend to prevail in this market must remember that salary is no longer the decisive argument for an employee’s application.

Instead, the focus on satisfying the needs and expectations of young professionals becomes much more significant. In this context, you can shine with a positive employee experience. Your employee experience already starts with your recruiting processes – and this is where social media plays an increasingly important role. TikTok, Instagram & Co. will quickly develop into significant recruiting platforms. Why? Because they are substantially integrated into the lives of your applicants – and algorithms don’t just recruit from 9 to 5.