Unwelcome office environments costing businesses top talent

POOR first impressions are costing Bristol businesses hard-to-find talent.

Some 62 per cent of applicants to roles in Bristol have been deterred by an ‘unwelcoming internal office environment’, while 41 per cent were put off by ‘unwelcoming staff’.

The Hays What Workers Want 2018 report also found that a bad interview experience was a big deterrent as well as delays in the recruitment process. Over half of workers are only willing to wait one week after submitting their application before looking elsewhere.

Ryan Gardner, managing director of Hays, said: “Across Bristol’s intensely competitive market, the challenge isn’t just finding prospective candidates, it’s keeping them engaged throughout the entire application process to the point of hire and beyond.

“Organisations in the city are letting future talent slip through their fingers as applicants experience frustrations and delays throughout the process, or leave the role early in their employment.”

Ryan says that companies need to “scrutinise” their applicant journey and “invest time and resources” into the process.

He added: “This means looking at every stage from careers web- sites and job adverts to interview structures and the on-boarding experience and ensuring processes are efficient, transparent, welcoming and personalised to the individual. Applicants are telling us first impressions really matter, so employers must audit, assess and refine the applicant journey to consistently present their organisation in the best possible light to prospective candidates.”