How to Identify Value-Driven Employers in the Job Search

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Values are the principles guiding actions and decision-making. Company values not only shape the workplace and culture but the hiring process too – and in turn, your job search. As this turbulent hiring market tests employers and their commitments, jobseekers should understand which companies remain dedicated to their values. 

Three pillars of hiring: equity, efficiency, and transparency

At Hired, we believe the most successful companies are guided by strong employer brand values and fair hiring practices. Our observations of successful companies tell us equity, efficiency, and transparency are key to making hiring better for everyone.

Equity levels the playing field to open opportunities to a diverse range of talent and reduces the wage gap by offering fair pay. Efficiency expresses how streamlined companies are when advancing candidates through the hiring funnel. Transparency refers to how openly companies communicate salaries or salary bands to candidates, as well as insights into the hiring process and expectations. 

On Hired, we find that transparent expectations through detailed jobseeker profiles and openness about jon preferences lead to better matches and is a productive use of both parties’ time.

Why equity, efficiency, and transparency matter to jobseekers

Equity

The challenges of 2023 – economic uncertainty and layoffs to name a few – put DEIB at risk. Some companies scaled back DEIB efforts when budgets shrank. However, the best employers and those who will succeed in 2024 are the ones who continue to prioritize and stay accountable to DEIB initiatives. Forward-thinking companies know that bias-free processes lead to more innovation, higher retention, and better performance. 

Underrepresented jobseekers often face systemic biases and barriers that prevent equitable access to opportunities. This is frustrating and often disheartening, especially as it affects overall career advancement. 

Equitable hiring keeps companies accountable and creates fair and unbiased opportunities for jobseekers to succeed. Equitable companies foster inclusive cultures where employees feel respected, valued, and supported to reach their full potential. They enact policies that provide access to growth opportunities and flexibility so employees thrive personally and professionally. Fair hiring practices speak volumes about the supportive, fulfilling work environment you’d experience as an employee. 

Efficiency

The hiring process is already stressful as is. Jobseekers certainly don’t need an unorganized interview process on top of that. Have you spent time jumping through hoops just to reschedule last minute – or worse, be ghosted entirely? Even experienced talent are facing inefficient, opaque hiring processes that waste time, generate anxiety, and create barriers to career advancement. 

The good news is that companies with efficient hiring processes are out there and they’re fostering positive candidate experiences. An efficient hiring process shows a company respects jobseekers’ time, has an organized culture, and uses best practices to facilitate skills-based hiring.

The companies that streamline their processes value your time and energy. When you experience an organized, fast, and respectful interview process, you know that culture carries through the entire company. Consider an efficient hiring process a first look into:

  • Work culture
  • How organized a company is
  • How decisions are made
  • What working cross-functionally is like

Transparency

Talking about money shouldn’t be uncomfortable – especially when it’s employers discussing salaries with candidates. Luckily, 2023 brought meaningful progress in salary transparency, thanks to laws enacted across the country. 

Salary transparency leads to fair, equitable pay and informed negotiations. This fosters trust and advocates for merit-based recognition. Open compensation practices empower employees through insight into growth trajectories and ensure they are valued competitively. 

Many companies are now publicly sharing salary ranges for open roles, which empowers jobseekers to advocate for fair pay. When candidates know where they stand, they can confidently step into a role that recognizes their worth. Plus, companies that post salary ranges and openly discuss compensation philosophies are more likely to pay employees fairly, award merit and advancement, and eliminate wage gaps.

How to evaluate an employer’s commitment to these values

Ideally, every company will embody equity, efficiency, and transparency in their actions and not just words. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. The hiring process and day-to-day culture may not reflect what’s outlined on the company website. So how can jobseekers assess how committed employers really are to these values? 

Signals to look for from employers

To find out whether an employer is equitable: 

  • Listen for specific, detailed responses from an interviewer to equity-related questions. Can they give examples of what they’re doing to drive DEIB forward? 
  • Research company policies on DEIB, their track record in hiring and promoting diverse candidates, and initiatives to support a diverse workforce
  • Take the details into account: How serious are they about representation? Are you only being interviewed by white men? Are you interviewed by women but realize they’re the only ones at the company?
  • Read company reviews online to get a feel for their current/former employees’ thoughts on equity
  • Review if they have won awards, are involved with charitable giving, or have employee resource groups

To get a feel for how efficient an employer is, look for these cues: 

  • A clear and concise interview structure
  • Prompt follow-ups and responses
  • Well-organized communication from the company
  • No last-minute cancellations or rescheduling
  • An interview panel that is up to speed and doesn’t waste time
  • Clear information is provided about the role and company 
  • Instead of ghosting, they communicate clearly and honestly (and don’t leave you waiting indefinitely!) 

To understand how an employer values transparency: 

  • Observe whether they share salaries or salary bands
  • Evaluate their openness (or lack thereof) to negotiation
  • Research industry standards (try Hired’s Salary Calculator!)
  • Inquire about the company’s compensation philosophy in the interview process
  • When evaluating an offer, consider the entire compensation package beyond just salary, including benefits and bonuses
  • Research the company’s reputation regarding employee satisfaction and fair compensation
  • Research news articles, funding announcements, yearly revenue growth/declines, stock filings, quarterly reports, and layoffs

How to ask about company values in interviews

To inquire about equity you might ask: 

  • “How do you ensure fair and unbiased hiring decisions?”
  • “How do you support employees of different backgrounds in their career advancement,?”
  • “How do you accommodate different needs and work styles in your team?”
  • “What is the company’s approach to work-life balance and flexible working arrangements?”
  • “Does your company offer equitable career progression opportunities for growth of employees with varying backgrounds within the same role?”
  • “Do you think the career advancement policies of the company are fair for all, regardless of their background?”

To inquire about efficiency you might ask: 

  • “What is the company’s approach to decision-making and project management?”
  • “How do you ensure effective communication among teams?”
  • “What systems and tools are in place for tracking progress and accountability in projects?”
  • “How does the company handle deadlines and time-sensitive projects?”
  • “Can you provide an example of how a typical project is managed from start to finish?”
  • “What will the interview process entail and what is the expected timeline?”
  • “Where would efficiency rank in terms of importance for tasks?”

To inquire about transparency you might ask:  

  • “What is this company’s compensation philosophy?”
  • “How is the salary for this role determined, and how often is it reviewed?”
  • “Are there opportunities for bonuses or performance-based increases?”
  • “What are the KPIs that would impact my compensation?”
  • “How does the company ensure equitable pay practices across all levels?”
  • “How is the company communicating to its employees regarding company goals, progression to them, shifts in team structures, and market trends?” 
  • “How often are company-wide meetings?”

Top tech employers exemplifying equity, efficiency, and transparency

Which companies walk the walk when it comes to these values? We crunched the data and are sharing which companies (many of which are actively hiring!) ranked the highest across each value:

Note: 

  • Small businesses include companies with 1-299 employees
  • Medium businesses include companies with 300-9,999 employees 
  • Enterprise businesses include companies with 10,000+ employees

Equity

North American Small Businesses

  1. Hazel Health
  2. Parachute Health
  3. Cogility 

North American Medium Businesses

  1. Beyond Finance
  2. Veho 
  3. Lattice

North American Enterprise Businesses

  1. Yum! Brands
  2. Acuity Brands
  3. Workday

UK Businesses

  1. ITV 
  2. Zopa
  3. Beamery

Efficiency 

North American Small Businesses

  1. Butter Payments
  2. Parachute Health
  3. Babylist

North American Medium Businesses

  1. Chegg
  2. Capital Rx
  3. One Medical

North American Enterprise Businesses

  1. NBCUniversal
  2. Carvana
  3. Yum! Brands

UK Businesses

  1. Zopa
  2. Hopin
  3. Education First

Transparency

North American Small Businesses

  1. Babylist
  2. Firstup
  3. Nacelle

North American Medium Businesses

  1. 2U
  2. Hudl
  3. Beyond Finance

North American Enterprise Businesses

  1. iHeartMedia
  2. Carvana
  3. Yum! Brands

UK Businesses

  1. Focaldata
  2. ITV 
  3. Ticketmaster

Hired has specific features to help amplify companies with these values. Check out some of the features we’ve developed based on data and insights to reduce bias.

Methodology 

For each core value, our data team produced a sub-score based on the average across the individual metrics. From there, a weighted average across those sub-scores produced the final combined score, which was then used to determine the company rankings. Get more details on the methodology here.