Tips on How Social Enterprises Can Be Better at Attracting Talent

The concept of social enterprises has gained incredible traction across the globe especially during the last decade. Whilst it has gained popularity there also seems to be significant differences in opinion on 'what a social enterprise is and what it is supposed to do'?. Often there are misconceptions that social enterprises are involved in only charitable work and are not necessarily run as proper businesses with the motive of making financial returns. It can be argued that the truth cannot be more different to this notion. Actually social enterprises are indeed proper businesses with the intention of making financial returns. However, that is not their sole motive. In other words they are driven by creating a positive 'Impact' to the society and environment. To put it simply without financial returns no social enterprise can survive but it is the operational philosophy that makes them different to conventional enterprises. Every social enterprise regardless of the industry or territory they operate needs to recruit talent. The talent requirement will differ based on the stage of the enterprise, market opportunity and existing competencies within the enterprise. There is much evidence to suggest that due to most people not understanding what a social enterprise is all about...there is often apprehension or reluctance to apply or join such enterprises. Potential recruits often have perceptions that social enterprises will pay less, they operate like NGO's, the work is not challenging and low career growth prospects etc. In reality this is not the case and social enterprises not only provide some lucrative career prospects but also emotional fulfillment of working for an enterprise that creates a positive impact. Since recruiting the right talent is seen as a challenge for social enterprises, given below are 4 tips that can be useful for social entrepreneurs in their pursuit to attract and hire the right talent.

1. Make people aware of your 'story' - It is important that potential talent understand the story behind your enterprise. Put in a lot of emphasis to explain and highlight the impact your creating on a day to day basis. Prospective candidates need to feel that they are not just applying for a typical 8am -5pm job but being part of an enterprise that creates positive impact to the society and environment. The 'story' of the enterprise needs to be exemplified in the job advertisements, company website (careers page) and if using head hunting companies then they need to be clearly briefed as well. 
2. Create clear & articulate job descriptions - A clear and on point job description which outlines the role, responsibilities and how it helps the overall mission and vision in creating an impact sans any ambiguity is extremely important. Avoid unnecessary words, statements and details which may confuse the prospective talent/candidates. The key is to prepare job descriptions that help people understand their deliverables and expectations.
3. Be committed to the hiring process - As a social entrepreneur or a senior leader in a social enterprise you would be best placed to understand the business, market trends, competitor activities and future requirements of the enterprise. Hence, if you need to hire the best talent it is imperative to get involved in the process from the start. To attract the right talent for your social enterprise, it is essential to passionately exemplify the strengths of the enterprise, what makes it different from the others, how you treat the most important asset of the enterprise (people) and importantly how you are changing the world through your enterprise by creating positive impact. Arguably no one can explain these aspects better to a prospective candidate that a founder or a very senior leadership member. Founders or social entrepreneurs can also understand what motivates a prospective candidate when talking and interviewing them. It therefore, gives a good opportunity to gauge if there is proper chemistry between both parties. Hence, it is critical to be committed to the hiring process if you want to successfully attract talent.  
4. Outline what 'is it in for them' (prospective talent) - Just an inspirational story or a clear job description will not be sufficient to attract and convince talent to join a social enterprise. You need to be mindful of the financial and non financial rewards that can be offered to the right candidate. It is important to understand the candidates concerns, lifestyle and aspirations when designing an offer. Be willing to go beyond ceilings/caps you may have for the right candidate. Always remember that as a social enterprise you may be one step behind in the game of recruiting talent compared to more established, conventional enterprises. This does not mean that you offer something beyond what the enterprise can support/afford. However, the right candidate with the right attitude will definitely open up more avenues to improve your enterprise and recover any out of budget costs involved in recruitment process in a relatively short period of time. 

As mentioned earlier employees are the most import asset for any enterprise. Hiring and recruiting the right team members are therefore crucial for the success of any enterprise and this is no different to social enterprises. Hiring the right talent may seem challenging for any social enterprise but it is important that founders and social entrepreneurs tackle these challenges effectively with passion and commitment if they are to ensure the success and impact as envisaged by the enterprise.