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If your company wants to attract top talent and add them to your team, you need to let them know what employees have to say about working for you. What’s the best way to do that you may ask?

Collect employee testimonials!

If you haven’t attempted this before, or aren’t sure what you’d get if you tried, consider the following. 

• Happy employees translate into a thriving workplace culture.

  When your employees feel supported, valued, respected, and appreciated, they’re going to be happy to tell anyone and everyone who asks about their jobs and where they work. Testimonials are an opportunity for them to talk about what makes your company a great place to work. When candidates are looking for new jobs, they want to know what it’s really like there and to see a lot of positive reviews from current and former employees, that’s a strong benefit on your side. Some research indicates more than 80% of candidates were influenced by reading or watching employee testimonials

• It can be the difference between picking you and picking your competition.

  Maybe you’re a little timid about singing your company’s praises. Your employees are your most valuable asset and if they’re happy in their jobs, that can be a huge deciding factor when a candidate is weighing their options — and candidates will trust the word of your employees more than your own marketing efforts. Knowing your team is glad to be there and providing important “insider” knowledge about how great your company is can go a long way toward convincing a candidate to take your job offer, or even to apply for open positions, especially if your company is telling its own stories and your competition isn’t. 

• Employee testimonials boost your company’s reputation.

  When candidates are considering applying to jobs, they’ll go to a company’s website and social media profiles to learn about what it’s actually like to work there. They want to know not just about their daily job responsibilities and requirements; they want to know how employees are treated, what kind of benefits are offered and how the company will work to support their goals, priorities and work-life balance. By asking your employees to offer their own thoughts, you’re showing that your company is open to review from the outside world — that can be a scary thing! But if your employees are singing your praises, and you’re sharing that, it’s letting people know that your company is the one where they want to work. It helps demonstrate that there are still companies where people are happy to go to work each day and it can help show off, without making a big deal about it, the perks and benefits of working there – not just pay and benefits, but the ways in which people are supported as humans, not just employees, under your roof. The more sincere and heartfelt the testimonials are, the better your company sells itself to talented job candidates. 

• Feel awkward about asking employees to share testimonials? Make it easy!

  Now that you can see how employee testimonials can help your company bring in bright, capable new talent, you might wonder how to get started. Luckily, there are plenty of options! 

1. 1. Video testimonials are an easy way to let your employees speak their minds in a medium they’re familiar and comfortable with. All they need to do is record their thoughts for a designated length of time on their phones, then provide the video to your HR team. Or you can ask a group of employees to volunteer to share their stories, then set up a camera in an office or visually pleasing workspace, film them all one at a time over the course of an afternoon or two, and share their stories on your social media channels in addition to your website. 
   2. Create a form they can fill out when they have time. This eliminates the scheduling crunch of trying to complete the project within a set timeframe and it encourages people who might not feel comfortable being on camera to share their thoughts and experience. 
   3. Offer incentives. If people are hesitant to share their thoughts and stories, make it worth their while! Offer gift cards for local coffee shops, lunch places, or other businesses to show your gratitude for their time. If you’re asking them to take a few moments, or longer, out of their busy schedule, it’s worth a token of your gratitude. 
   4. Make it easy and fun. For those who are interested in signing up, or have already offered to help, let them know what kind of feedback you’re looking for. Do you want everyone to talk about what they like about the company, or do you want a variety of stories? Some people might have compelling personal anecdotes about being supported by your company in a time of need; others might have come in unsure of their abilities but have had a professional blossoming in their talents, skills, and confidence. Letting people know you’ve selected them for this opportunity and why can make your team feel even more positively about your company! 

Once you’ve collected testimonials, share them on your website, but also on your social media platforms, professional networking websites and through other channels where people are looking for jobs. The wider you cast your net, the more candidates you’ll find! 

If you’d like more advice on collecting testimonials and how it can help your company, or if you’re looking for more creative ways to keep your employees engaged and happy, call FurstStaffing! Our recruiters can help you find the ways that will work best for your company and employees to share the inside scoop on what makes your company a great place to work. We can also help find talented candidates who are looking for opportunities like yours and can send them your way! When you’re ready to boost your recruitment, it’s time to call FurstStaffing.