What Makes a Company Attractive to Employees

By: | Updated: August 22, 2023

Here is our guide on what makes a company attractive to employees.

An attractive company enacts different policies to help gain and retain capable employees. Examples of attractive company features include competitive salaries, leadership and management, and social events. The purpose of these features is to attract and retain workers in the company long-term.

To make a company attractive to employees, it is important to consider creating a positive work environment, establishing company core values, and implementing employee recognition programs. These ideas help boost employee engagement benefits and reduce employee turnover.

what-makes-a-company-attractive-to-employees

This list includes:

  • how to make your company attractive to employees
  • what makes a company a great place to work
  • what makes an employee loyal to a company
  • what makes employees love their jobs

Let’s begin!

How to make your company attractive to employees

Many factors can make a company attractive to employees. Of course, individual employees have their needs and expectations, and companies cannot offer every single one. However, companies should do their best to provide multiple options. Here is a list of factors that can make your company attractive to employees.

1. Competitive Compensation

Salary is a pivotal aspect of employees’ decision-making. Falling short on competitive pay can lead to a talent drain. Employees frequently measure against market rates and benefits, readily shifting for better offers. To entice and keep staff, companies should maintain a competitive salary during hiring and employment.

Regular salary appraisals encourage job contentment and motivation. In the age of “quiet quitting,” lower pay often translates to reduced commitment. A competitive salary distinguishes a company and magnetizes top talents within the industry.

2. Bonuses and Perks

Employee preferences often incline toward companies offering enticing bonuses and benefits. While a fair salary carries significance, appealing bonuses can significantly influence choices. Consider a variety of perks, such as seasonal bonuses, sales incentives, insurance coverage, and retirement plans.

Rather than inundating employees with numerous perks, focus on effectively delivering a select few. Bonuses should complement a solid salary rather than replace it.

Here are guides to employee benefits and staff incentives.

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3. Inclusion and Diversity

Companies earn admiration by embracing inclusion and diversity. In our increasingly diverse world, biases against race, health, or gender can alienate potential employees. Companies that discriminate in hiring, promotions, leadership, or compensation tend to be unattractive. Be sure to prioritize inclusion across all facets, making all employees feel valued regardless of background.

Inclusion might also encompass tangible actions like providing accessible facilities and accommodation plans.

Read more about the benefits of diversity.

4. Flexibility in Work

A pliable work environment improves employee satisfaction. While guidelines are necessary, they should not constrict flexibility. Fostering innovation and growth, flexible practices enable employees to employ efficient work methods. Remember to avoid micromanagement, which can undermine trust and impede development.

Adaptability also extends to accommodating remote work, entrusting employees to manage tasks competently.

5. Favorable Work Policies

Clear and balanced work policies maintain employee engagement. When writing policies, spell out working hours, projected workloads, overtime criteria, and compensation for extra hours. The most important aspect of these policies is to strike a balance for a healthy work-life equilibrium.

Being careful to follow policies ensures a work environment without excessive work and promotes a healthy atmosphere.

6. Environmental Responsibility

Demonstrating a commitment to environmental sustainability can attract ecologically conscious employees. To accomplish this goal, engage in practices such as recycling programs, energy efficiency initiatives, or green commuting incentives.

By aligning the company with eco-friendly values, firms may motivate employees to contribute to a greener workplace and community.

Here are some Green Week Ideas to help you start practicing sustainability.

What makes a company a great place to work

Cultivating a great place to work includes your physical space as well as your workplace culture. Creating optimal environments encourages new employees to join your team and existing employees to stay on board. Here are some ways to make your company a great workplace.

1. Clearly Outlined Responsibilities

Precisely defined tasks and duties ensure that managers allocate assignments fitting each employee’s role and compensation. In aiming to make the company appealing to employees, it is vital to prevent workers from bearing responsibility for superiors’ errors or being overwhelmed by tasks beyond their designated functions. Explicit task boundaries foster accountability, guaranteeing only competent personnel handles their designated tasks. Such clarity prevents potential setbacks or financial losses arising from subpar project execution.

2. Social Engagements

Social events hold considerable importance for many employees when evaluating an attractive workplace. While work and related tasks remain top priority, incorporating regular social gatherings enhances team camaraderie and unity. Beyond work-related benefits, extracurricular events contribute to mental well-being and client interactions. These occasions can range from elaborate sports events and off-site retreats to simpler indoor team-building activities and award ceremonies. Additionally, individual teams can organize exclusive outings and dinners that complement broader company-wide events.

Here is a list of work social event ideas.

3. A Clean and Efficient Workspace

Often overlooked, a productive work environment is a fundamental aspect of an appealing workspace. While many businesses prioritize impressing clients with their office spaces, the focus should shift toward maximizing functionality for employees. Offices need to be well-lit, airy, and spacious. A reliable cooling or heating system should align with the weather conditions of the location.

The workspace should include sufficiently spacious desks or offices, varying by job rank. To enhance comfort, areas should also encompass amenities like kitchenettes, lounges, and cafeterias. Regular morning and evening cleaning routines and well-maintained restrooms are essential. A comfortable work setting translates to content and efficient employees.

4. Meals, Perks, and Subsidies

Although not obligatory, offering meals, perks, or subsidies can elevate a company’s reputation in the eyes of employees. Consider arrangements like subsidized or complimentary lunches through canteens or partnerships with eateries. Free meals or meal packages benefit employees aiming to save time and money. Coupons, vouchers, and occasional merchandise giveaways contribute to fostering a positive work environment.

5. Loan Provision

While not common, offering a loan facility can enhance the company’s appeal. Businesses extending loans for purposes like car purchases, rent, business ventures, or emergencies tend to attract skilled and dedicated employees. Favorable terms, including low or no long-term interest rates, usually accompany such offerings. The loan facility should be easily accessible for employees with substantial tenure. A dedicated HR unit should manage the loan program, ensuring transparency and adherence to criteria.

What makes an employee loyal to a company

Employee loyalty is difficult to earn and keep. However, having a loyal staff is one of the most essential parts of maintaining a successful business. Turnover costs companies extensively in time and money, which drops productivity and slows momentum. To reduce the churn rate, companies must do their best to create a workplace where employees remain loyal.

1. Recognition and Appreciation

Recognition and appreciation are essential components in cultivating employee loyalty. Regularly acknowledging employees’ efforts, achievements, and contributions can make a substantial difference. You can accomplish this goal through formal recognition programs, informal commendations, or even a simple “thank you.”  Employees who feel their hard work is noticed and valued become more engaged and invested in their roles. This emotional connection with the company creates a sense of loyalty, making them less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Companies that consistently show gratitude and recognize accomplishments foster an environment where loyalty thrives.

2. Professional Development Opportunities

Offering avenues for continuous learning and skill enhancement significantly contributes to employee loyalty. Companies that invest in their employees’ growth by providing training programs, workshops, certifications, and mentorship opportunities create an environment where individuals feel valued and supported. Employees are more likely to stay committed to a company that helps them expand their skill set and advance in their careers. By creating an atmosphere of growth and development, businesses foster loyalty and attract those who seek to evolve within the organization.

3. Effective Communication System

An effective communication system is crucial for any company, both externally with clients and internally among workers. Employees look for open dialogue and receptiveness to views, opinions, and complaints. A company that merely issues orders without lending an ear to the staff’s perspectives appears oppressive and unapproachable. Be it a large or small company, fostering effective communication within teams, departments, and sections is imperative. Implementing an anonymous suggestion or complaint box on a regular basis is advisable. Additionally, workers can be polled to share their thoughts without apprehension of reprimand or termination freely.

Here is a list of internal communication tips.

4. Leave and Time Off

Most labor laws stipulate a minimum threshold for time off and holiday leave, which companies should exceed to create an appealing environment. Companies can offer a range of options, including short- or long-term sick days, parental leave, public holidays, and vacation days. Firms can offer fully or partially paid leaves, with emphasis on employees utilizing these days for their well-being. Companies can also consider buying back a specified number of leave days from employees, though this is not universally practiced. Regardless, policies should be clear, avoiding worker guilt or fear surrounding approved time off.

5. Leadership and Management

Effective leadership and management foster employee loyalty. Leaders and executives should have a nuanced understanding of their roles and constraints. Exploitation, mistreatment, and favoritism should have no place within the company. Adequate training is essential to equip leaders with the skills to manage teams and individuals adeptly. Ensuring leadership competency is pivotal to preventing the ramifications of leader-driven errors.

Here are some qualities of good leaders.

6. Transparency and Accountability

Every company should operate transparently, enabling employees to understand expectations and pathways to succeed within the organization. Transparency fosters accountability, ensuring blame is properly placed for issues that arise. Such a system builds trust, as employees recognize that actions entail consequences, eliminating the scapegoating of colleagues’ mistakes. Policies must apply universally, regardless of position or authority, to cultivate transparency and accountability.

What makes employees love their jobs

Many factors contribute to employee satisfaction. While creating the perfect working environment may not be possible, companies can take intentional steps to increase staff happiness. Implementing these policies improves productivity, retains team members, and increases productivity. Here are some techniques businesses can incorporate to help employees love their jobs.

1. Flexible Work Arrangements

Offering flexible work arrangements is pivotal in creating a workplace that employees love. The ability to tailor work schedules to fit personal needs enhances work-life balance and job satisfaction. Companies that recognize employees’ diverse responsibilities outside of work foster loyalty by accommodating these demands. Flexibility can include options such as remote work, compressed workweeks, or flexible start and end times. By prioritizing flexibility, companies empower employees to meet both professional and personal obligations effectively, resulting in higher engagement and commitment.

2. Respect for Personal Time

Understanding the drivers of employee loyalty necessitates acknowledging the significance of personal time. Employees’ after-hours, holidays, sick leave, and weekends constitute personal domains, and companies must refrain from encroaching on these periods. Exceptions aside, contacting an employee outside working hours should be reserved for critical emergencies. Demonstrating respect for personal time entails avoiding phone calls, emails, or texts. While company responsibilities align with working hours, family obligations pertain to the remaining hours.

Read more about work-life balance.

3. Modern Tools and Equipment

For employers wondering how to enhance employee job satisfaction, providing modern tools and equipment offers a straightforward solution. Furnishing employees with access to essential resources markedly enhances a company’s operational efficiency. Communication, productivity, collaboration, management, and overall operations are more efficient with the aid of appropriate tools. In the face of rapid technological advancement, companies must remain vigilant in updating to the latest technology, reaping benefits for both clients and employees. These tools encompass a spectrum ranging from MS or Google Office suites to comprehensive software and hardware equipment.

4. Recognition and Praise

Recognition and praise are integral components in crafting an appealing workplace for employees. Companies that recognize and acknowledge employees’ contributions positively impact the workforce. Many employees inherently elevate their performance when their efforts are valued and praised. Notable forms of acknowledgment includeemployee of the month, best team leader, and top team, fostering healthy competition and motivating employees to strive for recognition. This positive reinforcement benefits both individuals and the company.

5. Career Training and Development

Professional growth is a pivotal factor contributing to a company’s attractiveness. Prospective employees actively seek out companies that demonstrate a commitment to nurturing their professional development. Training opportunities can encompass seminars, workshops, courses, diplomas, and certificates. In industries characterized by intense competition, companies must empower employees to meet evolving client expectations, demands, and trends. A company’s investment in training and development programs reflects its dedication to growth and advancing its workforce.

Read about professional development best practices.

Conclusion

Employees know a company cannot be perfect in all aspects. However, employees genuinely want a company that recognizes and makes an effort to compensate workers in multiple ways for their dedication. Specific nonnegotiable points include days off, leadership, and a competitive salary. Companies can provide other benefits in moderation, like tools and equipment, benefits and bonuses, meals, freebies, and subsidies. With communication, companies can understand what employees want and put effort into fulfilling their desires.

For more information on developing an attractive company, check out these articles on the benefits of happy employees, the importance of professional development, and ideas for employee of the month.

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FAQ: What makes a company attractive to employees

Here are frequently asked questions about what makes a company attractive to employees.

What makes a company attractive to employees?

Multiple factors can make a company attractive to employees. However, individual employees want different elements. Therefore, the best a company can do is offer as many attractive features as possible. Attractive features include competitive salaries, bonuses and benefits, recognition and praise, and transparency and accountability. Other factors include flexible working, modern tools and equipment, career training and development, and adequate funding.

Why does a company need to be attractive to employees?

A thriving company has good business plans and strategies, proper funding and advertising, and an excellent workforce. A superb workforce is only possible when the company provides enough attractive benefits to get and retain skilled workers. Companies that want to offer exceptional products and services and wish to expand must first have a loyal and talented labor force.

How can a company know what features are attractive to employees?

Communication through surveys, polls, and opinion boxes is the easiest way to know what employees want to see in the company. HR teams can also research market trends to see what more employees are looking out for when applying to a new company.

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Author:

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.
Grace is the Director of People & Culture at TeamBuilding. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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