How to Spot the Signs of a Great Place to Work
Your job shouldn’t be your life. But it certainly takes up a majority of your time, so it’s something to consider carefully! Thankfully, there are some green flags you can spot way before your job offer to help suss out the best places for you. Have a read!
Sometimes when job seeking, there are so many exciting roles to apply for that it can be hard to separate the good from the bad (and the great from the just okay). Work is said to be the biggest thing to influence how happy you are, and the more comfortable you are in your workplace, the better you’ll be at your job. So it’s important to pick a job that you like!
As recruitment experts, we’re quite clued up on what makes a great employer. So sit back with a cup of tea, and let us show you some of the key signs of a great workplace to look out for whilst on your job hunt:
The job ad
You can really tell alot by a job posting. It’s the first thing you look at, and one of the most important signs of a good place to work.
A great employer cares about the staff they hire, so you bet they are going to spend a good amount of time perfecting their job ads. They want a well written, informative job description to attract the best candidates for their role. It’s key to remember that good employers will put as much effort into their recruitment processes as they can.
Look out for job ads that are descriptive, clearly list your responsibilities, and give a good sense of the company culture. Some of the best job ads have a humorous touch, or give you a sense of personality. Be careful of those which have poor spelling, are sparse, or feel robotic – these are signs of a poor communicator, poor effort, and likely a poor employer.
Salary and career progression
While salary isn’t always the most important aspect of a job, I think we can all agree that it’s still a pretty critical element for jobseekers. It’s worth doing a bit of research and working out what the general average salary is for the job role you are applying to, and seeing how the pay matches up to it.
If the salary seems on the low end, make sure you ask about career progression – is there much opportunity for you to work up a pay level? This is going to be an important factor if you intend to stay there long term.
While salary isn’t the sole defining factor of a good employer, it’s a big part of the whole package that makes for a great place to work, so keep a lookout for it.
Company culture
Company culture is something that’s easy to brush off when you’re in need of a job fast, but it could be exactly what defines your happiness at work. According to a survey by Glassdoor, 57 percent of candidates say workplace culture is more important than salary when it comes to job satisfaction.
Company culture is also what really makes the difference between a great employer and a not-so-great one. A good employer wants their employees to feel welcomed, listened to and happy at work, so will ensure they create a good environment to cultivate this.
You can find out about a company’s culture by doing a little research. Spend some time looking at the job description, their website, and any social media platforms they may have. This will give you a better insight into what it’s like to work there. Do they have regular socials? Do they have a diverse team? What are their values?
Employers using Placed have their own dedicated brand page showcasing their company values and culture with testimonials, photos and videos, giving you the best picture of their work life. Check them out!
Reviews
Might seem obvious but it’s often forgotten! Always have a look online for reviews – they’ll tell you a lot about how employees feel about their place of work.
Word of advice though, don’t solely rely on reviews – often people are more likely to write negatively online than positively. Always look at a combination of factors before making up your mind. However, if there are an overwhelming number of negative reviews saying a similar thing, you have a reason to be concerned!
Communication
When applying for a job, look out for how well the employer communicates with you, as this is a strong indicator of how you will be treated at work. Are they speedy at responding to you? Are they polite and friendly in the interview? Are they clear about the next steps? Were they organised and approachable during your trial shift (if you had one)?
Remember, applying for jobs is a two way street. You’re seeing whether you like your potential employer as much as they’re seeing whether they like you. So go to interviews, go to trial shifts, and speak to employers as much as you can to get a strong idea of how well matched you are! A great workplace is not just one that cares about its employees, but one that aligns with you and your values.
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