What We Can Learn from Employee Regrets & Highlights

There are all kinds of articles on the recruitment industry out there that look into specific areas of the job market, such as reasons why people leave their jobs or advice on how to look for the right job. But what do all of these lists tell us about people’s attitudes to work and what can employers learn from lists like these?

We’ve scoured the internet and put together our top 4 tips for employers and job hunters based on what the market is telling us. 

During the recruitment process, there can often be pressure on both sides to get someone in position as quickly as possible. Whether the company is trying to get someone in post before their predecessor leaves or the job seeker is looking for a way out of a job they hate, there can often be pressure to make an appointment even if the fit doesn’t feel quite right. 

But according to a poll in HR Grapevine, 45% of people list their biggest career regret as moving to a company that they didn’t end up liking. Not only is this not great for the employees’ prospects, it also has a negative impact on the employer as a result of having people that don’t like the company contracted into teams and having to repeat the recruitment process prematurely. 

Regardless of the perceived urgency of filling the role, it is always worth taking that little extra time to ensure that the person that is hired is right for the role and fits in with the wider team to avoid potential issues down the road. 

This point is emphasised by the fact that the number one reason given for loving a job is the people that they work with. This goes to show that if you can get the recruitment process right and hire consistently, you will develop teams of like-minded individuals that will enjoy their work. 

So what does all of this tell us about how job seekers should be pursuing their search? Research is the key. See who is working for the company that you are interviewing for and see if you can speak to more than just your interviewer to get a real feel of the people you’ll be working with. Take a look at the LinkedIn profiles of your would-be colleagues and really get a feel of your future workplace. It’s not just about assessing your skills against the job description, it’s about weighing up your fit within the company. 

One of the main factors involved in people enjoying their jobs is having the freedom, autonomy and flexibility to manage their work as they see fit. A positive of this approach is that it encourages creative thinking and new approaches to projects, but there is a balance to be struck in ensuring that the work gets done. 

Based on the advice out there, the key to successful recruitment and job hunting all comes down to that personal touch. By recruiting a good fit into the team and providing an agile, flexible workplace for them to conduct their work, you will ensure a stable and happy employee that you won’t have to re-advertise for six months down the line.

Likewise for job seekers, make sure that you consider how you will fit into a team and the people you are working with as much as the job you will be doing and take measures to assess this before signing on the dotted line.