Recruiting has become increasingly challenging, and many managers in charge of hiring new staff report difficulties in attracting candidates and impelling them to join. Though job boards have thrived in the past few years, recruiters tend to forget that their own corporate websites could prove useful digital tools.
In an article published in Décisions Marketing, Soffien Bataoui, Jessica Gérard and Christelle Martin-Lacroux investigated the elements that should be highlighted on corporate websites to appeal to prospective applicants. To do so, they applied findings from the retail website literature to corporate websites. They focused on the notion of “website hospitality” and specifically considered the following questions. How can we define the hospitality in the context of websites? Does improving perceived “hospitality” of the website facilitate recruitments? Especially for SMEs that are much affected by manpower shortage?
Website Hospitality as an enticement tool
Website hospitality refers to the ability of a website to be a pleasant, community-based space for its users. Browsing must feel easy. Forums for discussion and advice may nurture the website’s social dimension of warmth. The interface should be individualized to the visitors’ needs, and provide them with as much information as possible on the company’s history and activity (such as pictures of the team, employees’ testimonies). Finally, gamification is central: prospective candidates should discover the contents through games and entertaining interactions (such as online competitions and quizzes).
Relationship between website website hospitality and intention to apply for a job
To evaluate the influence of website hospitality on intentions to apply, a corporate website for a fictional firm in the construction industry was created. Three versions of the website were developed with a low, medium or high level of perceived hospitality. 1095 respondents answered an online questionnaire about their browsing experience on the website as potential applicants for a job matching their qualifications. This study shows that website hospitality does not directly impact intentions to apply. However, it has a direct influence on perceived warmth and competence of the firm. In turn, both these variables impact application intents. This is because a warm company is perceived as friendly and benevolent towards others, while a competent company is perceived as intelligent, efficient, prestigious and known for its ability to reach its goals.
Implications for SMEs
The capacity of a corporate website to attract candidates relies on its ability to stimulate discussion and reassure applicants on the firm’s competencies. The company’s image should be reflected in all website features such as the menu browser, pictures, contents or even serious games. Considering the corporate website as a crucial element of recruitment strategies is key to appealing to talented aspirants. This tool is accessible for SMEs, and can easily become part of a larger scheme involving social networks and mobile apps. A cross-canal or omni-canal hiring process comprising all of the company’s contact points therefore emerges as a promising area for future reflection.
Translated by Johana Volpert, from the original post in French by Maria Mercanti-Guérin.
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