Unlocking the Power of Employer Branding

Just as you choose a brand when shopping for a product online or at a store, employees choose an organization when considering multiple job opportunities among companies in an industry. This aspect of employee choice is driven by the value that the employer brand creates in the mind of the employee. Factors that contribute to an employer brand include, among others, its image, its reputation and the values that it stands for. More evolved organizations also showcase their purpose – why they exist – and their culture – how they work – as part of their employer branding.

What employer branding is – and what it is not

Employer branding is not about good public relations. It is also not about presently a larger-than-life, squeaky-clean image through advertising. Employer branding is all about being who you are and showcasing yourself authentically to potential employees through multiple touchpoints. Simply, an authentic employer brand will be experienced the same way by both employees and by external stakeholders, including customers, the public at large and prospective employees.

Building, establishing and growing trust and credibility are integral to employer branding. Investing in building an employer brand is a strategic initiative for an organization. It is a long-term activity. The return on investment from employer branding is leveraged, eventually, over time – and, almost always, it attracts high-quality talent who share the organization’s values and its long-term vision.

Making the hiring process world-class

Most candidates are put off when the recruiter is ineffective and lacks empathy. The hiring process is the first experience that most candidates have of a company. Therefore, it is important that recruiters treat potential candidates as customers. Making them feel special by pampering them is not always recommended. But sharing the organization’s vision with them, being transparent with them about every stage of the recruitment process, moving swiftly between stages and living by the values that the company claims to be following – these are some of the ways in which candidates are impacted positively during the hiring process. Empathy and transparency are crucial when dealing with potential candidates. These are the hallmarks of a truly world-class hiring process.

The CEO and leadership team must be involved

To sustain a world-class process, the CEO and key members of the leadership team must be involved in constantly evaluating it. Are the values being showcased and lived by? Is the turnaround time showcasing agility? Is the communication to a potential candidate reflecting empathy? Does the candidate feel wanted? These are some of the questions that must constantly be applied to evaluate the hiring process. When business leaders get involved with reviewing a process, it often stays sharp and qualitative.

Culture that supports DE&I

Employees are usually very wary of organizations that simply do lip service to values and vision. Honestly, every organization’s website has a vision and a set of values on display. So, what makes your organization different? This is the question uppermost on a candidate’s mind when they are interviewing with you. And this is exactly when the culture of your organization must be showcased. Talk at length about how your organization promotes and sustains employee wellbeing. Share how you use employee wellbeing practices as a way of driving high performance. Tell the candidate all about your culture and how it supports diversity, equity and inclusion. Talk about your company’s purpose – about why it exists. Invariably, candidates want to work for a company that cares not only about profits, but also for its employees, the environment and the community. People want to work for good employers and according to most employees, these people are those that are interested in the welfare of the entire business ecosystem, they are champions of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Showcase employee experience

More than what the promoters or business leaders have to say about the organization, what counts for potential employees is what the employees have to say. Make sure you showcase employee experiences to potential candidates. Social media offers many avenues for this. LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are great platforms to have employees share their experiences. Now, when you let your employees talk about how they feel working at your company, you have to work really hard to make sure they have good things to say. This is why this route is a very transparent and authentic way for building an employer brand. If your employer brand’s goodness can be built on honest employee testimonials then you have truly built a great organization.

Technology in employer branding

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made it possible for employers to personalize the candidate experience. This has a remarkably positive impact on how candidates view the employer brand. When candidates feel good about how they were treated, they talk more about it – to their colleagues, in their families and among their peers and friends. This, in turn, builds the employer’s reputation.

Limitless opportunities

When an organization begins to look at building its employer brand, the opportunities are limitless. From showcasing its culture, its vision and its values to sharing employee experience stories on social media, a company’s recruiters can be really very creative in today’s world. Additionally, when a company uses AI in the recruitment process, candidate experiences can be personalized. And when a company has a DE&I focus, it can further aid the employer brand.

However, companies must be careful not to project what they are not. Because, in today’s information-driven world, word gets around fast. Authenticity, transparency and empathy are important values that a company must live by when a company wishes to build its brand as an employer and when it tries to unlock its true potential and power.