By Heather Nezich, courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASE
With the challenge in finding talent, how do you stand out to candidates? With a strong employer brand – a company’s identity and reputation as an employer. Organizations with strong employer brands reap multiple benefits. A strong employer brand engages and retains current employees and attracts new talent.
The HR Research Institute conducted a study, The State of Employer Branding and Recruitment Advertising 2021, of HR professionals to take an in-depth look at how building a compelling employer brand can help attract and retain the best possible talent during economic recovery.
80% of organizations have an intentionally cultivated employer brand. However, only about half (54%) say their employer brand is well known. And some companies (17%) indicate they don’t even have an employer brand, although they are developing or considering one.
When looking at organizations that report a strong employer brand built through recruitment and advertising strategies, they are:
- Three times more likely to say they’ve intentionally cultivated a brand that is well known
- Three times more likely to say their employer brand engages and retains current employees
- Nearly three times more likely to say their brand reflects the organization’s values and mission
- Considerably more likely to use employee KPIs and Net Promoter Scores to measure and evaluate their employer brand
“Focusing efforts on ensuring a strong brand is critical for employers as we emerge from the cloud of COVID-19 pandemic challenges,” stated Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO of HR.com. “Lack of intentional branding and recruitment strategies may not only lead to a loss of good candidates but also to a loss of business!”
Steps to building a strong employer brand include:
- Analyze your company culture. A strong employer brand starts from within. In other words — if you want candidates to perceive your company as a great place to work, it must actually be a great place to work.
- Develop a content strategy to promote your employer brand. It’s one thing to have a great work culture, but does your career page reflect that? Do your recruitment ads and content reflect that?
- Develop candidate personas – Candidate personas are profiles of potential candidates that include a set of preferred characteristics like work history, skills, goals, employment preferences, and much more. They can help you personalize recruiting content for your ideal candidates.
- Use storytelling – Engage candidates on an emotional level. Talk about the journey of your brand and of specific employees.
- Emphasize your company values – Job seekers want to work for a company that reflects their personal values. Clearly define the core values of your company and promote them throughout your content.
- Establish an employee advocacy program. Offer incentives to employees who recommend new hires, share content, and promote branded information.
- Leverage social media. Use social media for more than just recruitment ad posting. Engage with candidates and share valuable content. Consider creating a separate profile for your recruiting efforts to distinguish your employer branding from your traditional marketing efforts.
- Test and measure your employer brand. Companies often think they have a strong employer brand — but really, they have no idea. Measuring it is all about tracking the right metrics which include:
- Reviews and ratings
- Retention rate
- Source of hire
- Employee engagement
Today’s modern candidates spend time researching employers to identify who they want to work for. Make yourself stand out with a strong employer brand.