Employers no longer retain the luxury of promoting their brands just on the basis of the quality of the products. Employees also want to work for a brand that scores well on an organizational basis. This means that the employees today ask the question whether the organization they work for is good or not. Let’s take Google as an example, whose product is only a search engine, but they are considered
the gold standard in brand value. Companies like Google are successful because they look after the well-being and happiness of their employees.
A survey shows that 60% of CEOs believe that the onus of branding falls on them rather than HR. Employer branding is becoming more elusive and important from a strategic point-of-view. This implies that a dynamic employer presence is becoming important to attract and retain talent.
1. Evaluate Your Employer Brand
To begin with, it is necessary to understand where your employer brand actually stands. To understand the image and reputation of your company, as it is seen externally, a poll of stakeholders can be effective. Additionally, surveying your current employees will give insight into what is attractive about the brand that can attract talent. Based on the data received from both the surveys, companies can strategize and implement an action plan that will benefit them the most. Working with HR can help in creating organization-specific roles. Each company should focus on creating a satisfactory employee experience.
2. Learning and Development Initiatives Should Be Supported
According to a survey, the workforce of the present and future is comprised of millennials (75%). This particular group expects to have access to opportunities for learning and development throughout their career. The survey also disclosed that half of this workforce considers the chance to learn as ‘extremely important’ when looking for a job.
To fulfill this expectation, organizations can look at e-learning options that allow employees to upskill at their own pace and continuously. Credentials for professional certification can help your company stand out from competitors and help in finding new recruits.
3. Capitalizing on Your Brand Value
If an employer is actively managing their brand, the chances of attracting fresh talent increases by a large percentage. Employees should understand the strengths of the brand from the get-go. This helps in not only engaging new hires but also instills loyalty based on the brand’s mission.
Successful brands go as far as advertising their ethos on their website to attract potential employees. The site should detail the mission of the brand, the vision that the employers have and what they can offer to the prospective employees.
4. Personalization of the Experience
Employee experience is a significant gamechanger in the field of retention. It shows the employees that the company values them as individuals. Companies can achieve this by various methods. Firstly, by mapping out their potential progression through the company will give employees a focused, documented approach that is bespoke.
Secondly, recognizing the efforts of employees at social forums or quarterly meetings boosts the morale of the staff and creates a motivated workforce. Lastly, employees love the supervisors who go an extra mile to create a huge difference. Looking at employees as more than just numbers can help retain talent in the long run.
5. Clear Internal Communication
Communication is the key to improving employer brand as it clarifies to each unit what role they play in boosting the image of the employer. Clear communication that expresses the value of the brand and how employees can promote and uphold it creates a sense of camaraderie. This community that is established would help in retaining employees and the positive impact on company culture will attract potential talent.
6. Employee Advocacy Program to Promote Your Employer Brand
More than CEOs and PR departments, it is the word of the employees that is trusted by outsiders when it comes to the ethos of a company. Positive feedback from them, shared amongst their personal circles, will help the employer brand far more than any advertising campaign ever could.
Creating an effective advocate program is possible when the culture of the company is positive. The values and mission of the company has to be clearly conveyed to the employees. Sharing initiatives and action plans with the employees ensure that they feel responsible for the progress and reputation of the company.
As an impetus, a reward system can be implemented which hands out merchandise to employees, to recognize their effort in building the employer brand.
Over to You
The organized sector is becoming more transparent with each passing day. Companies can no longer rely on lucrative advertising techniques to boost recruitment. The companies that emphasize on the quality of employee experience and advocacy that can be proudly promoted on social media, stand to
benefit the most, both internally and externally.
