Futurestep Survey: Organizational Culture and Employer Brand Are Top Competitive Advantages When Recruiting Talent

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Nearly Two-Thirds Say Finding Qualified Candidates Harder than a Year Ago

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Futurestep, a Korn Ferry company (NYSE: KFY) specializing in high-impact talent solutions, today revealed results of an executive survey on what gives companies a competitive advantage when recruiting top talent.

Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of respondents say organizational culture is the most important recruiting advantage for global organizations, followed by a leading employer brand at 26 percent. According to the survey, companies focusing on offering “higher salaries” and “promoting quickly” alone may not be as competitive when recruiting talent, with responses at 6 percent and 5 percent respectively.

“Focusing on culture and how that brand is represented in the marketplace has a critical impact on attracting and retaining the talent that will drive business success,” said Neil Griffiths, Futurestep Global Practice Leader - Talent Communications & Employer Brand. “The survey results indicate that employers need to think more broadly about what attracts top talent to their organization.”

Futurestep’s Talent Communications practice helps organizations to both identify their Employer Value Proposition (EVP) and to create the messaging and tools that deliver a consistent employer brand in the market. Futurestep leverages multiple strategies from candidate sourcing, brand positioning and website development, to recruitment communications, social media campaigns and talent communities to enhance an organization’s reputation as an employer.

The survey finds that as the hunt for talent is getting more difficult (61 percent of respondents say it’s harder to find qualified candidates than it was a year ago) there is a strong need for employers to closely evaluate and understand what attracts and motivates the ideal candidates for their company. While salary continues to be the “top negotiation sticking point” at 51 percent, “flexibility” comes in second at 33 percent, followed by “title” at 11 percent and vacation at 4 percent.

“The challenge is for organizations to listen to what employees want from their workplace, such as flexibility, and when possible, find a practical and effective way of delivering,” said Griffiths. “In today’s digital, social and mobile world, it’s easier than ever to enable employees to work when, where and how they want to, as long as they remain productive.”

About the survey:

There were more than 1,000 responses to the global survey, which took place in May 2015.

 

Responses:

 

It is:

 

Easier to find qualified job candidates than it was a year ago

39 percent

Harder to find qualified job candidates than it was a year ago

61 percent
 
 

What is the top negotiating sticking point for new hires?

 
Salary 53 percent
Title 11 percent
Vacation 4 percent
Flexibility 33 percent
 
 

What's the top thing that gives a company a competitive advantage for hiring the best in the industry?

 
Leading Employer Brand 26 percent
Higher Salaries 6 percent
Organizational Culture 63 percent
Reputation for promoting quickly 5 percent
 
 

Do you have an onboarding program in place to help alleviate turnover?

 
Yes 55 percent
No 45 percent
 

About Futurestep

Futurestep is the global industry leader in high-impact recruitment solutions; offering fully customized, flexible services to help organizations meet their talent and recruitment needs.

Our clients turn to us for proven expertise, a global process and infrastructure, proprietary competency models, innovative sourcing and attraction strategies, and a unique approach to measure and optimize business impact.

As a Korn Ferry Company, Futurestep can meet a variety of workforce requirements; from RPO and project recruitment, to search and consulting, our solutions apply a truly world-class capability to deliver talent with impact, providing the experience and global reach to identify, attract and retain the people who drive business success. To learn more, visit www.futurestep.com.

About Korn Ferry

Korn Ferry is the preeminent authority on leadership and talent. For nearly half a century, clients have trusted us to recruit world-class leaders. Today, we are their partners in designing organizational strategy and developing their people to achieve unimaginable success. For more information, visit www.kornferry.com.

Korn Ferry
Tracy Kurschner, 612-309-3957
Tracy.kurschner@kornferry.com

Source: Korn Ferry

Released June 16, 2015