I’ve written a lot in the past about how businesses need a strong employer (internal) brand to stand out from the competition and become a success. This rings true now more than ever before in the era of ‘The Great Resignation’.
How often have you said with great frustration, “Why is it so hard to get good staff these days?”
This usually happens after a failed recruitment drive that served up a less-than-average calibre of candidates. Or perhaps some of your rock stars have left for greener pastures… whatever the
reason, you’re asking the wrong question.
It should be: “Why don’t people want to work for our company anymore?”
It’s not always easy to decide what to base your employer brand on. If you’re struggling to define your employer branding, often a good place to start is with the people in front of you –
Your employees!
What is employer branding and why is it so important?
We often blame market conditions, the recruitment process or even the universities for not
producing enough good talent. However, the reality is, if your company’s reputation as an employer does not inspire people to want to work for you, you’re destined to become a ‘talent repeller’.
Being viewed as an unattractive place to work, both externally and internally, doesn’t just impact your recruitment efforts. It also has serious implications for your productivity, customer experience, retention, and your bottom line.
Establishing and maintaining an employer brand
The good news is that there is a practical solution at hand – building a robust employer brand. It may sound like some kind of new-age business jargon, but an effective employer brand can produce real results for your business.
Wikipedia defines employer brand as an employer’s reputation, and their employee value
proposition. In plain English, this translates to why people want to work for you and what they
receive, both financially and emotionally, in return.
Research by LinkedIn has found that having a strong employer brand can have a significant positive impact on a candidate’s decision to consider a potential employer.
- 75 per cent of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job
- The number one obstacle candidates experience when searching for a job is not knowing what it’s like to work at an organisation
A well-considered employer brand strategy will not only go a long way to solving your recruitment issues, it will also help boost morale and productivity in your current employees.
Building your employer brand
If you’re struggling to define your employer brand, use these questions to get started:
- What are your strengths are and what do you offer?
- What are your values?
- What is your purpose?
- What are your passions?
- Are you being authentic? People these days are savvier than ever and will see straight through any attempts at pretending to be something you’re not.
Is it working?
A good brand, whether internal or external, doesn’t happen overnight. You need to think long term and be consistent in everything you do. Once you’ve put in the hard yards of defining and establishing your employer brand, how do you know whether it’s been a success?
When measuring something like the perception of your employer brand, it pays to engage experts, like Energise, to get the hard data and percentage figures through proven research methods.
But, if you want a quick snapshot right now, here are some key questions you can ask your current employees:
- What was the moment you knew you’d made the right decision to work here?
- What was your best day at work?
- What’s something that’s happened that can only happen here?
- What are you most proud of?
If you don’t feel a pit of dread opening at the thought of asking these questions, you know you’ve created a brand that your employees love. If you do, what could you be doing differently to help
mitigate those concerns?
It is often hard, especially for small to medium sized businesses, to define their employer branding, but it can be done. And right now, during the “Great Resignation”, it’s imperative that you give it a try.
Want to know how Energise has helped other B2B organisations to improve their employer branding? Check out our testimonials section for videos with some of clients or have a read through of our Brand services here.
