“Nobody Wants to Work Anymore” is the worst email title I’ve ever heard. It’s the subject line of an email I recently received. My finger hovered over the flusher to delete it without opening it in my knee-jerk reaction to this terrible title. However, it was from a trusted resource whose email I usually enjoy, so I gave it a chance.
Much to my surprise, this perfect-piss-me-off title grabbed my attention by opening with how trite this saying is. Mi Amor! But wait, there’s more! It’s not true!
In Day Starters, the daily email by Jerry Del Colliano, he refers to a Snopes article about news clippings published between 1894 and 2022, all of which show people expressing variations of, “Nobody wants to work anymore.”
Have people really been making the same complaint for over 130 years? Yup! Sort of like, “Kids these days!” and “This new music is just too damn loud!” It’s not a Millennial thing. It is not a Gen Z thing. And it’s not that people don’t want to work. They just don’t want to work for YOU!
Today, it likely means after sitting out the pandemic and thinking about it, many employees want more – a better job, more money, the ability to keep working from home, lower costs of commuting, and child care.
Many businesses are scrambling to compete for job seekers using the same techniques they’ve always used. They’re screaming the litany of benefits and talking points from their job description. Sign on Bonus! Competitive Pay! Flexible Schedule! Local Company! And on and on and on.
Do these statements resonate with potential employees? Do people know your brand and see you as a good place to work, or are you drowning in the noise?
You have to go beyond the standard hiring message. Take a look at the stories you tell in your marketing efforts then look at your recruitment ad copy. If all you’re doing is bullet listing benefits and touting the same tired “fun and exciting place to work” you’re missing the boat. Let’s face it – HR is Marketing with the objective of attracting top talent. It takes years of experience to master storytelling in marketing! Your HR story needs the same charisma!
As long as you need to hire, we’ll be right here offering ways for you to accomplish your goals. Make an appointment with Mid-West Family Madison.
