Staff shortages are a current problem. We read about it daily in the media and hear about it regularly in our environment. Research by the UWV shows that more than 53% of employers have difficulty filling vacancies . In addition, no less than 86% of respondents indicate that few responses are received to open vacancies, which limits the choice. The figures from Statistics Netherlands confirm this trend: at the end of March 2024, there were 411,000 vacancies, an increase of 1,000 compared to December 2023.
Bijl PR is increasingly asked how labor market communication can contribute to finding the right people. We recently supported OSG Hugo de Groot with their search for teachers. With eight vacancies, the assignment was clear: develop a targeted social media campaign that not only increases the visibility of the vacancies, but also attracts the right candidates. And we succeeded. Curious about our approach?
A full staff room
To describe the situation at OSG Hugo de Groot, we need to talk about education. There is a major shortage of teachers in education: the government reports a shortage of 9,800 jobs in primary education and 3,800 in secondary education. It is not surprising that Hugo de Groot came to us for help in recruiting new teachers . This secondary school in Rotterdam-Zuid is a household name and reflects the diversity of this district.
The students come from different backgrounds: some have a hard time at home, others have fled or are children of expats. This is a real melting pot of cultures, but also brings with it the necessary challenges. After all, you want to offer every child the best education, given by teachers with a passion for their subject. But with such a shortage of teachers, that is not an easy task.
All vacancies filled
Advisors Carina and Lizanne couldn’t wait to get started for this special school. Both live in Zuid and know the beauty and challenges of this part of the city inside and out. What stands out at Hugo (the school’s popular nickname) is the diversity of students and the respectful atmosphere that prevails there. That’s why we chose to use the current teachers as ambassadors of Hugo for this campaign. We built a strong brand and a good reputation as an employer by sharing their stories. Not an orchestrated story, but authentic and straight from the heart.
In a video series we highlighted five teachers with different backgrounds, disciplines and levels of experience, to show the versatility of working at the Hugo. All with love for students, expressed in their own way. These videos, made by Danny Deelen of 356 Media , were placed together with a written article on a special web page of the Hugo and shared and promoted via Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
And with success! At the start of our collaboration, eight vacancies were open, at the time of writing, all eight have been filled and there is even an additional vacancy live. Although we cannot attribute the success entirely to the videos and use of social media, they have played an important role in the visibility and recruitment , with more than 26,000 views of the advertisements and more than 200 clicks to the website.
Cor van Dalen, interim director Hugo de Groot, states: “ We asked Bijl PR in advance whether they could guarantee that we would fill all vacancies. They took up the challenge, was the answer. We are really very happy with the result. We did not dare to hope in advance that we would fill our vacancies within a few weeks. We look back on a very pleasant collaboration, with expert advice and a lot of energy to make the best of it together. The fact that we achieved this result in such a short time makes us as a school very proud! ”
The power of the right message
Finding a new challenge as an employee can be overwhelming, especially with so many vacancies to choose from. It is therefore all the more important that you stand out as an employer. But how do you do that? We all know the standard job boards and LinkedIn, but how do you make your communication really effective?
At Bijl PR we think about the right message for the right target group via the right channel . What do you tell to whom and what do you radiate? We realize that everything a company does and shares is a form of communication. Think beyond traditional channels such as websites and social media; word of mouth is at least as important. How do employees talk about their company during a birthday or with friends? This is an essential part of labor market communication.
Basic rules for labor market communication
Reaching the right people is an art. Here are some tips to get your message across:
- Be transparent about what you do as a company, from services and products to processes and positions. What you see is what you get, so.
- Find your distinguishing feature. What makes your company unique? For example, focus on innovations or the mental health of employees.
- Be realistic. Don’t promise the moon and paint an honest picture of the position. If necessary, let candidates talk to current employees.
- Get to know the candidate. Consider what characteristics you find important in addition to the experience and education required for the role, such as personality or future dreams. This will help you find the person who really fits the role.
- Give it time. We understand that positions sometimes need to be filled quickly, but the quality of a new employee still trumps speed. Especially with a view to the long term. Think carefully about who you are looking for and what the position entails.
At Bijl PR we like to contribute to society , for example by supporting good education for future generations. We are proud of this result, although we are sometimes too modest to admit it.
Do you have vacancies to fill or could your company use help with labor market communication? Then contact us , we are happy to think along with you!
