Talent teams must find hiring harmony to attract, hire, and retain talent in today's multigenerational workforce. This requires a deep understanding of what motivates each generation, their aspirations, and their influences. With five generations (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z) now sharing the workplace, this can be quite challenging.
The most successful, savvy recruiters, sourcers, and hiring managers use the right tools, craft tailored messages, and employ effective recruitment marketing strategies that harmonize with current trends.
Trends in the multigenerational workforce
TA teams must understand the current workforce trends surrounding recruitment to begin communicating with today's multigenerational workforce.
According to research by Robert Half, five of the top workforce trends include:
- Money: Competitive salaries and regular merit increases have the biggest impact on job satisfaction and retention.
- Flexibility: In today’s digital world, people want to pick when and where they work — this is especially true for Gen Z.
- AI: Workers across all generations are worried about AI and interested in being trained/upskilled to better understand and utilize it.
- Contract work: Workers are increasingly interested in full-time contract work to take on multiple projects and learn new skills.
- Transparency: Regardless of age, job applicants want to know the role’s responsibilities and salary. This is non-negotiable.
Across all generations, these five trends are the motivators and influencers for people making career decisions.
TA tactics to address multigenerational workforce trends
A common concern across all five generations in today's workforce is understanding job expectations and what they can expect from the organization in return. Trends surrounding money, flexibility, contract work, and transparency all relate to clear job description details and organizational expectations.
Talent teams can address these trends by creating clear, enhanced job descriptions.
Enhanced job descriptions
Enhanced job description pages allow candidates to consume rich, useful content in a one-page environment — everything from videos, images, relevant blogs, social feeds, events, similar matching jobs, application advice, etc. In addition to videos, images, relevant blogs, social feeds, events, and similar jobs, enhanced job description components include:
- Role overview: Provide a job summary, including its purpose and primary responsibilities.
- Responsibilities: List the specific tasks and responsibilities associated with the role.
- Qualifications: Outline the education, certifications, experience, and skills necessary for the position.
- Skills: Detail the hard and soft skills needed for the job, such as technical abilities, communication skills, and interpersonal competencies.
- Work environment: Describe the typical work setting, including physical demands, work hours, and travel requirements.
- Salary and benefits: Include information about compensation, benefits, and perks associated with the job.
- Company information: Provide background on the organization, including mission, values, and any culturally unique aspects.
- Application process: Explain how to apply for the job, including any necessary application materials and deadlines.
Candidates can access your individual job openings through various channels, often bypassing the main messages on your career site. Since the numerous channel options direct candidates to the job descriptions, each job description page needs to be comprehensive and self-sufficient.
Enhanced job description pages are thorough and complete. They encompass all the essential details candidates are looking for, ensuring candidates can gather all necessary information about your organization in one place. This way, they can make well-informed decisions and consider you an employer of choice.
However, you can’t rely solely on a clear job description to make you an employer of choice; your employer brand and value proposition (EVP) must also be in check.
Related: Understanding the Target Audience for Effective Job Descriptions
Employer brand and employer value proposition
The employer brand and EVP are two distinct components of an effective recruitment marketing strategy; they are separate yet closely connected. Your EVP speaks to who you are and the promise you make as an employer, and your employer brand engages potential candidates and current employees with that message.
The importance of a strong EVP can not be overstated. It is the DNA and blueprint for everything inside and outside your organization.
Crafted with precision, an EVP should embody four essential qualities:
- Credibility: Delve into your organization’s culture and values through the lens of employee perspectives. What defines the true essence of your organization’s DNA, and how does it reflect all generations?
- Relevance: Explore the intersection between the priorities of your target talent groups and the offerings you provide. What aligns most with their aspirations, and how do you reflect each generation’s needs?
- Aspiration: Envision the organizational future by defining your vision and identifying the skills and attitudes required to propel you forward. Who does your organization wish to be?
- Differentiation: Discover the unique attributes that set your organization apart. How can you carve out a distinctive identity in a competitive landscape?
Once your employer brand and EVP reflect your organization's identity, you need to spread the word in your recruitment campaigns.
Related: What's the difference between an employer value proposition and employer brand?
Recruitment campaigns
Generational hiring campaigns leverage targeted recruitment marketing programs that hone in on each generation's specific values, beliefs, and drivers in today's job market.
Right place, right time
A robust omnichannel recruitment marketing strategy seamlessly integrates multiple communication channels, such as social media, job boards, digital advertising, career fairs, and employee referrals, to provide candidates with a cohesive and engaging experience throughout their journey. This approach ensures that candidates receive consistent messaging and support across all touchpoints, enhancing their overall perception of the organization. By adopting an omnichannel approach, organizations can position themselves as top employers and attract the most suitable candidates in today’s competitive market.
Once you determine the appropriate channels for each recruitment campaign (based on generational preferences), you can tailor your messaging based on that channel.
Consider how to leverage the following channels to get your employer brand in front of the right candidates:
- Job boards
- Social media
- Career websites
- Email campaigns
- Content marketing
- Digital advertising
- Talent communities
- Networking events
- Career fairs
- Employee advocacy
- Employee referrals
Put your employer brand to work
In today’s dynamic and diverse workforce, the concept of an employer brand has never been more crucial. With multiple generations working side by side, organizations face the challenge of creating a workplace that appeals to various values, expectations, and work styles.
However, creating an inclusive, multigenerational employer brand doesn’t happen by chance. To be truly impactful, it requires a powerful blend of compelling, targeted messaging and advanced technology that resonates across multiple touchpoints, delivering a distinctive and inspiring promise to each generation.
Our latest guide delves into what it takes to create and activate a standout employer brand. It covers the AI- and automation-enabled technologies that ensure your message reaches the right audiences — targeted by generation, role, location, skills, and more — at the right time.
By understanding and leveraging these strategies, you can build a workplace that attracts, engages, and retains talent from all generations, driving your organization toward a more successful and harmonious future.
Download Activate Your Employer Band with Technology today!
