How to Create an Employer Brand That Wins Over Retail and Hospitality Talent

Right now, talent has the upper hand in the job search. Recruiters have to go above and beyond to land high-quality employees. The situation is even rougher for recruiters in the retail and hospitality industries.

Due to the industries’ high turnover rates, job seekers have dozens of companies to choose from at any point in time. If you want them to pick your company, you need to stand out from the crowd. This starts with having a strong employer brand.

But the question is: What do candidates in the retail and hospitality industries expect from an employer?

My company, StartMonday, recently surveyed  750 employees in these industries to find out what matters to them when researching a potential employer. Understanding this is the key to landing top talent in today’s highly competitive job market.

Here are four things you need to know about creating a strong employer brand in the retail and hospitality industries:

1. Know Where Candidates Look

The first step in creating a positive employer brand is knowing where to put the information potential employees want to know. For job seekers in the retail and hospitality industries, the preferred sources are job search apps and company career websites.

In fact, our research found 33 percent of respondents use apps to find open positions. Forty-four percent of job seekers turn to the company career website for information. Unfortunately, many organizations only use these sources to post job listings.

Get more out of job search apps and your career site by promoting your employer brand. For example, write a description of the company culture. Give candidates an idea of what it’s like to work in the office every day. This will help your job listings stand out and get candidates invested in what the organization is truly like.

2. Show Them How Employees Are Treated

It’s not uncommon for employees in the retail and hospitality industries to have problems with management. It’s one of the reasons turnover is so high in these industries. In fact, our survey found that 35 percent of job seekers in these industries would drop out of the hiring process if they found out previous employees left because of management issues.

If you can show candidates that employees are treated well, they’ll be more likely to work for the organization. One of the best ways to do this is to share employee testimonials on the company website. Ask employees to describe what they enjoy about their jobs and how they are valued. Don’t try to influence what they say. If every testimonial sounds the same, candidates will become suspicious and assume the testimonials are fabricated.

3. Give Them What They Want

It’s rare for companies in the retail and hospitality industries to offer full benefits to their employees. Because of this, candidates are more likely to decide to work for an organization that offers unexpected perks and benefits.

Our research found that after deciding a job was not a good fit, a candidate was likely to change their mind if they found out health insurance, frequent employee raises, and career development were offered.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to share these factors with candidates. Provide candidates with detailed information about the benefits they’ll receive early in the hiring process. For example, give them a list of different training courses and certifications your company offers. Let them know how employees earn raises. If there are any other ways taking the job would improve their lives, let them know.

4. Know Where the Line Is

Every organization has values, and it’s important for these values to align with those of their employees. In the case of retail and hospitality employees, honesty and fairness are of the utmost importance.

Our research found that 77 percent of job seekers would turn down a job offer if they found out the company had lied to customers. Seventy-four percent would do the same if they heard there was racist management. Additionally, 65 percent wouldn’t work for organizations with gender pay disparity.

Show candidates that your company operates with transparency and integrity. Explain to them how decisions are made and how information is shared with employees. Also, be sure to honestly answer any questions they have during the hiring process. Even if the answer isn’t ideal, it will show candidates that the organization values honesty.

Ray Gibson is the cofounder and CEO of StartMonday.