How important is it for your business to find new emloyees this year? For many businesses, it’s key – and the times are changing. “Candidates are increasingly looking at their employment less as a ‘job’ and more as a ‘vocation’; working on a subject matter that is interesting, alongside people who are like-minded and importantly, within a culture that fits.” Says Krishnan Doyle, Managing Director at COREcruitment. “As a result of an increase in global mobility, candidates simply have more options when it comes to choosing where to find employment, therefore it’s essential businesses invest in ensuring they are a great place to work and seek recognition as the top employer in their field to attract the best talent and new business alike.” That’s where LinkedIn comes in. Follow 500+ people and suddenly, you’re acutely aware of the ebb and flow of the posting trends on the site. From maths questions, the cries of ‘this isn’t Facebook!!’ the Wolf of Wall Street memes, the sexism debates to the in comment bickering, it can be a fractious community, but at the same time, very rewarding – with great ideas (there are over 3 million long form articles and counting) and the ability to gather an insight into other businesses, apply for a job, reconnect or just share ideas. With 40% of users checking in to the site daily, there is also a prime opportunity to attract talent and also showcase your workplace as a ‘great place to work’. This has resulted in the latest trend- the rise of the ‘in office’ photo. You’ll have seen a few – the salubrious offices, the in office drinks, the pool table or the chill out zone. Maybe the onboarding setup, complete with keys to a brand new BMW. How do you feel when you see these photos? It seems it’s a Marmite activity. For every photo of a great onboarding package with 3000+ likes, there’s a post from a CEO showing a barren desk with a comment that ‘if you join our business you’ll be given a gnawed biro, a dirty mug and told to JUST GET ON WITH IT!’ It’s a polarised opinion, but wherever you stand on the argument for or against posting your business wares online, common sense tells you perks, recognition and investment are all good things, as long as they are genuine, and your business doesn’t see them as a)a silver bullet or b)the beginning and end of being somewhere great to work. UKFast have been highlighting their perks for a very long time, but having spoken to the CEO –read the article here – it’s way more than a flash in the pan strategy for LinkedIn likes. In fact most of the rewards they implement are behind the scenes. He says himself: “When I began my journey in business, I believed that money would be the single greatest motivating factor for a workforce. But I have since learned that this is not at all true. Money only motivates people for a finite period of time, then they become disengaged if you don’t drive them to their next challenge. We invest in training and development to ensure that people always feel that they are moving somewhere; they’re growing and developing. This is the greatest motivational perk we offer, in my view. We employ five full-time teachers to deliver this training and have created a dedicated training space and exam lab within our office to give people the best possible chance to develop, fast.” The negativity to the posts seems to stem from the feeling that the posts are disingenuous, unpolite/boastfull -or that they are creating an overall work culture of ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’- making a dreadful future where we all start demanding our employees repost some of the ‘no strings attached’ rewards they get because we’re on a recruitment drive. Realistically, these fears are unfounded. Why should you stop showcasing your benefits? If you’re actually a great place to work, then you needn’t care about the negative comments, because you know you offer more than just the ‘free beer Fridays’ or the great car or the high spec gadgets. This is just the tip of your iceberg, and with sites like Glassdoor to back you up as a great employer, post on. The proof as they say, is in the pudding. Plus, if your employees are actively advocating what you do online – without coercion -what’s the problem? So, here are some of the good examples of in office photos we’ve seen in the last week or so alone that seem to really demonstrate ‘care’ of the employees. Perhaps you’ll pick up some ideas- it’s up to you whether you share them online or not! Celebrating Birthdays The image above shows the desk decor for a team member at Ovation Incentives. A nice touch that doesn’t focus on ‘high value’ gadgets or ‘stuff’, just a personal human touch to the workplace. Social Responsibility The image above showcases FedEx’s commitment to social responsibilty, something that might catch the eye of potential employees interested in making a difference. It was shared by the business page, not an employee, but it didn’t overegg the pudding- it simply stated ‘In recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we worked with Stop Hunger Now to pack 150K meals across the US’. Branded Onboarding Branding isn’t new, but a fully branded set of ‘gear’ for onboarding does send a strong ‘part of the tribe’ message for the team at VideoAmp. Personalisation and ‘On Brand’ Comms This ‘on brand’ personalised item is instantly shareable, quirky and fun from the team at Weetabix. This example from print specialists Ruddocks was a great way to deliver a communication about a new reward initiative whilst being ‘on brand’. Where do you stand on ‘in office’ photos and do you find them annoying or great? Leave a comment below! 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