Employer branding – how to build really great employer brand

Competing in business does not come down only to the product aspect. Competitive conditions prevail also in the area of employment – a qualified employee is in demand and every entrepreneur knows it. Therefore, employers take several actions aimed at building their image as those who ensure attractive employment conditions, create perspectives for development, and care about a friendly atmosphere at work.

Employer branding – table of contents:

1. Employer branding – what is it?
2. Why is employer branding important?
3. Employer branding activities – examples of value propositions
4. FAQ. Questions and answers

Employer branding – what is it?

Employer branding should be understood as building the employer’s image as one in which work appears to be attractive. The employer branding strategy is a long-term process, which consists of many elements, starting with remuneration, through stable employment conditions and benefits, up to the right mission and vision of the company.

Employer branding is not a uniform category – it can be divided into internal and external. The former boils down to communication activities and those carried out as a consequence of formulated messages whose recipients are the employees. The intended goal of employer branding campaigns carried out in this manner is the retention of existing employees who, thanks to appropriate pay, motivation and integration policies, are satisfied with their employment conditions and do not consider leaving the organization.

External employer branding, on the other hand, is oriented towards entities outside the organization which meet the requirements related to a job that have not been filled so far, so that they start to aspire to take recruitment steps. At the same time, bearing in mind that it is a form of communication targeted at a wide group of third parties, it is also a way to build up the image of a brand among customers and business partners.

It is worth remembering, that employer branding is more effective with PR’s help. Read here how to approach it!

Why is employer branding important?

Employer branding is particularly important in circumstances of the so-called employee market when the employer must make a lot of effort to stand out from the competition and encourage potential employees to apply for a position. It is also extremely useful in industries where it is difficult to find a qualified specialist in a given field. Even if such circumstances do not occur, a brand’s image, also as an employer, has a considerable impact on its situation – in the era of social media news can spread with unprecedented speed, able to destroy in one moment its previous market position and efforts undertaken previously.

Moreover, employer branding is a way to:

• reducing staff turnover,
• forming a motivated team that is committed to the organization,
• increase the efficiency of employees, and thus profits,
• minimize recruitment time and associated costs,
• building competitive advantages – both on the internal and external level.

Employer branding activities – examples of value propositions

The key to building an effective employer branding campaign is to propose the so-called Employer Value Proposition – the value delivered by the employer to its employees. It may take into account many aspects of the organization’s functioning – from the most prosaic ones, such as salary levels, to ethical and philosophical issues, which, if coherent in the perception of both the employees and the organization itself, may contribute to the latter’s impressive business success. So what are some examples of employer branding in a company?

These are:

• formulating the company’s mission, vision and objectives in an attractive way, as transparent and trust-inspiring as possible,
• concern for coherence between the theses formulated in this way and the actions taken,
• undertaking activities in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR),
• ensuring that staff are paid a salary commensurate with their responsibilities,
• use of incentive systems such as bonuses, promotions, benefits, training, trips, gym passes, free health care, company car, company phone, meal subsidies, the possibility of remote or hybrid work, etc,
• adjusting the way you communicate so that it provides clarity on your job responsibilities while also contributing to the team atmosphere,
• ensuring the stability of employment – both formally and in the form of the atmosphere prevailing in the organization,
• showing concern for the so-called work-life balance of employees,
• adapting the scope of responsibilities to the individual abilities, interests and capabilities of employees.

• Twitter
• Facebook

How does the activity on the internet influence online recruitment?

All activities led by the company on the internet influence its overall image. Depending on the direction in which we are going to develop our online branding, it can positively or negatively affect the perception of the brand. The presence of the organization also in the virtual world comes in handy in many areas, including remote recruitment.

The process is based on the usage of the internet and the newest technologies. Even finding the advert with the job offer is made online. The very first meeting with the brand is on the internet and most of the candidates don’t want the next steps to change this communicative channel.

The most natural consequence of reading an interesting job offer is gaining as much information as possible about the recruiting company. The power of the internet comes in handy, it enables you to search for really interesting facts. That is why it is so important to take care of building an online image.

All the information that candidates come across online can affect the form of further cooperation. A positive image based on high activity in social media or other digital channels strengthens the credibility of a given brand. As a result, a potential employee is even more interested in a job offer from such a place, and the company itself is often identified as more prestigious.

On the other hand, the real threat to the organization’s good name and the success of the remote recruitment process is any negative feedback about the company or information revealing unfavorable aspects of its operation. There is a high risk that a bad reputation will scare away candidates regardless of the perks highlighted even in the best-worded job advertisement.

The development of technology and the moving of many processes to the virtual world have undoubtedly improved the functioning of companies and allowed them to reach an even wider audience. However, brands must not forget that such a rapid flow of information also involves bad information, which can ruin an image.

Summary

Carefully planned online branding has become one of the most effective marketing strategies today, which at the same time does not require much money. Positive effects can also be seen in the remote recruitment process. A recognizable brand on the Internet attracts the most talented candidates, who, starting the whole process online, easily search for information about the future employer.