DNV : agility is key in appealing to young professionals during pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, it asked DNV one very important question – despite their size and long, rich history, could they be agile enough to change quickly and remain attractive to young professionals?
Key Points:
- Agility vital when deciding how to continue with recruitment in a changing landscape
- Creative use of technology kept employees on board
- No shortcuts when building a solid, attractive employer brand
DNV (Det Norske Veritas) was established in Norway in 1864, GL (Germanischer Lloyd) in Germany in 1867 – they merged in 2013. Effective from 1 March 2021, the company changed its name from DNV GL to DNV. DNV's business operations cover a broad range of sectors, from oil and gas and the maritime industry to electric grids and renewable energy. Their purpose today is the same as it was in 1864 – to safeguard life, property and the environment.
The importance of a sustainable brand
Though that purpose has remained constant, the world has changed a lot over the years and DNV understand the importance of building a brand that is sustainable over time when it comes to attracting the young professionals that are so sought-after on the market.
Never was this more important than during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when organisations were forced to adapt quickly – and that included their continued efforts to attract new talent. Companies with a history and tradition as long as DNV's can often find change difficult and slow, but as a prospective employer they moved quickly to stay ahead of the curve. This hands-on approach to continuous improvement paid off handsomely.
The annual Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI) for 2020 found that building a rock-sold brand as an employer keeps companies relevant when tomorrow’s workforce is eyeing up potential places to start their careers.
“There are no shortcuts to earning a reputation as a good employer among young professionals. We build it brick by brick, and a good starting point is to offer interesting job opportunities and hire good people over time,”
Håkon Svebak, manager for sponsorships and employer branding.
Almost 80 percent of the Norwegian respondents in YPAI 2020 said that having nice colleagues and good work environment was important to them when it came to choosing an employer, and that was one of the big challenges faced by every company in the past year.
“When the pandemic hit Norway in March, we were well-placed to be able to reach our target groups digitally, and that has proved to be very valuable in a year which has been very different from what many of us had envisioned. This has been an exciting and educational challenge where we have seen the benefit of the creative use of video, competitions, puzzles and open communication in social media. It is entirely possible to engage with the target group digitally, even if it Is different from doing so physically.”
Kristina Dahlberg, employer branding specialist
Digitalisation may have made it easier to keep in touch with prospective and new recruits, but again there are no shortcuts when it comes to onboarding new staff and ensuring that they were both happy and productive as they worked from home.
“As an example, 17 recent graduates started with us in August 2020, and naturally they got a somewhat different onboarding,” Håkon explains. “Luckily, we have a lot of very good managers who have ensured that they make sure the little things have worked – informal meetings during the working day, morning coffees, a low bar when it comes to calling each other. We might not be able to meet physically, so we have to do the best we can to recreate the great social atmosphere that DNV is well known for,” he adds.
Environment and sustainability are important for young professionals
Another clear trend among young professionals is their strong desire to work for an employer who makes a difference in areas like climate change and sustainability. All of this painstaking work adds value to the DNV employer brand and gives them the flexibility to act quickly and flexibly when they need to acquire new talent.
“We supplement our reputation with campaigns in relevant media and social media, and we try to explain why it makes sense to work with us. We try to convey information about what we do and what competences we need,” says Kristina.
Over 150 years of experience has taught them a lot about the kind of people they are looking for.
“An important point is that we let the target group come to the conclusion themselves – that we are an employer that they want to have on their radar,” says Kristina.
About DNV
- DNV was established in Norway in 1864, GL in Germany in 1867 – they merged in 2013. Effective from 1 March 2021, the company changed its name from DNV GL to DNV
- Over 12 000 employees from 116 different nationalities are working in 100 countries around the globe
- 87 percent of employees are educated to PhD, Master or Bachelor degree levels
- DNV GL is 100 percent owned by Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas and DNV invests 5 percent of the annual revenue in research and innovation every year
- Recorded revenues of 21,551 million Norwegian crowns in 2019
An Academic Work reflection
A challenge that many employers have faced for the first time in the past year is introducing new employees without physically meeting them. There is a lot to be gained from establishing a comprehensive digital onboarding process, company culture and working environment. It’s not just about getting through a pandemic – it's about making the most of the new experiences we have in the past year to develop our organizations and improve our employer offer in the long term. Those who manage to develop their digital offering and remote leadership create the conditions for recruiting competence from all over the world, without being dependent on a person moving to a certain place. In turn, this reduces the need for long and often unnecessary journeys for employees. Young professionals see this as a positive development – in YPAI 2020 they have told us that they value flexibility and engagement in the climate issue more than ever before.
