This article originally appeared in the October 2021 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
The hiring market is competitive and riddled with opportunities for candidates, which can make it a bit challenging for companies; however, that does not mean attracting candidates is impossible in these conditions. That said, security integrators may need to get a little creative when it comes to building a well-rounded, attractive package for a potential employee.
While money is obviously a large motivating factor for candidates when considering changing jobs, there are many ancillary benefits that companies can adopt that are simple and cheap alternatives to offering additional money in order to win over (and retain) candidates.
The fourth quarter is nearly upon us, and the best time to bring on talent is just before the end of the year so you have a fully ramped up team for 2022. Build a plan of action and think outside of the box when it comes to candidate incentives. Here are four suggestions:
1. Workplace and Schedule Flexibility: If the pandemic has proven anything, it has shown that flexibility in the workplace is possible, and in fact, preferred. Building in a structure around remote working and adaptable vacation policies are a sign of a progressive corporate culture. This is probably the single most important piece for most potential hires.
Candidates want to feel empowered and entrusted to get the job done while being able to handle any curveballs life may throw at them. Whether it is getting off early to coach their kid’s sports team or the ease of working remote on a Friday to deal with their AC repair man, flexibility gives candidates a great work/life balance and will lead to appreciation on both sides.
A recent study was done on companies with unlimited vacation policies and it showed that interestingly enough, employees with this privilege were less likely to abuse it and oddly enough, take less time off overall.
2. Dependable Support: Something else that is taken for granted in the workplace or maybe just not stressed enough is that people want to feel supported. Salespeople want to know they have a great project manager behind them, project managers want to know they have a great team of installers and leads they can depend on, and so on.
Throughout the interview process, highlighting support staff’s skillsets and abilities is critical. Persuading a salesperson to leave behind a massive pipeline at another company can be challenging if they are unconvinced that they will be able to get projects completed with great margins, on time, and under budget. By the same token, operations managers want to join companies where they know they will have great support in the field. Great candidates need a compelling reason to make a move in competitive markets so providing prospective employees with a talented and supportive staff is.
3. Benefits Help: As insurance becomes more and more expensive, companies are stepping up and covering up to 100% of health insurance benefit premiums for both employees on individual and those on family plans as another added benefit. While this can be a seemingly daunting task, free healthcare programs have been wildly successful for smaller to mid-size companies that may be facing the challenge of higher premiums than the giants of the security world.
4. Signing Bonuses: Sign-on bonuses are a great way to close a candidate when an offer may come up short. Typically, a sign-on bonus does not necessarily need to be huge to win a candidate over, but it shows good faith on both sides. A good rule of thumb is between two and five percent of base salary.
Making a job change is sometimes risky, especially in highly commissioned positions. With the holidays coming up, a sign-on bonus can serve as a quick cash flow to a candidate that may be without commissions for the first few months. Ultimately, this is a great alternative to a guarantee or a draw if there is simply no room in the budget.
Ryan Joseph is an Executive Recruiter for Recruit Group (https://recruitgrp.com), with a focus on security industry operations, sales, and sales leadership. For help with your security recruiting efforts, contact her at [email protected] or call (954) 278-8286.
