We believe that our own employees are the best source for finding the best candidates! With our employee referral programme, we aim to attract individuals who are not only professionally suited to our team, but also fit in perfectly on a personal level.
Find out now what makes our programme so special and what advantages it brings for everyone involved when your closest friends and acquaintances become your new colleagues.
Employee referrals: A game changer for our recruitment
An employee referral program is an effective tool for human resources management to find new employees. Our own employees become our most authentic brand ambassadors, confidently recommending their company to friends, acquaintances, or family members as a potential employer.
The process is simple but effective. Ideally, a recommendation leads to an application, and ultimately to a job offer. And best of all: The employee who established the contact is rewarded with an attractive bonus. This is how we work together to build a large, stable referral network within our workforce!
The advantages in a nutshell:
The advantages are obvious for the company as well as for you as an employee and your “buddy”:
- Ideal fit for the corporate culture: We assume that our motivated colleagues know people who have similar talents, skills and values. As our colleagues made a careful selection in the first place, the chances of a good match between us and the applicant are automatically increased. This not only reduces recruitment costs, but also ensures harmonious cooperation.
- A turbocharged start to onboarding: Thanks to the “buddy” who recommended them, new colleagues can quickly and easily familiarise themselves with internal processes and structures. They often know the most important information about the company before they even begin – a real advantage for a quick start.
- Stronger employee loyalty: Experience shows that colleagues who are hired through recommendations often feel more loyal to the company.
Our “Refer a Buddy” programme: A success story
Our HR manager Lorena is thrilled with how our “Refer a Buddy” program has developed since its launch in 2018. The plan to tap into a new recruitment channel that not only attracts more applicants but also particularly suitable ones has paid off.
The program has proven to be very effective, and we have a great ratio of applications to hires through this channel. We have hardly any other recruiting channel with such a high ratio, reports Lorena.
This channel ranks among our top three most effective recruiting channels in terms of conversion—that is, the ratio of applications to hires.
Team structure is particularly important to us. Our colleagues are best placed to assess who shares our corporate values and principles, and therefore increasingly recommend candidates who embody them #RaiseTheTalentBar. This is another reason why our “Refer a Buddy” program is so successful! Naturally, applicants undergo the same standardised application process as everyone else.
Lisa & Nele: How friendship led to the dream job
Employee referrals are a key component of our recruiting success. Find out here how Lisa (online marketing) found her way to us at Kaufland e-commerce through her friend Nele (event management). We asked them both how it all came about:
Nele, how did the recommendation come about?
Lisa and I have known each other for over 10 years. When I heard about a suitable position, I immediately thought of her. Lisa is open-minded, enthusiastic, and a team player with a great sense of humour – I knew she would fit perfectly into our team! I also knew that she appreciated our flexibility, such as the option to work remotely. Lisa also took the initiative: she visited our stand at DMEXCO, gathered information and looked at the job vacancies on our website.
Lisa, what motivated you to apply?
Flexibility was a big plus: the option to work remotely or come into the office whenever I wanted. And because Nele had given me such a good impression, I already had a rough idea of what to expect. This made the application process much easier.
Would you recommend others to use the “Refer a Buddy” programme?
Nele: Absolutely! The bonus is attractive and it is a fantastic way to bring motivated people into the team.
Lisa: It makes joining a new company so much easier because you already know someone and have an idea of what to expect. That takes away a lot of uncertainty and fear.
The story of Nele and Lisa shows that a personal recommendation opens doors, reduces uncertainty, and ensures that talented individuals quickly find their feet and feel at home with us.
Lisa and Nele together at the RheinEnergieSTADION wearing KEC gear
Are you already on board? Then become a talent scout!
Are you already working for us and know someone who would be a perfect fit for one of our open positions and our corporate culture?
Then recommend us as an employer and secure yourself a great bonus if the candidate is successfully hired!
Here’s how simple it is:
- Step 1: Recommend us as an attractive employer.
- Step 2: The applicant selects the option “Friends/acquaintances” in the field “How did you hear about us?” and enters your name in the application form – this is important!
- Step 3: Once your “buddy” has successfully been hired, you will receive your bonus!