The Employer Partner is the most prestigious regional certificate for excellence in HR, awarded by SELECTIO Group, the largest Croatian consultancy group specializing in human resources. Over 19 years, the project has conducted 20,000 evaluations of HR systems in companies across nearly all industries, giving the certification teams of SELECTIO Group in-depth insights into all types of organizations. Through this project, excellent workplaces built on high-quality human resources management are promoted, with some of Croatia’s largest employers being certificate holders.
Do candidates prefer employers with the Employer Partner certificate?
The Employer Partner certificate has strengthened the employer brands that hold it by accelerating the adoption of desirable HR practices in the Croatian market. Many employers use this independent confirmation of quality in HR management to attract new talents who value organizations with high-quality internal processes. Candidates pay attention to various benefits offered by employers, and the business and HR communities have noticed that candidates have significantly higher expectations and clearer demands from potential employers in recent years.
The Employer Partner label signifies the quality of the entire HR system. Using the Employer Partner label in a job advertisement on MojPosao will signal to candidates that the company is an excellent employer that continuously invests in HR development, aiming to meet the needs of both the company and its employees. Indeed, 90% of certificate holders confirmed that the Employer Partner certificate increases candidate interest and enhances the company’s recognition among job seekers.
What matters to candidates?
To analyze the labour market, Alma Career Croatia, an international company best known for the MojPosao brand, conducted a survey on 6,000 employees. The research showed that when choosing a workplace, employees consider factors such as salary, interpersonal relationships, working hours, and opportunities for learning and development.
Similar findings were reported in a survey conducted by SELECTIO Group. Based on organizational climate and employee engagement surveys involving 50,000 employees, SELECTIO HR consultants concluded that employees seek a work environment that provides a sense of purpose, growth, and security. At the top of the list of predictors of employee engagement are well-being, opportunities for learning and development, and chances for promotion.
Employees care about the organizational culture of the company they plan to join, as well as interpersonal relationships. Alongside material benefits, candidates increasingly expect non-material benefits, valuing a healthy work environment and management that strives to build a culture of satisfied employees. Among material benefits, Employer Partner certificate holders have noted that Christmas bonuses and performance-related bonuses have the greatest effect on retaining and motivating employees. Among non-material benefits, the option to work from home stands out.
Employers competing for new talent
In the race to attract new talent, employers are introducing an ever-broader range of benefits, which they clearly communicate in job advertisements. As MojPosao is the most visited job search portal in Croatia, most employers invest in showcasing their companies and employer branding through this channel. Therefore, the Employer Partner label is displayed in job advertisements of companies that have earned the title of excellent employers, demonstrating their commitment to continuous and serious investment in employee development and retention.
These employers also recognize the importance of personalized benefits and mental health support. By integrating well-being programs into their strategies, they achieve a competitive advantage in the battle for talent. Therefore, over 71% of Employer Partner certificate holders offer free or subsidized psychological counselling.
An example of a program providing professional psychological support to employees and enhancing their mental health is Future Resilience. This well-being program is increasingly chosen by organizations prioritizing employee health. In less than four years, more than 260 well-being workshops have been conducted through the program for over 8,000 employees. As many as 97% of participants stated that the program helped them strengthen their resilience and better balance their personal and professional lives. Companies often highlight this benefit in their job advertisements by showcasing the Future Resilience certificate.
The most prestigious group of employers
Employees in companies holding the Employer Partner certificate are, on average, more satisfied with their benefit packages. These companies also have an above-average number of formal mentoring programs, as well as internal and external training opportunities. Therefore, it is beneficial to highlight to candidates in advance the benefits and development opportunities awaiting them in a new workplace.
In addition to the Employer Partner certificate, the Above and Beyond attests to the quality of the workplace. The most successful organizations in Croatia, ranking in the top 10% of all certified organizations in the region have this certificate. Holders of the Employer Partner certificate continually demonstrate excellence in attracting talent, developing and motivating employees, managing change, retaining staff, and fostering employee well-being. To earn the Above and Beyond certificate, companies had to prove excellence in additional categories that distinguish them from other organizations. Thus, companies holding the Above and Beyond certificate are synonymous with brave, bold, and truly above and beyond HR practices.
Promoting high-quality HR management simultaneously promotes a work environment where employees feel they can achieve their potential. This is why the Employer Partner certificate is one of the most recognizable “signals” candidates consider when choosing an employer.
