93% of Danish candidates believe employer reputation is important when considering a new role .
Comparatively, only 38% of international candidates feel the same.
The World Bank calls Denmark No. 1 in Europe and No. 4 in the world forease of doing business. It also boasts a strong social welfare network. This coupled with it being an excellent place to do business has led to a dynamic and increasingly international market which shows little sign of slowing up.For Danish law firms it has resulted in a shift in their client profile and the challenges that they face.
Looking at Anzurra’s core markets, foreign investors have entered the Danish real estate sector heavily in recent in years. Although more evenly distributed last year, 2017 saw foreign investments exceed that of its Danish counterparts for the first time. In the construction sector we’ve seen recentversions of local AB* contract now being influenced by international forms of contract including FIDIC. Renewable energy in Denmark is very much an international environment by its nature. With over 40 years of ambitious energy policies, Denmark is undoubtedly a leader in this space. It’s ambition to be come carbon neutral by 2050 inspires many countries, companies and people around the world.
From the country that brought us ‘hygge’ to its reputation for work-life balance and the ‘happiest nation in the world’, Denmark is so much more than just a local market, particularly when it comes to talent acquisition and management. The global nature of business for Danish law firms has lead to them needing to identify foreign talent. This is particularly evident within construction and renewable energy. But how far are companies going to distinguish between local and international talent, and through a diverse and inclusive business model, are they building hiring structures tailored towards a modern meritocracy where everyone performs and everyone belongs? This includes creating an environment for ALL to succeed.
In the highly competitive legal market, having a streamlined and tailored hiring process, is key to successful talent acquisition. What an employee wants from a job and what they want from an employer are not the same.Understanding the difference is key. This is the same when attracting talentfrom different demographics. We’ve seen from the results of a recent survey by Anzurra that the gender gap is very much as real as the staggering difference between females and males in their opinion on whether gender diversity is at all an issue – 65% of females believe there is an issue compared to 62% of males believing there is no issue or are unaware of any issue. The difference is as stark between local and international candidates when considering how important employer reputation is when hiring:
• 93% of Danish candidates believe it is important
• 38% of International candidates believe it is important
This in some part could be down to international candidates having less understanding or visibility of local company reputation, therefore, they place importance on other factors. That 63% of international candidates value client base cases and practice area reputation the most, this may go some way towards confirming this belief. Comparatively, 57% of local candidates value career progression and work-life balance over anything else.
The results, of course, pose many questions. How far are companies going to assess their reputation and perception in the market? How committed are they to providing a meritocratic working environment? How tailored is their approach based on their requirements?
Certainly, from our experience it is clear that how law firms want to be perceived in the market, versus how they behave, are not always aligned.Unintentional or not, it is often not clear to the outside world what makes a firm the firm it is.
Clear messaging, tailored hiring campaigns and avoiding being ‘beige’are all key. Do not be one-for-many be one-for-one. It will be the quickest andmost efficient way to attract not just the best talent that you are aware of,but the best talent in both the local and international market.
Anzurra - Denmark's Leading Legal Executive Search Firm - Committed to Improving Companies Through Hiring the Best and Most Diverse Talent in the Market. For more information contact us on +45 32 74 15 97 or at hello@anzurra.com
