Dutch drugstore chain invites teens to bring their BFF when applying for after-school jobs
After struggling to attract enough teenagers to stock shelves and price goods, Dutch drugstore chain Kruidvat reimagined the application process for after-school jobs. Recognizing that first-time job interviews can be intimidating, the company now encourages teens to apply together under its apply with your bestie initiative. Friends, cousins, neighbors — after responding to an opening as a team, young job seekers are also interviewed jointly, making the experience less daunting and more fun.
If the BFFs are hired, store managers do their best to schedule them to work the same shifts. Additionally, the AS Watson-owned brand has streamlined its process by allowing candidates to apply via WhatsApp, promising to connect applicants with a recruiter and a nearby store within 24 hours. Kruidvat has also simplified employee contracts. For part-time positions under 12 hours per week, it condensed a previously lengthy document to a single sheet of paper.
Kruidvat started allowing friends to apply together in 2022. Following positive feedback from employees and store managers, it recently launched an extensive marketing campaign spotlighting the option, which saw the number of applications by twosomes jump by 83%.
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The friend-based hiring model could be a powerful tool for reducing turnover, too. When employees are socially invested in their workplace, they're likely to stay longer. Would your brand benefit from allowing friends to apply and work together? Or how else could you create socially sticky micro-communities within your workforce to fill positions and boost employee retention?
