What are Canadian men and women looking for in a prospective employer?
Based on the results of a recent independent survey of 7,000 Canadians conducted by ICMA International and sponsored by Randstad Canada, the country’s leader for staffing, recruitment and human resources services, while personal satisfaction and financial stability are equally important to men and women, they each seek different criteria when determining what makes an organization attractive.
The survey was conducted as part of the Randstad award program, aimed at identifying the most attractive employers from the 150 largest companies in the country.
According to those surveyed, men seek companies that offer innovation (104% more important compared to women), strong management (22% more important), and a strong image (57% more important). Women seek companies that offer a pleasant working atmosphere (28% more important than for men), convenient location (39% more important), work-life balance (24% more important).
Randstad Canada president Jan Hein Bax said those results clearly show how diversified today’s workforce is.
“Men and women may have expressed differing needs and expectations, but they are both looking for an employer that will help them grow on both a personal and a professional level,” he said.
Bax emphasized that as the talent pool gets tighter and competition between companies becomes fiercer, organizations need to clearly understand just what it is that drives potential and existing employees, from both sexes.
“They will need to not only recognize these differences, but also embrace and leverage them in order to create a positive workplace culture that encourages everyone to fulfill their true potential, as attracting and retaining engaged and motivated employees is key to achieving business success, said Bax.
He added organizations with successful recruitment strategies are adept at communicating internally and externally, a clear and compelling employer brand that speaks to the values of the talent they are looking for.
Bax said, “Organizations can’t change their employer brands over night, but those that recognize the factors that are attracting top talent – both male and female – and can incorporate them into their employer brands, will have an increased advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining the best employees.”
The Randstad award survey is based on the perceived attractiveness of companies in a specific market. There are 150 companies per country selected, each with at least 1,000 employees.
The number of respondents on average per market is 7,000. That is a representative sample to measure attractiveness of the 150 companies.
Samples are based on national demographics (age, region, sex, education level) with a slight emphasis on respondents aged below 40.
For more information visit randstadaward.ca.
