On the fifth episode of The Fix by Profile, Jordan Greenaway and James Bird discuss the results of our polling research – which reflects how visible company leaders can engage new recruits.
Jordan Greenaway and James Bird discuss our polling research and how visible, well-respected company leaders can benefit a company's recruitment.
Jordan and James break down the results from our survey, which showed that nearly three in four recruits would prefer to work for a company with a well-known, respected, credible leader. These leaders can attract top talent and set themselves apart from the largest companies in their sector.
Finally, Jordan urges company leaders to shake off initial perceptions of what they think personal PR might be and get ahead of their competitors today.
James Bird (JB): Welcome to the podcast. I'm James, Senior Multimedia Executive, and I'm here with Jordan Greenaway, founder of Profile. Welcome, Jordan.
Jordan Greenaway (JG): Thank you very much, James. Nice to be speaking with you today.
JB: So, we're here to talk about our latest bit of research. What was your headline takeaway?
JG: Well, the research shows that people want to work for companies, whether they're start-ups or whether they're big multinationals, with visible leaders. I think too many people assume that when someone goes to join a new company or jumps from one company to another, that they're only going because of the brand of the company. This bit of research blows that assumption completely out of the water.
When people are deciding about whether to go from one company to another, they're also looking at the person, or the people, who are leading that company. And talent wants to work for companies with visible, well-known, well-respected, credible leaders. It's not just about your employer brand as a company, it's about how visible your leadership team is and whether recruits and potential talent can see that.
JB: Great. So, leading on from that, why do you think it is that recruits want to work with companies with visible leaders?
JG: Well, let's look at the figures, right. We actually polled 2000 people and the stats are actually pretty astounding. Three in four said they would prefer to work for a company with a well-known, respected, credible leader. Now, this isn't being famous, this isn't about working for companies with famous, influencer-esque CEOs, it's people who have a profile in the industry.
Now, why? I think it's because if there's a founder, or a CEO, or a CTO, or a CMO, or a CFO, that's recognised in the industry, it's a stamp or a mark of credibility in the company itself. And also, when you go into the office, you're working with people. People want to work with people that they can learn from, that they respect, that they recognise in their particular sector as having influence and experience that will help their career and also put them in a good place for their next role.
JB: So, do you think this provides companies with an opportunity, in terms of talent, a real opportunity?
JG: 100%. I think too many people and too many companies are sitting, right now, listening to this podcast, thinking that the best way to win over talent is increased remuneration or bonuses, or having a huge, lovely kitchen, or a complete fit-out. Now, of course, that is part and parcel of winning the war for talent. But if you're a start-up or a smaller business, you're never going to be able to compete with the likes of Deloitte or PwC, et cetera, et cetera. You're always going to be on the losing side of that battle, so you need to compete in different ways.
And actually, the other poll that we ran showed that about three in four, again, of respondents to our survey, said that they didn't think that their leadership team at their current employer was visible enough, at the moment. So, that's three in four people who are out there in the market, who are sitting behind their desks doing great work, who say they think their CEO should be more visible.
So, that's a big opportunity for you, because if you can be one of the companies that does have a recognised leader, whether it's a founder, or a CEO, or a CMO, or whatever, you can set yourself apart. You can set yourself apart from the biggest companies in your sector and industry. It's a huge missed opportunity, and I really don't know why more companies aren't taking advantage of it.
JB: So, using that and using our research, if you were to give one recommendation to a company, and company leader, or company leaders if it was a leadership team, based on this research – what would your recommendation be?
JG: Get out on the front foot. Don't wait to have to catch up with your competitors. Now, I understand you're probably sitting there listening to this thinking "oh, you know, this personal PR thing is not for me", but also shake off your assumptions about what personal PR looks like. It doesn't need to be cringeworthy; it can be done in a really elegant, considered, strategic way.
So, get out on the front foot, get it done now! Actually, if I was to give one recommendation, James, it would be contact us.
JB: Thank you, Jordan, and thank you for listening. If you'd like to find out more, go to welcometoprofile.com
Thank you, Jordan.
JG: Thank you, James.
Profile is an award-winning thought leadership agency. We create visible leaders. If you would like to discuss building the profile of your leadership team, book in a no-obligation strategy call.