If a new person walked into your company unannounced, would they want to work there based on first impressions? That was the message from a General Manager of a logistics company the other night. Recruiting has changed from the way it used to be done said this company executive. Let me bring you up to speed.
I was at a company open house the other night as a client opened up a new office in the area and held a small event for their network to see the new space. They were formerly located in a smaller building with basic amenities but had outgrown that office location. This new office is in a high building with beautiful views out of each window and is large, bright, and modern. In the large cafeteria area there is even a pool table and kitchen area that will be perfect for team meetings and gatherings.
As speeches were being presented the General Manager mentioned that recruiting talent is much different today than it had been before. She mentioned in the past that a potential employee in an interview would have to do their best to convince her why they were the best for the job and it was her decision to take a chance on them. Times have changed and now it is so difficult to find talented employees that the conversation has now changed to does this person want to work here? Is the office, the job description, and team members what that person may be looking for in a job or career?
It was quite obvious that this technique was working as I talked with team members at the event that were excited about the space and their careers. I have been working with this company for almost a decade and have seen team members come and go. There were many new team members at the event that had recently joined the team and the energy showed.
Environment is very important to many employees especially truck 
drivers. When I was on the road I was very particular about my truck. I had to have it organized a certain way, it had to be clean, and it had to be nice looking. That helped me operate at maximum efficiency and with pride in my company. In fact when I went looking for a job the first thing I would do is drive to the back of the yard of a company and see which was the worst truck in the yard. As a new person that is normally your truck unless it is a yard truck.
So I ask you this question; is your company attracting or repelling talent? It could be the trucks, it could be their office, it could be the team! If I walked in off the street unannounced would I want to work for you? We all know that first impressions count and in today’s job market everything is about attraction and company culture. Who are you attracting?
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About the Author
Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years. He is an author of the books Driven to Drive and Running By The Mile, and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast. TTSAO also known as the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has certified member schools in the truck training vocation ensuring quality entry level drivers enter the transportation industry. To learn more about the TTSAO or to find a certified school in your area visit www.ttsao.com