Employer brand: A way to tackle talent shortages in post-covid Hong Kong
The pandemic-induced ‘Great Resignation’ is global. Covid-19 has made people becoming more mindful about their career goals, against a basket of other realities such as family time, commuting, passion and life and death.[1] Amid this global trend, companies in Hong Kong are also facing an exodus of talents triggered by the stringent quarantine measures[2] and shifts in political sentiments. [3] As revealed in the Digital Salary Survey 2022 produced by Robert Walters, 85% of the companies expressed concerns over talent shortages in Hong Kong.
Attracting and retaining talents have become top priorities for organization to succeed in the post-covid world. Many organisations choose to entice talents with better salary,[4] but that is not enough. The ‘Great X Report’ by Michael Page shows that around 70% of Hong Kong workers are willing to accept a lower salary or forgo pay rise and/or promotion for better work-life balance, overall well-being and happiness.[5]
So, it is not all about money, but more about employer branding – the perceived experience that an organization offers as an employer. When the Swire Properties received 2022 Randstad Employer Brand Awards in Hong Kong, Anna Thompson, the HR Director, attributed their success to their pursuits of originality and the cultivation of a pioneering spirit.
Like all other branding, employer brand elucidates your company culture. It should be carefully designed and communicated through external and internal channels.
External channels refer to all touch points with potential employees before they accept the job offer. They include the job description in recruitment adverts, recruiter’s presentation, interview scheduling and arrangement, and the offering of a two-way interview so the job seekers felt they were listened to. External communication would flounder, however, if they were in discord with internal communication.
Employer brand communicated through internal channels are best understood as positive word-of-mouth and it can create a lasting impact. Social media and other dedicated employment information platforms such as Glassdoor help candidates choose which company to join. Turn employees into brand advocates. Organisations can align their value propositions with their employees’. Here are what organisations can do:
1. Design employees’ worth – recognise employee’s value.
Offering monetary and non-monetary incentives, engaging the employees in different levels of decisions, and providing career progression.
2. Design employees’ growth -- help employees envisioning themselves thrive in the future.
The pandemic has instilled a fear of being left out. Mercer reported 53% of employees in Hong Kong are looking for new skills and capabilities in post-covid operation. Organisations can show that they care by providing mentorship, CPD opportunities and cultivating new skills for the future.
3. Design employees’ experience – help employees seeing themselves as an integral part of the organisation. Offering flexibility at work and hybrid work arrangement, when implemented with sensible management style and other culture-enhancing activities, will surprisingly bring employees closer to the organisation’s culture.
[1] https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en-hk/knowledge/publications/cc03a277/the-great-resignation-a-global-risk#autofootnote1
[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-18/hong-kong-talent-pool-drained-further-as-graduates-join-exodus
[3] https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/187777/Workers'-emigration-wave-bites-40-percent-of-Hong-Kong-companies:-survey
[4] https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/187777/Workers'-emigration-wave-bites-40-percent-of-Hong-Kong-companies:-survey – ‘Big Corporations were prepared to up their budgets with 39 percent and 37 percent of them considering “increasing pay and benefits” and “retention planning” respectively.’
[5] file:///Users/charmainehui/Downloads/Talent_Trends_2022_GreatX_Report_HK_MP.pdf
