Employer branding - Know what it is and implement it like the best brands - Emptor

Employer branding or the employer brand refers to an organization’s image and reputation as an employer. It plays a fundamental role in attracting quality candidates, reducing hiring costs, and improving employee engagement and retention.

In this post, we’ll explore the basics of the employer brand, why it’s important, and some strategies and best practices for developing and improving your organization’s employer brand.

How can companies effectively compete in this new talent competition?

First, it’s time for leaders to focus on strengthening their organizations’ employer brands. The approach to building a strong employer brand has changed in recent years, as has its impact on hiring and who is responsible for overseeing it.

The Evolution of Employer Branding

The term “employer branding” was first defined in the mid-1990s, denoting an organization’s reputation as an employer, as opposed to its more general corporate brand reputation.

Building a strong employer brand became an important focus between 2004 and 2008, when leading companies like Unilever, Shell, and P&G began applying the same approach and consistency to their employer brand as they had previously applied to their corporate and consumer brands.

This led to the development of an Employee Value Proposition (EVP), which defined the benefits the company offers as an employer, as well as the production of employer brand guidelines to provide greater consistency to recruitment advertising.

The employer brand was predominantly outward-facing and advertising-driven, and was the responsibility of the Human Resources department. It now also includes talent management.

Changes in the Environment

Times have changed, and the rise of social media has made companies much more transparent and detail-oriented in caring for their employer brand. People are much more likely to trust a company based on what its employees say than on its recruitment advertising, meaning that attracting talent depends much more on employee engagement and advocacy.

To understand how this shift is playing out in organizations, a study was conducted with over 2,000 senior executives on their employer branding activities in 18 countries. The data was collected from October to December 2014, and the results are presented in Universum’s 2020 Outlook, the Future of Employer Branding.

One of the key findings was that many leaders now assign primary responsibility for the employer brand to the CEO or the marketing department, rather than to recruiters and HR. In fact, 60% of the CEOs surveyed said that responsibility falls on the CEO (40% of marketing leaders agreed), indicating that the employer brand is expected to take on greater strategic importance.

When asked in the survey about future employer brand objectives, 40% said they wanted to secure long-term hiring needs, and 31% said building a global reputation would be more important.

A New Perspective in Human Resources

The lack of trust in HR’s ability to oversee these objectives may also be a factor in the shift of responsibilities. In the same PwC survey, which highlighted CEOs’ growing concerns about the skills gap, only a third expressed confidence in HR’s readiness to capitalize on these transformative trends in talent management.

In small and medium-sized businesses where HR is still seen as administrative, many CEOs seem to take a more active role in their employer brand. Additionally, marketing is playing an increasingly important role in shaping the employer brand.

Because social media has intertwined the company’s reputation with the customer experience, consumer-oriented communications are becoming increasingly important in shaping the employer brand.

Many companies highlight the quality and dedication of their employees in their consumer marketing, which naturally affects how others judge them as potential employers. Similarly, the strength of the employer brand can have a significant effect on the quality, pride, and engagement levels of the employees involved in delivering a positive brand experience to the customer.

Key Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Talent

Assess brand awareness and reputation through key external target audience surveys.
Define how you’d like to be seen as an employer and translate that into a clear, compelling employee value proposition.
Be proactive in using social media to share internal stories that highlight your strengths.
Ensure all functions within the organization understand the value of a strong employer brand.

In this new world of social transparency, organizations can no longer rely on recruitment advertising to build a positive employer brand image. With the growing importance of employee advocacy, employers’ reputations will depend on consistent values and the vitality of their organizational cultures.

Frequently Asked Questions about Employer Branding

Q: How can I develop an employer branding strategy?
A: Developing an employer branding strategy involves defining your organization’s unique value proposition, identifying your target audience, creating a consistent brand message, and leveraging multiple channels to promote your employer brand.

Q: What are some ways to improve the employer brand?
A: Some ways to improve the employer brand include promoting a positive company culture, offering competitive compensation and benefits, providing professional development opportunities, and engaging with employees and potential candidates.

Q: What role does company culture play in the employer brand?
A: Company culture reflects an organization’s values and behaviors, influencing how employees and candidates perceive it.

Q: How can social media be used for employer branding?
A: Social media can showcase the company culture, highlight employee stories, promote job openings, and interact with candidates.

Q: How can employee advocacy support the employer brand?
A: Employee advocacy can enhance the employer brand by increasing visibility and attracting top talent through authentic stories.

Q: What metrics can be used to measure employer brand effectiveness?
A: Metrics include employee engagement, retention, time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and candidate satisfaction.

Strengthening employer branding is a great asset for your company, allowing you to reduce hiring time and cost, strengthen brand image, and make your brand stand out.

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