Attracting and retaining talents have always been a challenge for many organizations, especially with the highly competitive recruitment landscape. In today’s job market, having a strong employer brand is no longer just a “good to have”, but a necessity if you hope to attract and retain the best talent in the market. To drive the business forward, employers will need talented, passionate and driven employees on their team and the most effective way to attract them is by having a solid employer branding. 

So, what is “employer branding” and why is it so important to the human resource function in a growingly digital era? 

Employer branding is no longer just marketing’s job any more

An employer brand is an image or perception of which the market (potential job applicants and candidates) has towards the company as a prospective employer. Everything that would be considered in a benefits package in a job offer is now something easily searchable online. This includes social updates that a company puts out that covers weekly team huddles, competitive remuneration packages and more. In fact, everything in between that promotes the company employee culture can greatly sway the perception of potential candidates. 

In simple words, an employer brand is a company’s reputation as an employer. The more popular and inclusive an employer brand looks to be, the easier it will be to attract and retain talents. Employer brand is about creating a unique image that would resonate with potential candidates, it tells potential employees of the quality the organization has and how both the employers and candidates share the same goal. 

A strong employer brand is a long term investment that is not just an outward impression of your company. Happy employees who realize the employer culture are more likely to also be strong brand advocates that will help propagate your company’s standing. 

Why is it important to have a great employer brand? 

• It helps you grow your pool of talents who wish to join you 

One of the benefits of having a strong employee brand is that it drives more candidate engagement. More talent will be applying for jobs on any vacancy that was advertised, this will indirectly improve the existing talent pool which allows future hiring process to be easier and less time-consuming.

For many talents, one of the most important values they look for in their workplace is company culture, benefits and environment which could all be promoted through employer branding. Most talents will look at the company profile before applying for jobs or entertaining your recruiter’s job opportunity pitch. Therefore, it is important for businesses to have an attractive profile that is able to convince these talents that your company is the best one for them.  

• Employee pride results in higher employee engagement

Employees will be more enthusiastic and motivated to work if their workplace is actually fun and appealing. Google & Apple for example, through their brand as an employer is often listed as the most attractive place to work in. 

Now that we have laid out the importance of having a good employer brand, what are the measures needed to be taken by employers in order to develop a strong employer brand?

5 steps you can take to develop a strong employer brand

1.Identify what your company needs

One of the initial measures in developing an employer brand is that first, you must first identify your company’s needs in terms of talents and workforce. From there, you can start to tailor your employer brand that is targeted at the types of talents that you wish to attract. For example, if you are looking to attract IT professionals to work for your company, your message must be appealing towards the IT crowd. In this case, you may wish to start promoting work cultures that are highly innovative, agile and conducive for tech employees.   

2. Personalize candidate and employee experience

Another key factor in talent retention and acquisition is letting them know that they are more than just numbers and statistics from the management POV. This can be done by providing a clear and well mapped out picture of how employees can progress in your organisation. It allows talents to feel like they have the opportunity to build and secure their own future in your company.

Aside from that, it is also important to make sure that the relationship between talents and immediate supervisors are maintained at an optimum level. This connection can be a determining factor for talents should they decide to stay in your company or jump to another one. 

3. Utilize every popular social media platform

To get your messages out in the open, don’t be afraid to use popular social media platforms that your potential candidates use. For example, if you are looking to attract young professionals, you might wish to consider using Instagram or TikTok to promote your company’s culture. 

You may choose to be active on more than one social media platform. Depending on your message or tone, different platforms may be more suitable to be used depending on the message of your content. Therefore, it is important to have employer branding factored into your social media strategy in executing your employer branding. It is also important to highlight your appreciation for the people who are working for you on social media platforms.

4. Offer benefits that people want

There are a lot of creative ways you can think of when it comes to offering benefits as an attempt to retain talents. However, it is important to note the importance of providing benefits that are actually desired and beneficial to your employees. For example, many talents consider personal development and learning opportunities as a value that they wish their employers could provide. Others value the importance of bonding and a sense of belonging in a company. A good HR must find the right balance between these two factors and provide relevant perks towards their employees. This can be done by simply asking your employees on what benefits they wish to have.

5. Respond to online reviews 

In most cases, it is difficult to control what people say about you online. However, you will be able to control how you react to people online. There may have been bad reviews left by previous employees on your profile. You may use that feedback to improve your employee’s experience. You can also respond to that review in a professional manner which shows integrity and professionalism in your company which is a value that most talents look for in their employers.

Without a doubt, attracting and retaining talents is an issue that many employers struggle with. Therefore, it is important for employers to develop and maintain a good impression through solid employer branding as it helps to attract and keep valuable employees. 

Do you have trouble attracting good candidates to work for you with your current employer branding strategies? Get in touch with our recruitment specialist at BGC Group! We are here to assist you with finding the  best talent that would be a great fit for your current culture.