Three Things That Persuade Blue-Collar Workers To Say Yes To A Job Offer

Based on a survey by LANDED

Getting a qualified candidate to find your job listing, apply, and make it to an interview is an excellent start. But how do you close the deal? When so many restaurants, stores, and hotels are hiring, how do you convince a job applicant to choose your company over another one? 

A 2022 survey by LANDED explored just that. More than 1,000 hourly workers were asked what makes them most likely to say yes to a job offer. Here’s what they said they value the most. 

1. Flexible Scheduling

First, in the top spot, was flexible scheduling—with 67% of respondents listing this option in their top three things that might get them to say yes to a job offer.

Today’s world is increasingly complex, and job applicants know it. They hope to work for an employer who will understand that they have lives and obligations outside of work—elderly parents, the occasional illness, and kids who need to be picked up before daycare closes.  

Many employers are using tech tools that help employees self-schedule or swap shifts last minute. Some companies offer split shifts, giving workers a wide window of open daytime hours, or they adjust scheduling to allow employees to work a full-time schedule over four days instead of five. 

2. Signing Bonus

Sitting just behind flexible scheduling was a signing bonus. 59% of survey respondents listed this option in their top three. 

Sometimes called a sign-on bonus or a hiring bonus, a signing bonus is a way of attracting top talent in a tough market. Most signing bonuses for blue-collar workers start at $250 or $500 and then rise to $1,000 to $1,500 or more. 

A hiring bonus is sometimes paid out all at once and sometimes is paid out in intervals over the first few months of employment. 

Either way, the goal is to get the worker in the door. Then the new employee will see all of the other things that make the company a great place to work: top-notch culture and supportive managerial staff, for example.

3. On-the-Spot Job Offer

Finally, 45% of respondents listed an on-the-spot job offer in their top three reasons for saying yes to a job offer. 

What makes a right-here, right-now offer so enticing? 

Well, the LANDED survey also found that 70% of blue-collar workers have at least once applied for a job and never heard back from the employer at all. In other words, most blue-collar workers have invested time and energy into the job search process—and then gotten ghosted. 

An on-the-spot job offer says, “Hey, we like you. This is for real. Let’s do this.” 

Put the job offer out there, but keep the pressure low. Give the candidate some time to think and discuss with his or her family. 

“Yes” Is More

Sourcing and interviewing the best candidates takes you most of the way there. Then think about what workers are looking for in a right-fit company. With a thoughtful, well-timed job offer, you’ll hear more acceptances and fill more openings, keeping your company running smoothly. 

Vivian Wang is the Founder & CEO of LANDED. She and the LANDED team are building the fastest way for the 90M hourly workers in the US to land jobs at essential restaurant and hospitality like Panera, Cava, Chick-fil-A & more. After graduating from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, Vivian worked in roles ranging from advising European central banks on financial markets strategy at BlackRock and launching the Asia & EMEA markets at real estate tech company, Matterport (NASDAQ: MTTR), to leading special projects for the C-suite at Gap, Inc., owner of Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta, and Intermix.  Connect Vivian Wang