How can employees serve as recruitment tools? Ask HR

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society and author of "Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.”

The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor's answers below have been edited for length and clarity.

Have a question? Do you have an HR or work-related question you’d like me to answer? Submit it here.

Question: Our workers consistently tout how much they enjoy working for our small marketing services company and rave about our benefits. However, we still have difficulty filling positions. How can I best lean on our workforce when it comes to recruiting? — JC

Answer: On the heels of the pandemic, recruiting has become a significant focus as employers try to keep up with candidates' shifting priorities. Tapping into your workforce is a great way to support recruiting efforts and, ideally, connect with individuals who share common values with your staff. It is also great to hear your workforce enjoys working for your company and appreciates your benefits!

You can lean on your workforce in a variety of ways. Consider using an employee referral program incentivizing staff to refer quality candidates by offering monetary awards if the referred candidates are hired. Believe it or not, small and medium-sized employers have found adding a $1500-$2500 referral fee incentive program excites their current employees, reduces the average time to fill vacancies and increases new employee retention. Opportunities to earn extra cash always make employees happy and boost morale.

Also, you can encourage employees to post open positions and share relevant content about your company on their social media. This can help build your employer brand and draw interest from candidates interested in learning more about your company.

Feature employees on your career site. Interview employees and have them share why they love working for your company. Be sure to ask employees why they love the benefits as well.

Another option to consider is encouraging current employees to leave reviews of your company. Most candidates research online employer reviews before applying for or accepting a job offer. Employee reviews can help give candidates insight into their work experience and support recruitment efforts. 

In addition to leaning on your workforce to help with recruiting, there are other considerations to keep in mind. As a marketing company, you know the importance of branding. It may be helpful to assess how your brand may or may not be helping your recruiting efforts. Examine your social media platforms. Can candidates get a sense of what it may be like to work for you? If not, consider boosting your social media pages to include information about your benefits, the type of career positions in the organization, your mission, and your values. Photos of workplace events and videos of staff talking about their experience working for the organization can give people a better sense of what it's like to work there. 

By taking these steps, you will be well on your way to having more success with recruitment!

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I have a niche, but important role in writing the standards for coding and processes for our nationwide centers. My work is impactful across the nation and preserves millions of dollars for my company. In nearly 22 years, I have had only two raises through multiple changes in ownership. Inflation increases over that time dwarf my total pay increase of 11% since starting. I am humiliated and embarrassed by my income and the runaround I get from bosses and our HR department. What can I do? – Ralph

Your frustration is understandable. In such a long career, most people expect more significant financial gains, especially if they have contributed positively to their employer's long-term growth and success. You'll need to do some homework if you want a fruitful and focused discussion with your management and HR.

Start your research in these three key areas:

1. Your specific position and career path at your company and across the sector

2. Your company's performance

3. Data regarding your industry and sector

Use external and internal sources to determine your role classification. Where does your salary fall in your position's pay range for the position and your local region? Is the position considered entry or mid-level? If so, you may be maxed out of the pay range. In addition to salary range, employers often have duration expectations for certain positions. Your long tenure might exceed your employer's planned timeframe. Simply put, they may expect the job to transition to a more advanced position or there may not be a direct career advancement from your role.

Understand your company. Is their business growing or shrinking in the market? Your company changing hands multiple times may signal your company's limited value. If this is the case, they will look to reduce expenditures, including wages.

Understand your sector. How has growth been in your industry? Often, poor-performing industries only experience growth by merger or acquisition. If your sector isn't thriving organically, employers may be reluctant to invest money when they don't expect a commensurate return.

Consider the larger economic climate. Now that we are entering a period of economic slowdown and employers are announcing major layoffs, you should be very careful about negotiating a new salary. If you are too aggressive, they may simply replace you.

All that said, I think you should meet with your management and HR to respectfully requests a salary increase based on your loyalty, performance, contributions, and tenure. Understanding the larger dynamics contributing to your employers’ decisions will help you make the best decision for your career.