Employee experience is like online dating
As we talk more and more about the Great Resignation, I always ask folks the same question: how are you “courting” candidates into wanting to work for you?
Especially in this employment climate, as the company, it is your job to create a “seductive” view of your company and attract only the best candidates. This is better known as Employer Branding.
However, we don’t just want to “attract” great talent – we want to recruit and retain it. That’s why it is so important for one to understand the employee life cycle. The employee life cycle model defines the stages an employee goes through as they engage with a company. There are many models, but most agree on these stages:
There is SO much to say about each stage and SO much that companies can do to make the employee experience (EX) one that results in high-performing teams, individual engagement, retention, growth, and yes – a positive impact on revenue and profits. However, first, we must understand the employee life cycle and I have THE best analogy to explain it: online dating.
I. Recruitment: Before you meet “the one”: you search
Like in online dating, you need to search before you meet “the one” employee who is a perfect fit. First, you have to ensure your profile is up to date and presents you as the most “attractive” employer (think your Indeed/Glassdoor/LinkedIn company pages). Your employer brand is much like your personal brand – you need to showcase your best qualities, look authentic, present a unique point of view, and show you live by your values.
After your profile is set up, people can start engaging or applying to work with you! The recruitment process is much like that “swiping” portion of online dating. You swipe left when the candidate’s profile does not meet your job criteria and you swipe right for candidates that could be a great fit. Here’s the thing: recruiters hope that ideal candidates swipe right too! It’s a competitive market and you hope great candidates are eager to follow you down your candidate pipeline.
II.Selection: You match!
You found a couple of candidates whom you matched with. They are eager to follow you down the pipeline. Hurray! Now, during this phase – like in online dating – you are measuring up your “date” to the ideal (in this case, the ideal candidate!) You interview them and have them pass through selection tests. You are evaluating them and they are evaluating you as a company.
Employees are getting more and more demanding about this part of the process. They ask great questions about growth opportunities, culture, management, and more. Whatever you tell them now better be the truth. You know how lies can corrupt a relationship, especially this early on!
III. Hiring: You agree to meet!
You did it! The selection process worked and you have decided: you will hire this candidate!
This is like inviting that person you have been texting non-stop to finally meet. You need to say when, where, and how! This is a key part of the process.
IV. Onboarding: Then comes the first date…and the fate of your relationship is determined!
The first date is SO critical. If you are looking for a long-term relationship like I know many employers are, it’s not enough to get the candidate to say yes to a position (in this analogy – say “yes” to a “date”) but to get the employee to say yes to the company (in this analogy – say “yes” to the relationship). Your onboarding process is a key aspect of nurturing a long-term relationship.
Sometimes with online dating, you find out a harsh truth: you were lied to or even catfished. For employees and employers, this can be true for two reasons:
The recruitment and selection processes were faulty and there were key aspects of the position that were not evaluated in regard to the candidate. The candidate cannot perform the way it was expected.
As an employer, you said and promised things during the recruitment and selection processes that were not aligned to the actual employee experience after they are hired. This is tough. The employee is then more likely to “jump ship” earlier than expected, feel discomfort around their role, and disengage with the company in general.
However, sometimes in online dating: you find the one! This is the ultimate goal. When you design strategies to improve your company’s employee life cycle from the perspective of the candidate, you will improve it and have it work for you! It’s like cheating the algorithm and getting perfect-for-you candidates who are likely to stay with the company for longer, have increased confidence in their role, and perform extremely well.
As an employer, how are you guiding future hires through your pipeline? Send this article to your HR person for further discussion. If you want help evaluating and improving any and all areas of your employee experience, let us know!
