Author: Dan Wells

If you haven’t been giving much thought to your employer branding recently, then now is the time to start.

All businesses have an employer brand, whether they actively work on it or not.

Your employer brand is the way the world sees you. From your products and services, your mission, your vision, your ethos and your team. Yes, there is a lot to consider!

The question is – how should your ServiceNow employer brand be positioning your company in our post-pandemic world?

The ServiceNow sector has changed. It is more crucial than ever that your employer brand is positioning you above your competitors.

In today’s blog, we look at the crucial elements of ServiceNow employer branding in our post-pandemic world.

What is Employer Branding?

Your employer brand is your talent attraction magnet. It is the beacon to the potential pool of candidates to be drawn on that want to work for your company.

It is also the way your customers view your business. The reason people interact with your organisation and the way the wider world views your company.

But for the purpose of today’s article, we’re going to be focusing on employer brand in terms of talent attraction.

And specifically, employer branding in our post-pandemic world.

What worked pre-pandemic will not necessarily work now. The best talent is looking for certain things from your post-pandemic ServiceNow employer brand. So let’s look at what they are.

A Considerate Brand

The pandemic has brought down barriers in ways that we could never have expected.

Now more than ever what people are looking for from the organisations they interact with, and specifically the organisations they want to work for, is that they have a personal, considerate approach to being an employer.

People are now looking for reassurance and support wherever they turn – from their friends, their family, and especially their employer.

Transparency is key here too. If you have had to make redundancies in certain areas, but senior management have received bonuses, how will this look to candidates who are researching your brand?

It can be tricky getting the balance here right, but everyone is aware of how tough things have been during the pandemic. Being honest and transparent about the decisions your business has made is key. Candidates are increasingly turning away from brands that are seen to be dishonest about their practices.

A Focus on Health and Wellbeing

A big focus for candidates that you must consider in your post-pandemic employer brand is how much of a focus you now have on health and wellbeing.

Wellbeing and particularly mental health have been gaining traction in the employment world for some time. But the pandemic has skyrocketed their importance.

Your post-pandemic employer brand needs to ensure candidates that you are treating the health and wellbeing of your workforce with the utmost importance.

This includes-

• Prioritising clarity and caution – the virus hasn’t gone away yet, and brands who maintain an excellent focus on physically protecting their employees with excellent Covid-19 procedures will be viewed by candidates favourably.
• Offer flexible working (where possible) – allowing employees to work from home, and being flexible on the matter is what the best ServiceNow candidates will be looking for.
• Offering real help to support employee health and wellbeing – do you encourage physical health in your employees by providing fresh fruit in the workplace (where it is safely possible) or cycle to work schemes and gym memberships? Do you champion mental wellbeing and strive to be a compassionate employer – if so, will candidates know this from looking at your website or social media?

Showing that you are dedicated to health and wellbeing is not about bragging about it on social media – it’s about demonstrating your values in a way that’s easy for candidates to find and communicates your wellbeing offering in an honest and transparent way.

A Communicative Brand

Communication was the one thing that kept us together during the pandemic. The way you continue to communicate with candidates during the ongoing crisis and afterwards, will be a significant part of your employer brand going forwards.

Your social media channels are the first port of call for candidates to contact you, and your followers (which will include potential future candidates) are still the number one place to maintain your employer brand.

But some ServiceNow organisations stepped away from posting anything on social media during the pandemic. Some thought it insensitive; others simply didn’t know what to post during the highly changeable time.

But posting online to maintain your employer brand doesn’t always have to be about self-promotion.

There are many different types of content you can share on your social channels to alert candidates to what type of employer you are, and what your company is focusing on in our post-pandemic world.

This can include:

• ServiceNow news and industry updates
• Helpful articles which could be of interest to ServiceNow employees and candidates including think pieces either from your own company or from a ServiceNow thought-leader
• Updates about your company – have you launched new products or services? Have you celebrated a milestone recently? Moved office? People love to see ‘human’ updates from real people about real people (your team).
• And of course – your latest job vacancies.

Giving Candidates a Sense of Purpose

Finally, a sense of purpose is another major factor that great ServiceNow candidates are now looking for in their post-pandemic employers.

Meaningful work is increasingly what millennials are looking for. This section of workers now makes up the largest part of the worldwide workforce.

The Deloitte 2020 talent survey states that employers should provide meaningful work or they will struggle to attract and retain their workforce.

What is it about your company that makes your employees feel as though they are making a positive difference to the world?

Finally

If you are looking for new talent for your ServiceNow organisation and are struggling to find the ‘right’ candidates – we can help.

Get in touch with us on 02381 542542. We will help you find the talent that you have been looking for.

In our post-Covid world, having a strong ServiceNow talent pipeline is more crucial than ever.

And the skills shortage that was present in almost every industry pre-Covid is still threatening organisational growth.

When you’re recruiting, it’s not about the number of people you can attract to your ServiceNow organisation; it’s about the quality of these candidates.

Even with the perceived increase of candidates in the post-Covid job market, there are still skills shortages across most industries. In the U.K., the Prime Minister addressed how the pandemic has highlighted skills shortages in many sectors, emphasising an urgent need for a focus on improving skills to protect the economy.

Depending on the ServiceNow  role you are trying to fill, recruitment can be a lengthy and involved process.

One of the most effective ways to ensure you can quickly fill the critical gaps in your team is to have people ready to step into your organisation at the earliest available opportunity. In other words, your talent pipeline.

This blog explains the whys and how’s of building a robust ServiceNow talent pipeline.

The Benefits of Strong Talent Pipeline in the ServiceNow Sector

Despite the pandemic, skills gaps are widening across all sectors; in fact, the pandemic has brought to light just how crucial the skills gaps are in many industries.

A 2020 LinkedIn Workplace Learning report found that globally, 51% of companies plan to implement an upskilling programme, with 47% focusing on re-skilling, highlighting the need for increased talent in a post-Covid world.

In developing a strong talent pipeline, the aim is to avoid the scenario where you have critical skills gaps and no-one lined up to fill them.

Many organisations think of recruiting only when they actively have a vacant position. A talent pipeline is a way of thinking about your team, and recruitment, in a more holistic way. You will always have an active and engaged audience. Also, the idea of working for your company is something that is always on their radar.

Let’s look at some of the main positives of building your talent pipeline now.

 

1. Identify More Candidates

When a vacancy arises in your team, wouldn’t it be ideal to already have someone in mind to take over the role?

This is where a talent pipeline comes in; it reduces the fear of having a critical vacancy open. As you have a range of potential ServiceNow candidates set up to open a dialogue with.

Your talent pipeline will speak to the 70% of candidates who aren’t actively looking for a job, the ‘passive candidates’ market. Organisations without talent pipelines are missing out on this significant portion of the workforce.

You can start to bring candidates into your talent pipeline at different stages in their careers, starting with graduates up to exec level.

When you have a talent pipeline you can rely on, you have a range of candidates ready to be invited for an interview. Rather than starting the recruitment process from scratch.

The good news is here at Linking Humans we provide this as part of our package of services. If you want to find out more call us on; 02381 542542.

 

2. Reduce the Time to Hire

I’m sure you’ll agree that in our post-Covid world, the thought of having critical vacancies in your team is an unpleasant one.

This year, teams have been stretched to breaking point, with many taking on extra roles, having to adapt to working from home and generally being busier than ever before.

To keep your entire team working cohesively, you need to know that any critical vacancies will be quickly filled, instead of being left unfilled, damaging team output and reducing morale.

 

3. Increase Your Offer Acceptance Rates

One of the most frustrating things that can happen in the recruitment process is when you think you’ve found the ideal ServiceNow candidates, but then they turn down your job offer.

The more people you have in your talent pipeline, the more they will get to know your organisation, and this relationship is what pushes great candidates over the line to say yes to your job offer.

As you can see, there are many benefits to creating a talent pipeline to make your recruiting process much easier.

Next, let’s look at how to build and develop your talent pipeline.

How to Build Your ServiceNow Talent Pipeline

Creating a talent pipeline means proactively forming long-lasting relationships with candidates who would be the right ‘fit’ with your organisation. Both in their skill set and their culture and values.

So, how do you do this?

 

1. Defining What Your Organisation Needs

The following are questions to ask when thinking about what you want from your talent pipeline –

• Who are your key employees and in what roles?
• What skills are most critical to your organisation?
• Where do you want to take your business in the next 3-5 years?
• What type of people will you need in your business for it to grow?

Drawing on your experiences with Covid can help here too. When your business was in ‘critical survival mode’ like many were during the height of the pandemic, did this highlight any areas where you were missing in vital skills?

 

2. Attracting the ‘Right’ Talent

Attracting the right candidates to your organisation is the critical part of building your talent pipeline.

Building a talent pipeline focuses on attracting both passive and active candidates. Rather than a recruitment process which focuses solely on filling a current vacancy.

Having an excellent employer brand will be essential in attracting the type of talent you want. Any prospective talent that comes into contact with you will be forming an opinion as to whether they would like to join your company, whether they’re an active or a passive candidate.

The following are the most direct ways to build your ServiceNow talent pipeline –

• Networking events – getting your name out in your industry is crucial in building a following.
• Working with a ServiceNow recruitment specialist.
• Your social media channels – are you regularly posting engaging content for your ServiceNow candidates?
• Existing contacts and referrals – do you have a robust referral scheme in place? How often do you review and reconnect with former colleagues or managers?
• Graduate campaigns – getting to know the new generation of talent coming through the ranks is an excellent way to build your talent pipeline.

 

3. Reviewing Your Application Process

A poor recruitment process is enough to put even the most interested candidates off.

Making your recruitment as seamless, engaging and professional as possible will leave even candidates who are not successful in applying for your roles, want to do so again in future.

Make sure your recruitment process is mobile-friendly; 58% of active job seekers use their smart device to search for jobs. But with many sites still not being mobile-friendly, mobile seekers complete 53% fewer applications and take 80% longer to complete each application than applicants using desktops.

A mobile-friendly application process increases the number of applicants to each role by 11.6%.

Write easy to read job descriptions with clear information; stay away from jargon.

Make sure you have the recruitment process planned out step by step. This is so applicants can be informed of the exact date by when they will be progressed to the next stage or not.

Important: Always stay in touch with candidates via email or phone throughout the entire recruitment process.

Start Building your ServiceNow Talent Pipeline

With a network of engaged potential candidates ready to join your business, you’ll ensure that you always have potential on-hand to fill essential roles.

So, now you have the premise of building your talent pipeline, it’s time to get started.

Remember that you don’t have to go it alone. Working with a dedicated ServiceNow recruiter is a great way to work on building your talent pipeline.

For more information on how we can help you build your talent pipeline, get in touch with us on 02381 542542 or email us here dan.wells@linkinghumans.com

Recruitment for ServiceNow is becoming increasingly complex. Talented professionals have more opportunities available to them than ever before, particularly as remote working continues to thrive. At the same time, the “Great Resignation” is placing brands under increasing pressure. With more gaps to fill and more demands from potential candidates.

The only way to survive and thrive in this new world is to access the proper support. A ServiceNow recruitment partner provides guidance and expertise to ensure you can unlock hiring opportunities other organisations can’t access.

However, while an excellent recruitment company has a lot of incredible value to offer, it’s up to you to get the most from your partnership. Here’s how you can make sure you’re achieving the best results from your recruitment partner.

Build an Effective Employer Brand

Around 86% of job seekers read reviews and company ratings before deciding where to apply for a job. Increasingly, listing roles in the ServiceNow environment means business leaders need to highlight what makes their company compelling.

What can you offer your would-be employees that other companies can’t? For instance, maybe you constantly provide training opportunities to team members to expand their skills. Or maybe you give employees a great benefits package. Perhaps you can give your employees a chance to plan their own work.

With your recruitment provider, look at the assets you already have to showcase your employer brand. Are you making the most of your website to share employee stories? Do your staff have a voice on social media to praise your company? How vocal are people about their experience working with your brand on review sites?

Working on your employer brand with your ServiceNow recruitment partner will make it easier for them to sell your role to potential candidates.

Make Sure Your Offer is Appropriate

Logically you want to attract the best possible talent in a skills-short ServiceNow environment. In that case, you’ll need to ensure you’re offering the kind of salary and benefits appropriate for the candidate you need. Start by researching the average salary for the person you want to hire.

If you’re unsure what the best package is for a specific role right now, you can talk to your recruitment partner for more insights. They will give you an overview of the kind of income your ideal candidate would expect.

Don’t forget that salary isn’t the only thing your applicants will look for. You can attract more people to your role and help your recruiter generate more excitement for your position by providing the right benefits.

Look at things like increased holidays and flexible working strategies for your candidates. The ability to work remotely or in a hybrid environment is an attractive benefit for many candidates today. Many employees would even take a lower salary if it meant they could work remotely.

Update Your Hiring Process

The ServiceNow recruitment landscape is evolving at an incredible pace lately. The pandemic and the changing requirements of candidates means job seekers are moving in and out of positions faster than ever. If you’re still using an old-fashioned recruitment process, you may not be moving fast enough for your ideal employee.

These days, candidates have a lot of offers available to them, both from remote and local companies. If you’re not quick to keep them up-to-date on what’s happening with your hiring process, you could miss out on an excellent opportunity.

To ensure you don’t lose your ideal ServiceNow candidate, make sure you:

• Speed up the interview process using video interviews. Video is a great way to get through several interviews quickly, without asking your candidates to travel.
• Make decisions quickly: Use guidelines and competency-based interviews to help pinpoint the ideal candidates as quickly as possible.
• Communicate: Keep your candidates informed about their place in the interview process and when they can expect a response.

Set Up a Talent Pipeline Together

The best way to get the most out of your ServiceNow recruitment partner is to consider the different services they can offer. Consider a more long-term approach. Rather than just turning to your recruiter when you desperately need to fill a gap in your team.

Building a talent pipeline with your recruitment team can be an excellent way to ensure you have contact details for potential employees when you need extra skills within your workforce. Your recruiter can work with you to constantly look for new people. This is so you can add to your community and can even help to improve your reputation among those candidates.

Many ServiceNow recruiters like ourselves offer a exclusive search service. We can map out the talent market for specific roles as requested by you. If you want to know more, contact us here. https://linkinghumans.com/contact-2/

With a talent pipeline, you’re less likely to have to manage a long and complex hiring process when new staff is needed.

Stay Flexible

Finally, if you want to make the most of your ServiceNow recruitment partner, it’s essential to take advantage of the full breadth of access they have to talent in your industry. DE&I initiatives are more important than ever when it comes to not only improving your company’s performance but keeping your team members happy.

Taking a diverse approach to hiring and recruitment ensures you can access talent from different environments. Resulting in you getting the absolute best from your team. At the same time, it means you can explore a broader range of potential employees.

While it’s okay to provide your ServiceNow hiring partner with a list of crucial skills and specific characteristics you’re going to want in your new role, stay open-minded.

Looking at potential applicants from various environments will make it easier to ensure you get the right person for the role. Don’t let bias get in the way of great hiring.

If you are looking for a ServiceNow recruitment partner who delivers permanent and freelance technology experts,  please get in contact here https://linkinghumans.com/contact-2/ . We take pride in providing the best possible people to take your business forwards, so lets get to work!