How employer branding can help your company attract the best talent

Today’s increasingly competitive job market doesn’t only mean that candidates have had to get creative to stand out. Employers too have had to adapt to woo the brightest, most sought-after candidates and for that, employer branding is key.

Selling your company to potential talent is an art. Today’s job seekers have high expectations, and while salary and paid time off remain important factors in talent attraction, there are other intangible benefits and day-to-day experiences that have become just as important. 

According to LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions report, a good employer brand can reduce turnover rates by 28% and cut your costs-per-hire by half. Companies will also find themselves with 50% more qualified applicants, cutting down the time needed for recruiting.

The biggest obstacle candidates face when searching for a job is not knowing what it’s like to work at an organisation, therefore employer branding can help to gain the trust and commitment of potential applicants from the start.

In a Glassdoor survey, 75% of active job seekers are more likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand.

Job candidates today are also looking for a lot more information from their potential employer than just an offer. Some areas of interest include the company’s values, identity, diversity and inclusion, as well as corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Employers need to look as appealing to prospective candidates as possible.

Employer branding is important to get right. Here’s how your company can make a positive and lasting impact on job seekers amid the fast-paced, ever-changing world of work.

Develop an Employer Value Proposition (EVP)

Companies need to create a long term employment plan that focuses on their values and culture. An EVP will help candidates better understand what you and your company stand for. This can make all the difference when it comes to standing out from your competitors and will answer the age-old question of: Why should people want to work for you?

To create a powerful employer brand, focus on your company’s mission statement, values, and culture. It’s also helpful to identify what your company’s needs are, in order to gain better insight into the type of talent you’re seeking – and target them accordingly. Ensuring your workplace is an environment that encourages personal and professional growth is also paramount to retaining current talent and attracting new ones.

How to communicate company culture

The next step is to communicate that culture to the outside world. Building a great looking website that showcases your company’s image, what it’s like to work there, and what potential employees can expect will be highly beneficial, and this goes beyond the About Us section. The journey of communicating your employer brand typically starts from the home page.

Social media has also become an increasingly popular way for candidates to suss out whether their potential employers have values aligned with their own. 68% of talent acquisition leaders agree that social professional networks are an effective tool for spreading awareness about employer brand.

It is, however, important to understand which platforms are better suited for your audience and industry.

While Facebook and LinkedIn remain to be two of the biggest social media sites that can reach a very wide audience, those in fast-paced industries like technology and IT can be more inclined to Twitter, where bite-sized messages are favoured over lengthy blog posts.

On the other hand, the massive talent pool in the creative industry might find platforms like YouTube and Instagram more relatable and engaging. Sharing pictures of your workspaces and group gatherings on social media gives a voice to your employees through videos, posts, and testimonials, which are helpful for those job seekers deciding if they believe they are the right fit for that business. 

A new platform that can make a big impact on job seekers today is Clubhouse. On this invitation-only app, you can effortlessly hold talks and informal Q&A sessions with people in your industry to give them a first-hand glimpse into the company’s values and culture.

Be consistent

How you engage with fresh graduates for junior positions will greatly differ from the way you approach talent at the director level. Segmenting your audience and speaking to them as specific groups, instead of as one group with differing needs, will ensure you’re tailoring the right messages to potential employees. 

Regardless of which platform you use and what message you want to get across, however, it’s important to ensure you are consistent in delivering your employer branding, plus the business tone throughout.

Ace your candidate experience and onboarding processes

First impressions count, and it starts from the candidate experience – one of the most important factors in attracting talent. Essentially, it’s how candidates feel about your company after undergoing your hiring process, and affects how they perceive your job culture, work ethics, and eventually, whether or not they accept your offer. Job candidates who have a bad experience during the interview process may also leave reviews on Glassdoor, which can negatively affect employer branding.

Onboarding is just as important, and a smooth and effective transition can be critical in instilling a positive impression. This engages and motivates the newcomer from the get-go, and the enthusiasm this generates will likely carry on to the rest of the employee’s career. People who have had a negative experience are twice as likely to seek a different opportunity. Arm your new employees with the tools and instructions needed to excel in the role from the start.

As many people continue to work from home, there’s never been a better time to ensure you have a good digital onboarding process in place. Ongoing efforts such as setting up regular meetings with employees working from home and those in the office via video calls, organising online training sessions, and keeping work files on the cloud can make the initial stages of a new hire’s tenure much more efficient and enjoyable. This raises the company’s profile and improves its employer branding.

A thought-out and well-implemented employer branding strategy can help you attract better talent and reduce your hiring costs and turnover rate.

Start a hiring conversation with Page Personnel to find out how you, too, can reap the many benefits of a leading global recruitment agency.

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