>Greater Thought worked with Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS) to rethink their workforce recruitment approach. Shifting the focus to be person-centered and placing emphasis on the needs of the applicant rather than the needs of the organization, >Greater Thought developed a marketing campaign and a process that took the form of an internal training playbook to provide candidates the best experience possible as they navigate their job search with PHS.
Industry trends in advertising targeted at recruiting workers felt sterile and repetitive, with similar imagery and predictable messaging. It often depicted workers providing care, reflecting contrived scenarios rather than who they were as individuals. PHS saw a need to differentiate — making a conscious choice to speak to people’s inner purpose and their desire to make a difference in their work. This gave way to the YOU campaign — an approach with messaging that talked directly to the reader, eliminating things that boasted about the company with terms like “we,” “us,” and “our” and replacing them with “you” and “yours.” As “YOU” became a larger part of the message, it also inspired the voice and tone of the campaign.
By developing several personas of potential workers in healthcare, direct care, and culinary roles as a framework, the marketing campaign was recentered around the needs and desires of the candidates. By projecting tones of a welcoming, safe, stable, secure, and inclusive environment, recruitment and turnover, which can be challenging in the healthcare industry, are intended to transform perspectives and communicate the company’s intent of being the employer of choice amongst the workforce. Layer on a deliberate approach to diversity and everyday-looking people, and we suddenly are reflecting what PHS’ workforce actually looks like — a company where more than 60% of their workforce are female more than 1/3 self-identify as a minority, and more than 80% of leadership move up into their roles.
Alongside the advertisements for the marketing campaign, >GT developed an internal facing playbook for HR on how to create the best experience possible for candidates. This playbook included:
By understanding the needs of the candidates and demonstrating the right environment in the campaign, PHS hopes to propel themselves and their teams into their future as a great place to work with purpose.