How to improve and measure employer branding?

The branding activities of an organization play a crucial role in maintaining a competitive advantage in the labor market. The long-term goal of employer branding is to build an attractive opinion about the company not only among candidates, but also among employees. The pioneer of employer branding in the early 21st century was McKinsey, which built a strong reputation as a good employer. Today, many companies have already appreciated the power of an image campaign and are trying to use it to attract and retain the best employees. In order for this to be possible, it is necessary to constantly monitor the performance indicators implemented in this area and take corrective measures.

Employer branding – table of contents:

1. Performance indicators in employer branding
2. Measuring employer branding
3. Summary

Performance indicators in employer branding

Employer branding must be considered as an investment that should bring the expected returns and results. A number of different indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of branding activities, which we can divide into internal and external. Before selecting them, it is useful to organize them according to three areas:

Measuring the effectiveness of employer branding campaigns is primarily aimed at checking their impact on a company’s business results. By monitoring website traffic, it is possible to determine the number of clicks and the time spent on acquiring information about the company. The better the image of the organization, the more website visitors there are.

Studying seemingly irrelevant information about the number of likes or shares can point to the audience most engaged with a brand. This, in turn, will make it possible to determine the competency profiles of potential candidates, based on the characteristics of people involved in the content published on social media. On the other hand, indicators examining the effectiveness of recruitment will provide knowledge about the efficiency of the employee referral system.

Measuring employer branding

When looking at the three areas mentioned above, it is worth considering where to start measuring employer branding. It is certainly necessary to diagnose the current state and determine the desired state, what results the company is currently achieving and what results it would like to achieve in the future, and what kind of candidates it is looking for and with what competencies.

In order to properly measure employer branding, it is necessary to define long-term and short-term goals to build an attractive employer image in the eyes of employees and job candidates. These goals should then be linked to appropriate metrics.

How to improve employer branding?

There are several key aspects that improve employer branding. One of them is to provide employees with the right conditions for work. When focusing on potential candidates, you should not forget about the staff already employed. In building a positive image of the employer and a friendly working atmosphere, a key role plays the employee training, a transparent career path, flexible forms and working hours, maintaining an appropriate balance between private and professional life and a proven system of benefits.

Another important area is communication. Employees at all levels should have a sense of belonging to the organization and having a real impact on the company’s decisions. The foundation of success are partnership relations at the management-staff level, which determine stability and security of employment and attachment to the workplace. A satisfied employee is a loyal employee who will tie up with the company for many years.

The work environment consists of employees, their mutual relations and the prevailing atmosphere. That’s why it’s always a good idea to organize team-building meetings, events and company trips to spend time together and strengthen interpersonal ties. This builds positive relationships outside the company. As a result, teamwork is also improved and conflict situations are reduced.

Last but not least in employer branding is creating a positive image on the Internet, especially on social media platforms. It is worth pointing out how the employer brand works and how it is perceived by potential candidates. It is also worth publishing team photos, employee stories (career paths) and creative videos about the company. Anything to attract valuable employees.

When taking the above actions, it is important to remember that they should be consistent with what the company actually offers. Dishonesty on the part of the employer will result in an image crisis of the entire organization. Therefore, you should take care to present your company online in a fair and honest way.

Summary

Successful employer branding is an effective and relevant combination of promotional, personnel and business activities. Achieving branding goals requires the involvement of management, employees and teamwork. In order to talk about the profitability of such activities, their effectiveness must be measured regularly. Lessons learned and corrective actions implemented in this regard will be valuable tips for the development of the entire organization and strengthening its position in the labor market.

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