In the post-pandemic job market, candidates’ expectations for companies have changed drastically. Skilled workers are more strongly considering compensation, as well as company flexibility (e.g. remote or hybrid opportunities) and work-life balance when applying to jobs. When candidates are pickier, you as an employer have significantly less choice in suitable candidates. You are also more likely to hire a bad fit for the job, which can cost you money and time!
As an employer, it is becoming increasingly important to make sure your company stands out from the rest of the field to attract the best candidates, . To differentiate yourself as a company, employer branding is one of the most effective ways to drive that attraction.
What is Employer Branding?
Employer branding is like the back end of consumer branding: instead of focusing on curating a positive brand image to target consumers, you are promoting the values and culture of your internal business to target job candidates. Simply put, employer branding is how job seekers view your company and what you can offer them.
How can I create a stronger Employer Brand?
Every company has an employer brand, whether they try to curate it or not. To intentionally curate an employer brand, begin by asking yourself:
1. How well do I know my company?
Your company values and mission should align from the top-down, from the biggest execs to the most entry level employees. You need to have a full understanding of what your company supports and is actively accomplishing and promote accordingly to attract new workers who fit your values.
For example, an organization could highly value employee creativity and encourage sharing new ideas to drive the company forward. To find candidates with similar creative values, they could share their company initiatives (forums, events, etc.) through their website or through other promotional means.
It’s also important to promote social values the company cares about. Ford Motors is a great example of this. At first glance, they’re like any other automotive company for a potential job candidate: gas-guzzling, unsustainable, and lacking environmental values. In reality, Ford is heavily involved in sustainability, investing in electric vehicles, manufacturing with recycled products and plant-based materials, and developing cars that are 85% recyclable at the end of their lives. They include sustainability in their careers website as a part of employee branding to promote these values to candidates.
2. How do current employees view the company?
Employee opinions have a large impact on potential candidates and their decision to apply. If your employer branding doesn’t accurately reflect actual employee experiences, it can be viewed as misleading by candidates. If you need to understand and improve current employee opinions, consider setting up employee surveys or audits, and actively address complaints.
3. What standout benefits does my company give employees?
Benefits could be anything from a simple compensation bonus to flexible work schedules. You should determine what sets your company apart from the rest, and ensure potential candidates know exactly what you’re offering! For example, a job posting stating “additional benefits available,” is much less appealing to candidates than a company that gives specific information on a great 401k matching program or work from home positions.
After you understand how your company currently operates and is viewed, create an EVP (Employer Value Proposition). This combines all those values, current views, and benefits and puts it into one place for you to reference, and for candidates to review in your promotions.
How do I promote my Employer Brand?
Digital marketing makes promoting an employer brand easier than ever. You could consider setting up a blog or adding career promotions into existing social media posts to showcase your EVP. Running specific marketing campaigns is also a good strategy, such as using email marketing to target highly desirable candidates. It’s also worth it to consider adding an “express your interest” option to your careers page to increase your talent pipeline for candidates you might not have a job posting available for at the time.
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