No matter how big or small and whatever the nature and extent of its business, every organization would love to know what people’s opinions are about it as an employer. As an employer trying to attract the best possible talent and retain it, you might even depend on recruiters, to manage the overall hiring and feedback process, which has to be well polished regardless of doing so whether in-house or hiring outside consultants for the job.
In a post-COVID landscape that prioritizes remote working, companies can now go as far as collaborating with a recruitment agency in the UK, US or anywhere else in the world to get a better sense of how job hunters in different locations feel about the idea of working for them.
Recruiting agencies face unique challenges in their attempts to pair up the best employees with the right opportunities in today’s congested marketplace. Job seekers aren’t looking for better pay packages; they also want job satisfaction, a good job title, and perks and work in sync with their personal goals, vision, and values. The present generation is also interested in jobs that make a difference and offer ideal work-life balance and quality relationships.
More and more companies are investing in the concept of employer branding and recruitment marketing to reach out to the widest, deepest, and top-quality pool of candidates.
The issue is that though most employers understand the significance of employer branding, they face unique challenges in incorporating it and leveraging its power.
Importance of Employer Branding
- A study conducted by CareerBuilder shows that companies with a strong employer brand tend to attract nearly four times more applicants for jobs as compared to those that don’t have a robust employer brand
- Nearly 95% of job applicants consider a company’s reputation for being a crucial factor when applying for jobs
- If your company has a strong employer brand, you’ll notice at least 28% less turnover
- With a strong employer brand, you can reduce hiring costs by at least 50%
- More than half of the applicants who had an unsatisfactory candidate experience tend to share it online on social media
What is Employer Branding?
This concept impacts your organization globally, from recruiting and retaining good talent to employee performance and profitability of the company. It comprises the company’s short and long term goals, the human resource objectives it wants to achieve in the medium, short and long terms, fresh products and services that are envisaged, and analysis of the talent gaps that prevent the achievement of goals. It enables your organization to remain competitive and relevant in the job market.
Employer branding helps to convey to prospective candidates:
- What your organization can offer them and how it is better than what they currently have and what another organization has
- It helps to market your organization to candidates and inspire/enthuse them
- It also reflects how your present employees view the company
- It defines the company’s values, goals, vision, culture, status, etc. to potential and current employees and ensures that these are in sync with a candidate’s own system of values, attitudes, and beliefs
- It instills a strong EVP (employee value proposition) that enhances retention because of the value that current employees place on working for your organization
How to Enhance Employer Branding Recruitment
1. Design a Great Recruitment Process
Create a “target candidate persona” so that recruiters clearly understand what you’re looking for. It’s a great idea to test out the process by going through it yourself occasionally. Provide all candidates with a smooth recruitment process that makes them feel valued, respected, and appreciated, whether you ultimately hire them or not. This gives the potential candidate an idea of how they will be treated when they join the company and also an impression of the workplace atmosphere.
This can be achieved with a simpler, user-friendly application process, clear and unambiguous information about your company, and advertised position. If the candidate is not hired, ensure that they get an affable decline and the opportunity to give feedback about the recruitment process. The onboarding process for successful candidates should be standardized, but well-designed and effective.
2. Leverage Employee Retention
Employer branding is not just about attracting talent, but also about retaining it. Studies show that every employee who quits can cost an organization between 30 and 400% of their yearly salary, based on their role in the company. Get regular feedback from your current employees, ensure that their values and yours are in alignment.
Employees who feel valued are more productive, less prone to moving, and more inclined to share their personal blogs or social media experience, becoming brand ambassadors for your company. Creating a robust and responsive work culture also helps current employees to recommend your company to other potential hires. This is best done by creating a strong community culture and a family feeling within the company.
3. Use The Power of Several Communication Channels
Attract qualified candidates by looking for it in the right places. Spread the word in different channels by using the power of as many different channels as possible. You can use blog posts, social media platforms, the Careers Page on your website with videos, images, and sound bites from existing employees. Address negative feedback squarely on sites such as Glassdoor by letting readers know that you hear it by offering information and responsiveness, and showing that you’re ready to accept and improve.
Holding events as a sponsor or host, especially in local occasions where your candidate pool is likely to converge. Create a picture of what it would be like to work in your organization with well-made videos, newsletters that provide genuine insights into the community. Use your existing employees as your best recruiters by showcasing word-of-mouth testimonials about your company’s growth and rewards.
4. Cooperate With Like-Minded Companies
Strange as it may seem, you can benefit greatly by cooperating and collaborating with companies that share the same space as yours in terms of products/services/values. This helps you amplify and enhance each other’s employer branding recruitment strategies, share information, and connect up by hosting events, conferences, and seminars.
You can also connect up with not-for-profit organizations to host events that showcase your brand and share the responsibility of managing these events with your employees. This goes a long way in sending out your employer brand message, allowing your name to be quickly recognized by potential candidates.
Volunteering and donating to a cause, stepping in when a natural disaster strikes, offering free courses or internships in your company and trying to embed the brand into your community’s daily life as much as possible.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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