February 22, 2023

Stand Out from the Crowd: Build a Strong Employer Brand

Employer brand is defined as the way an organisation is perceived as an employer by job seekers, employees, and the general public. It encompasses the image, reputation, and overall impression that the organisation projects to the world in terms of being an attractive workplace.

Build an Employer Brand

A Strong Employer Brand: Why Does It Matter

A strong employer brand

In today's noisy and crowded environment, being perceived positively by the masses is more important than ever for staying relevant. Having a positive public image is particularly important for attracting the best candidates. In this competitive job market, neglecting your reputation can be costly and may result in missed opportunities to recruit and retain top talent. In addition, it has several other benefits that are mentioned below.

Attracts and Retains Top Talent

Today, top talent has very many options when it comes to choosing an employer. A strong employer brand helps organisations stand out and attract the best candidates. It also helps in retaining current employees by building loyalty, engagement, and a sense of pride in the organisation.

Enhances Organisation's Reputation

Organisation Reputation

Building a strong and positive employer brand can have a significant impact on an organization's reputation beyond its status as an employer. By building a strong employer brand, companies can also gain trust and confidence from a wide range of stakeholders such as customers, investors, and others. This can result in an overall improvement of the organisation's reputation as a whole.

Increases Productivity and Performance

A strong employer brand can lead to engaged, productive, and motivated employees, as it fosters a positive work environment and culture that values employee satisfaction. This can result in a motivated workforce that is more likely to deliver high levels of performance.

Saves Costs

A strong employer brand can help organizations save costs in multiple ways, including reducing recruitment costs by attracting top talent and avoiding expenses related to turnover, such as recruitment, training, and lost productivity. Ultimately, a strong employer brand can help organizations save money and resources that would otherwise be spent on these costs.

Gives Competitive Advantage

A strong employer brand can be a distinguishing factor that sets an organisation apart from its competitors in a crowded marketplace. It can provide a competitive advantage by making the organisation more attractive to top talent, which can help with both recruitment and retention efforts.

Employer Brand vs. Employee Brand: What's the Difference?

Employer Brand vs. Employee Brand

The employer brand represents how an organisation is perceived by people outside the company, such as job seekers and the general public, while the employee brand reflects the perception of the organisation by its current employees, representing an internal perspective.

While it is important to maintain a strong employer brand for landing top talent, not working on retaining your employees can be detrimental. Maintaining a strong employee brand helps in keeping your talent over the years. Retaining employees is important as replacing them is expensive and time-taking.

Employer Branding vs. Corporate Branding

Employer Brand vs Corporate Brand

The main goal of employer branding (also referred to as employment branding) is to attract, recruit, and onboard new employees and work on retaining current employees. On the other hand, corporate branding focuses on building a strong product brand for the sake of sales and profit and creating more customers.

The value proposition they both create differs too. Employer branding showcases its brand through job opportunities while the corporate brand focuses on products and sales.

From Good to Great: Tips for Developing a Strong Employer Brand

There are several employer branding strategies that can be used to build and maintain a strong employer brand. Some of them are discussed below.

Define your Mission Statement, and Showcase your Value Proposition

Mission Statement and Value Proposition

A strong employer branding mission statement communicates a company's commitment to creating a supportive workplace culture that prioritises its employees. It should also emphasise the unique benefits that the company offers to distinguish it from competitors and attract top talent. By doing so, the company can stand out in the job market and retain its best employees.

While on the other hand, a value proposition for employer branding highlights what sets the company apart from its competitors and why it is an attractive option for top talent. By communicating a clear and compelling value proposition, a company can build a strong employer brand, attract the best talent, and retain its top-performing employees. An effective value proposition for employer branding inspires and motivates current employees to work toward the success of the organisation.

Share your Story

Company's Story

One of the key elements of employer branding is sharing your company's story. A company's story communicates its values, history, and mission, which can create a captivating narrative that appeals to and retains high-quality talent.

Beyond salary packages, employees are also interested in working for an organization that has a compelling story to share. They want to know what the organisation stands for, its goals, and the journey it has taken so far. This is because a company's story communicates its values and mission, and can help to create a sense of purpose and belonging among employees. By sharing a compelling company story, a company can maintain and build a strong employer brand.

Recruitment Marketing

To develop effective recruitment marketing for employer branding, it is important to first identify the target audience and understand their preferences and motivations. This might involve using data analysis and research to gain insights into the job market and to tailor messaging and branding accordingly.

Before you can expect some quality applicants to be interested in your company, it’s important that they know you exist or have positions opened. Aggressive marketing of your job openings in concerned circles will eventually generate more leads resulting in a more competitive pool of potential candidates.

Recruitment Marketing

Below are some tips and tools you can use to market your openings more effectively.  

  • Job Ads

Companies use social media platforms, mainly LinkedIn, to publicise their open positions in concerned circles. Dedicated groups and pages on these social media platforms serve as a more effective way of announcing the positions.

  • Job Boards

Job boards let employers advertise job openings more effectively and to a more dedicated audience.  

  • Effective Job Description

Writing crisp and to-the-point job descriptions help gauge candidate interest. It lets them know if they are fit for the job. A good job description includes important company details, culture, and any benefits it provides to the employees. It may also mention the salary range. More thought-out job descriptions increase the odds of a better pool of candidates.

  • Career/Job Fairs

Job/career fairs in academic institutions are an excellent way to publicise your company and open positions. At such events, employers are much more aware of the audience they are interacting with. Students, who are not looking for jobs at the moment, will also be getting to know about the company which serves as marketing for the future.

Sharing the Lighter Side of Your Company

Fun side of organisation

Highlighting the fun side of a company is an effective approach to employer branding that can create a positive image of the workplace. This can be achieved by showcasing social events, team-building activities, and employee recognition programs through social media, blog posts, or other marketing channels. Emphasising the company's culture, including its values and sense of community, is also a valuable way to communicate the fun side of the workplace.

Be Diverse and Respect Merit while Hiring

Diverse Hiring

Diverse hiring is an important aspect of employer branding, as it communicates the company's commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Diverse hiring involves actively seeking out and hiring employees from a variety of backgrounds, including different ethnicities, genders, ages, and experiences.

It is important to note that diverse hiring should not be a one-time effort, but an ongoing commitment to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. Employers should ensure that their workplace policies and practices support diversity and inclusion and that all employees are treated fairly and respectfully, regardless of their background or identity.

Respecting merit while hiring is crucial for building trust in an organisation's hiring process. Giving certain individuals an unfair advantage or allowing them to bypass the standard hiring process can damage the company's reputation and leave a negative impression on other potential candidates. This can demotivate talented individuals who are interested in working for the organisation, leading to a negative impact on the company's employer brand.

Read more about diversity hiring.

Work on Unleashing the Potential of Employees

Satisfied and motivated employees serve as a powerful tool for promoting an organisation's employer brand. Therefore, investing in the growth and development of current employees is crucial, as it promotes a culture of continuous learning and development. This can be achieved by holding workshops, and training programs, and providing opportunities for career advancement.

Additionally, creating a positive workplace culture should be a priority, as it influences how current employees talk about their experiences, which can attract top talent. Often, potential candidates seek out the opinions of current employees to gauge the company's culture, which underscores the importance of maintaining a happy and engaged workforce. convert into paragraphs

Who is Responsible for Employer Branding

Employer branding is typically a collaborative effort that involves various individuals and departments within a company. While the specific team or individual responsible for employer branding may vary depending on the size and structure of the organisation, some of the key players involved in employer branding include:

  • Human Resource Department
  • Marketing Department
  • Leadership Team
  • Current Employees

Real-World Examples of Companies That Stand Out

There are many companies that are known for their strong employer branding, and that have managed to create a reputation for being great places to work. Some examples of companies with strong employer brands include:

  • Google
  • Apple
  • Starbucks
  • Hubpost
  • Airbnb
  • Salesforce

These brands have fostered a very strong employer brand and reputation through their workplace culture, employee perks, their commitment to inclusivity and diversity, their constant determination to innovate new things, etc.

Starbucks' Secret to Employee Retention

Starbucks has an employee turnover rate of 65%, much lower than others, thanks to its unique company culture and reputation as a great place to work. The company places a significant emphasis on cultivating a supportive work environment, offering benefits such as healthcare, stock options, and tuition reimbursement. Starbucks also prioritises the professional development of its employees by providing extensive training and opportunities for career advancement within the organization.

Starbucks has received accolades for its ethical and sustainable business practices, which can attract employees who prioritise these values. The company's dedication to social responsibility, including initiatives to minimise its environmental footprint and support local communities, fosters a sense of pride among employees and promotes a positive workplace culture. This, in turn, contributes to the company's strong employer brand and its ability to retain employees.

Also, Starbucks focuses a lot on team building and employee connections creating a sense of community among them.

All these factors make Starbucks a great employer brand and make it a cool place to work. More people want to work for such a brand and the ones working, don't want to leave.

Postface

A successful hiring phase is only possible when you enter the market having a reputation that makes you stand out from the crowd. Not only does a strong employer brand attract more talent, but it also attracts other stakeholders who want to work and collaborate with an organisation having a very positive image. Not putting employer branding strategies in place means you lose a lot of your share in the market, directly or indirectly.

Good bye

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Hirecinch is one of the best applicant tracking system I have used ever, literally my my job easier

Hirecinch is one of the best applicant tracking system I have used ever, literally my my job easier

Hirecinch is one of the best applicant tracking system I have used ever, literally my my job easier

Hirecinch is one of the best applicant tracking system I have used ever, literally my my job easier