Goodbye corporate catfishing 👋 why transparency wins in the hiring process

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This week, I’m tackling a growing issue in the job market: corporate catfishing. It’s a term that describes companies presenting a polished, idealised image to attract candidates, only for the reality of working there to be quite different. Transparency is essential if you want to attract and retain the right talent. In this edition, I’ll be talking about the importance of workplace transparency, how it builds trust with potential employees, and how platforms like The Work Index can help you authentically showcase your company’s true culture and values.

In this newsletter, we'll cover:

📊 Graph of the week: Companies with higher transparency rankings see a 1.3x boost in company saves

🔍 Why we need to stop corporate catfishing 

✨Introducing The Work Index 🪞The power of transparency in building your employer brand

🚀 Missions matter: Why having a clear purpose is crucial

💼 Spotlight on: Best mission-led companies 🌟 Your last chance to nominate a Future of Work Pioneer!

📊 Graph of the week: Companies with higher transparency rankings see a 1.3x boost in company saves

Companies with transparency rankings of 9.4 on The Work Index or higher see a 1.3x boost in company saves compared to those with a ranking of 8.4 or below. 

When a company is transparent about its Employee Value Proposition (EVP), it becomes more attractive to potential candidates. Job seekers want to know what the company stands for—its culture, benefits, values, and career opportunities—so they can make informed decisions about where they want to work. Transparency builds trust, showing candidates that the company is genuine and upfront, which leads to a stronger alignment between what employees expect and what the company offers.

This transparency also gives companies a competitive edge by helping them attract talent who resonate with their mission and values. Candidates who feel aligned are more likely to apply and stay long-term, improving retention rates and overall engagement. In a job market where top talent looks for honesty and inclusivity, being open about your EVP allows companies to stand out and appeal to a broader, more diverse range of candidates.

🎣 Why we need to stop corporate catfishing

22% of people have been misled during their job hunting process. That's nearly a quarter of job seekers who've fallen victim to corporate catfishing. 

The most common areas of misrepresentation?

1. Working environment
2. Progression opportunities
3. Company culture

Imagine joining a company thinking you'll have the freedom to work how you see fit, only to find yourself micromanaged at every turn. Or being told you’re on track to a five year plan, to end up stuck in the same role with no opportunities. 

This deception doesn't just frustrate candidates—it's terrible for companies too. It leads to:

• Low offer acceptance rates
• Inefficient hiring processes
• Damaged employer brand
• High levels of attrition

The whole hiring process becomes a mess of misaligned expectations and wasted time. It's clear that we need a better way of doing things. 

✨ Introducing The Work Index

The Work Index is a comprehensive list of companies and everything candidates need to know about working for them. We created it to put an end to corporate catfishing and give companies a chance to shine through transparency. With job seekers spending an average of 1.8 hours daily researching potential employers, standing out as a company ranked highly for transparency can be a game-changer. 

The Work Index provides a snapshot of companies, including how open they are about their work environment. This is more than just a ranking—it’s an opportunity to build trust, attract top-tier talent, and demonstrate a commitment to authenticity in a crowded job market.

🪞How do we calculate our Transparency Scores?

To achieve a high transparency ranking, it's important to provide comprehensive information about your work environment. While we scrape publicly available data to give companies a base score of up to 6 out of 10, there are opportunities to boost this. By claiming and updating your company profile, you can add up to 1.5 additional points. All Flexa-verified companies, for example, achieve a score of 7.5 or higher. This is due to additional steps such as employee verification, completing our EVP quiz, and posting regularly on the live feed. By being proactive in sharing your company's culture and work practices, you can not only improve your ranking but also attract top-tier talent looking for transparency.

Check out your Transparency Score on The Work Index. 

💼 How companies use The Work Index for better hiring

Ready to stop the catfishing and start building genuine connections with candidates? Here's how you can use The Work Index:

1. Claim your company page: Make sure all the information is correct by adding detailed, accurate information about your workplace.
2. Showcase your culture: Use the platform to highlight what makes your company unique—from your flexible working policies to your career development opportunities.
3. Use data for improvement: The insights from The Work Index can help you identify areas where your EVP might be falling short, allowing you to make meaningful improvements.
4. Attract aligned talent: By being transparent, you'll naturally attract candidates who are excited about what you truly offer, not what they imagine you might offer.

The power of transparency in building your employer brand

So why exactly is transparency so important? 

In reality it's your most powerful tool for attracting top talent. Here's why:

1. Trust building: When you're upfront about both the perks and challenges of working at your company, you build trust from day one.
2. Better fit: Transparency helps candidates self-select. Those who align with your true culture are more likely to apply and stick around.
3. Reduced turnover: When expectations match reality, new hires are less likely to experience that "I've made a huge mistake" moment three months in.
4. Competitive advantage: In a sea of vague promises, specific, verifiable claims about your workplace stand out.

Remember, your goal isn't to appeal to everyone—it's to appeal to the right people who will thrive in your unique environment.

✨ Missions matter: why having a clear purpose is crucial

Now, let's talk about something that's become increasingly important to candidates: a clear company mission.

A mission is more than just a fancy statement on your website. It's the north star that guides your company's decisions and gives employees a sense of purpose. In an era where people are seeking meaning in their work, a compelling mission can be a major differentiator.

Why missions matter:

1. They attract purpose-driven talent: Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, want to work for companies that stand for something. According to a Deloitte survey Six in 10 Gen Zs (61%) and millennials (58%) believe they have the power to drive change within their organisations.

2. They drive engagement: Employees who believe in their company's mission are more motivated and productive.

3. They provide clarity: A clear mission helps everyone in the organisation make better decisions aligned with the company's goals.

4. They build brand loyalty: Customers are increasingly supporting companies whose missions resonate with their values.

When crafting or refining your mission, remember:

• Keep it simple and memorable
• Make it actionable
• Ensure it's authentic to your company's values
• Revisit and refine it as your company evolves

Best mission-led companies in 2024

Let's look at some companies that are nailing it when it comes to mission-driven cultures:

At Flexa, we value employee voices to ensure true inclusivity. During our Flexification process, we ask employees to rate their workplace on important areas like culture and mission alignment. One key question is, "Do you feel excited about what the company is trying to achieve?" The answers are scored out of 100. The companies featured in this list all have an average score of 90% and above for how employees feel about their mission. 

• Cool Farm
• CoppaFeel
• Butternut Box
• Elvie
• Circle
• Collins Property Recruitment
• Flashpack
• WorkFlex
• Picnic
• Storyblok

Spotlight on StoryBlok’s mission

StoryBlok is on a mission to pioneer the future of content management, removing barriers between developer and marketing teams by offering an intuitive, scalable, and intelligent platform to deliver digital experiences from idea to success. Here VP of People & Organization, Marisa Pereira explains more about how their mission began. 

"Our leadership team first drafted our vision and then our mission was born from a deep understanding of who we are and where we want to go. It’s important because it defines our company’s purpose, guiding our decision-making and direction. It is what will help you accomplish our vision. Having a mission-driven focus matters because it helps everyone at Storyblok align with our purpose. It helps everyone focus on where we need to deliver maximum value and maximum impact.”

You can find out more about working for Storyblok here.

Spotlight on WorkFlex’s mission

How did you start your mission?

Our mission at WorkFlex emerged in 2021, right in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it became clear that the way we work was changing forever. With the rise of compliance questions and the needs of a diverse workforce, we set out to create a solution that simplifies work arrangements and empowers everyone to succeed.

Why is it so important?

It is super important because it guides everything we do. As businesses expand globally and employees look for more flexibility, we aim to provide a smooth and scalable solution for compliance. This helps companies avoid unnecessary costs and stay on track without the usual headaches, benefiting both employees and employers.

Why does having a mission-driven focus matters?

A mission-driven focus really brings our team together and inspires fresh ideas. This positive culture encourages everyone to work toward shared goals, resulting in better outcomes for our employees and the companies we support. With our clear purpose, we can confidently navigate the ever-changing workplace landscape together.

You can find out more about working for WorkFlex here.

🌟 Your last chance to nominate a Future of Work Pioneer! 🌟

Do you know someone that's pushing boundaries and redefining what the future of work looks like? We want to hear about them! Flexa is on the lookout for innovative organisations and individuals who are pioneering new ways of working—whether it's through flexibility, inclusive cultures, or forward-thinking employee benefits.

Nominate your Future of Work Pioneer today and help us recognise those who are leading the charge in shaping the future of work for the better!

Simply fill out the nomination form and share why you believe they deserve this recognition.

Nominate a pioneer here.