Put simply, your employer brand is how your organization is perceived by employees and the reputation it has in your industry. Building a strong employer brand is critical in today’s candidate-centric market.
HubSpot reports that “86% of workers would not apply for, or continue to work for, a company that has a bad reputation with former employees or the general public.”
In order to build an optimal internal team and retain top-performing employees, organizations need to put effort into creating a strong and well-crafted employer brand. Doing so will result in a plethora of benefits, including increased retention, improved reviews, a stronger customer base, more satisfied employees, and an edge-up on the competition.
What is an employer brand?
An employer brand is the culmination of an organization’s mission, values, and culture and how that identity is perceived by current and potential employees. Building a strong and positive employer brand broadcasts that the organization is a reputable employer, a good place to work, and would lead to a fulfilling career. As Harvard Business Review recommends:
“The most effective employer brands are rooted in a clear corporate purpose and set of values, which serve to attract job seekers who share those fundamental beliefs and weed out those who don’t.”
Why is it important?
Your employer brand is how you communicate the fundamental values and attributes of your organization to your employees. Crafting a strong reputation as an employer is one of the key elements to building a business with growth potential.
Building a healthy employer brand can boost talent acquisition, create an active customer base, improve retention rates, and lift your industry reputation. And regardless of whether or not you’re working to build your brand’s reputation, you have one already.
Does employer branding boost talent acquisition?
In 2021, Glassdoor published a study that indicated that “86% of employees and job seekers research company reviews and ratings to decide on where to apply for a job.” Even before submitting an application or cover letter, candidates are thoroughly researching employers in order to understand what they value and how they compare to competitors. As such, employer reputations are becoming increasingly important to candidates in the job search process.
According to LinkedIn, companies with strong employer branding see a 43% decrease in recruitment costs.
In order to build a team of high-performing employees, it is essential for employers across industries to understand how they’re perceived to their current and future employees. Doing so will give organizations a clear analysis of how they present to candidates and where they stand amongst competition.
Three Ways to Boost Your Employer Brand
Step 1: Build credibility through local and national recognition
There are a number of ways to get your company noticed. Start by looking for ways to build credibility. Here are some of our favorite go-to-market ideas.
Most national and local media companies have lists for specific industries, categories, or best-of lists. A most recent example is Forbes. They have multiple lists including one for our industry, America’s Best Recruiting and Temporary Staffing Firms. We’ve been recognized on this list for the third consecutive year. Another example is Meadowood Napa Valley who recently made Forbes Travel Guide as a 5 Star Hotel and Spa.
Awards help a business attract the best talent. People want to work for winning companies. One of the most prestigious awards is the Best Places to Work honor which I’m proud to say we’ve received for 8 consecutive years. Start with local honors and work your way to the national limelight with Glassdoor and Inc Magazine.
Showcase your knowledge and bring visibility to your company through public speaking at events, on webinars, where ever you can showcase your knowledge and expertise. Sara Blakely, the late Steve Jobs, Whitney Wolf-Herd, Jezz Bezos, Elon Musk, and local leaders like Brett Martinez of Redwood Credit Union, and Karissa Kruse of Sonoma County Winegrowers, have all grown and amplified their companies’ brand through public speaking.
Use your company page and your own pages to magnify your employer brand. Some of our favorite brands doing this exceptionally well are Kendra Scott, Salesforce, Marriot Careers, and Intel.
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Step 2: Promote what you do internally externally
Showcase your organization’s internal culture, personality, and perks throughout your career page, on social media accounts, and in the local community.
Have a company picnic or outing and share it. Have an employee of the month or recognition program. Highlight those employees through different channels. Each month, we highlight a Star of the Month for our organization and share it on social media. Here’s what it looks like. Highlight a different department of your organization each month. Welcome new hires to your social media pages. Create an internal newsletter showcasing employees’ families, travels, and personal accomplishments. Celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day each year (spoiler alert: it’s March 3, 2023).
Step 3: Empower your employees to share
Your employees are the best spokesperson in the company, so empower them to build their professional brand on social media and in turn, will enhance your company’s brand. According to LinkedIn, candidates trust the company’s employees 3x more than the company to provide credible information on what it’s like to work there.
Offer personal brand training, so your employees have a baseline understanding of social media policies and best practices. Highlight what your marketing team is sharing and make it easy for your teammates to amplify the message. Provide specific examples of what sharing content looks like and ideas or templates to share with your employees. Make it easy for sharing content to take place.
In today’s day and age, building a strong employer brand is as critical to your bottom line as strategic goals. A strong employer brand can attract talent, reduce hiring costs, and increase retention. Read our HR blogs for more insight into employer branding, culture, and workplace strategies.
Even More Ideas to Build Your Employer Brand