It’s been more than a year and a half since the start of the pandemic and businesses across the country are still dealing with challenges relating to employment. What once started as companies having to furlough or lay off employees, due to increased pandemic restrictions, has now flipped, with employers desperately looking for staff to fill their open positions. To put it in perspective, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that more than 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August.
Employees are now showing an increased interest in joining a company that prioritizes employee satisfaction, and in today’s digital age, reading a glowing review of an employer on a job posting isn’t enough. Companies that have cultivated a strong social media presence are attracting higher quality candidates than the aforementioned group, due in part to the level of transparency highlighted on the platforms.
A company doing an excellent job of using social media as an effective recruitment tool is The Pavement Group. The nationwide asphalt and concrete construction company is very active across Facebook and Instagram, with President and CEO Brian Hess consistently spearheading content development.
“Construction is a complex industry and when we started our social platforms, the goal was to provide our customers with a behind-the-scenes look at the work we do. However, we quickly realized that having a presence on social media also impacted the level of interest and engagement amongst current and prospective employees,” says Hess.
Podcast Promotion
The Pavement Group’s content strategy varies and in addition to posting technical videos or project results, the company has also created a podcast. The Pavement Group Podcast features guests from across the industry, but what is notable in the world of recruitment is the podcast’s inclusion of current employees. Instead of simply telling the company’s followers about their culture, Hess invites current employees to share their insight and first-hand experience with The Pavement Group.
“We recently did an episode with one of our stellar employees and when I asked him how he heard about The Pavement Group, his response surprised me,” says Hess. “He noted that he had been following our Facebook and Instagram accounts for quite a while and was intrigued. By posting about our sheer passion in running The Pavement Group and our transparency in how we conduct business operations, we were able to organically attract a great addition to our team.”
The New Age Job Board
With the success The Pavement Group’s social media accounts have had in grabbing the attention of prospective employees, the company is now posting available positions directly on their platforms. Hess and his team create videos detailing job responsibilities, company culture, and more.
As recruitment strategies shift over the next few years, it’s anticipated that social media will start to play a larger role in attracting potential employees. Not only does leveraging social media make companies more approachable, but having a CEO, such as Hess, actively involved in the development of the content, positively impacts the company image.
