Recruitment through employee referrals is booming. More and more companies are relying on their own people to attract new talent. Studies have shown that referred candidates often turn out to be the best match, as they naturally align with the company’s culture and values. But how do you implement a successful referral program? Here are six tips to help you attract top candidates faster...er met schrijven...
1. Build a strong culture — day by day
A positive company culture is an essential foundation for a successful referral program. This strong culture acts as a magnet for new talent while retaining your top performers. Conversely, the absence of such a culture makes it difficult to implement an effective referral program. A positive culture means your employees feel genuinely connected to the values, vision, and mission of your company — both intellectually and emotionally. Only then can they become true ambassadors and proudly promote your company.
“The absence of a strong company culture makes it difficult to implement an effective referral program.”
2. Help your colleagues by giving them ideas
Some employees may be less creative when it comes to promoting your company. Support them with a list of simple ideas to spark inspiration. For example, each employee could share digital fact sheets or distribute a QR code with “12 good reasons to work for our company.”
3. Reward immediately — with points instead of cash
Many companies offer cash bonuses (ranging from €500 to €5,000) to employees who refer candidates who stay with the company for three to six months. This often means the referrer waits months before receiving their reward — which makes little sense, since evaluating a candidate’s fit is part of the recruitment process, not the referrer’s responsibility. Moreover, the gap between referral and reward is too long. Right after the new hire signs their contract, enthusiasm is at its peak — that’s when people should be rewarded, as they feel the positive energy of appreciation from both their new colleague and their employer. This motivates them to repeat the experience. Consider implementing a points-based reward system, where points are added each month the new hire stays on. This not only sustains enthusiasm but also serves as a constant reminder of positive behavior. A points system also has a stronger psychological impact: employees can save points for experiences such as a family day at Phantasialand or a relaxing spa treatment. These create lasting memories and strengthen their emotional bond with the company.
4. Be creative: also reward other efforts
Encouraging and recognising your employees and their daily efforts is just as important as rewarding the final result. So don’t hesitate to define a range of additional criteria through which they can earn more points: for example, they could share the job posting on social media, write a testimonial, leave a review on job sites like Glassdoor, or take the initiative to present their job and company to a club or association. You could also reward employees who participate in creating a video message for your website. In short, there are countless ways to get involved as an ambassador.
5. Integrate referrals into your overall recognition strategy
Many companies take small steps to show appreciation and reward their teams. However, these are often isolated actions. HR could create a much greater impact by bringing all these initiatives together on a single reward platform.
This way, employees can combine all their points and choose a larger reward. Such a platform has another important advantage: it strengthens the connection between employees and the company and helps them stay focused on the desired behaviours.
6. And finally, the fundamental question…
The job market is under pressure. It’s full of recruiters ready to attract every potential candidate. So what can you do to expand your talent pool? Ask your current or new employees if there are former colleagues they would love to have in their team. Of course, they should consider whether these people would fit well within the company. And what if you took a proactive approach and asked these people directly if they would be interested in a career within your company? Explore the possibilities together — who knows where it might lead?
As an HR expert, these tips can help you make significant savings. You not only drastically reduce recruitment costs, but referred candidates also tend to stay much longer in their role. Success!
Nathalie Arteel has been an expert in culture and recognition for more than 25 years. Her mission is to help companies create a positive corporate culture where love, appreciation and top performance go hand in hand. She advises companies such as Telenet, Proximus, Van Moer, Accent, Deloitte and around 150 other leading European brands.
This article was originally published in ZigZagHR (May 2022 edition).
