18 Oct Employer Branding: 8 Steps to Build your Brand
Employer branding can aid recruitment and retention. It’s a great way to reduce recruitment costs. Your employer brand is made up of your company identity and reputation. The identity of your business includes your mission, values and culture, while your company’s reputation is how others perceive you. 79% of job seekers look into a company’s mission and values before applying for a job. 95% say that employer reputation affects their decision to apply for a vacancy. So how can you build your employer brand to ensure more high-calibre candidates go on to apply for your vacancies?
Research your Brand
Before you can start to make any changes, it’s important to evaluate where your employer brand is right now. Check out what employees are saying about your company on Glassdoor. Perhaps recruit an external pair of eyes to see what they can glean from your website, social media and content about your company identity. From here, you’ll be able to formulate informed goals and strategies going forward.
Make Sure your Policies Align with your Values
Now you have some insight into your company’s reputation and what values you are outwardly presenting, be sure to back up those values with real policies. For example, if you present your business as progressive and ahead of the curve, are you keeping up to date with current working practices such as remote and hybrid working? Inconsistent employer branding can sow distrust in prospective candidates.
Encourage Employee Feedback
Positive employee reviews can be as valuable as negative reviews can be damaging to your employer brand. Encouraging staff feedback not only results in more of the former but it also makes personnel feel listened to and less likely to vent their frustrations publicly.
Act on Employee Feedback
Encouraging feedback is only half a job done until you act on that feedback. If employee feedback is highlighting an issue in your workplace culture, investigate that issue and let employees know that you are working to address it.
Sell your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
Your company mission, values and culture combine to make your unique employer value proposition (EVP). Your EVP is what you can offer prospective and current employees. It encourages the hiring of new talent and discourages a high turnover rate.
On top of attractive salaries, adding more value to your EVP could include:
- Providing career development opportunities
- Ensuring job security
- Exhibiting a positive management culture
- Evaluating and promoting fairly.
If you have a great EVP, make sure everyone knows about it! Sell it in your vacancy advertisements and make sure current employees are aware of the benefits they have access to.
Create a Positive Recruitment Process
The hiring process should be a smooth and rewarding one for both successful and unsuccessful candidates. The best way to achieve this is to ensure fairness and transparency.
From the outset, present a professional and clear recruitment process. Consider an informative careers page that showcases your EVP and any available vacancies with as much detail as possible. Make your vacancies attractive with visual elements. Include exciting descriptions of the roles instead of merely listing requirements you want from candidates.
Communicate regularly with applicants throughout the hiring process even when a candidate is unsuccessful and be sure to give thoughtful feedback.
Create a Positive Onboarding Process
A professional and thorough onboarding process creates a positive employment experience with your company from the outset. A smooth transition into the company is important. It can be achieved by providing the time and information necessary to acclimate the new starter to the role, team and company.
Promote your Employer Brand on Social Media
When candidates research your company before applying for your vacancy they will likely check out your social media accounts. Evidence your EVP for prospective employees by showcasing the regular training, teambuilding and promotions that happen at your company.
YourCode’s Subscription Service offers bespoke employer branding consultations and monthly meetings to enhance your existing talent acquisition strategy. Alongside this, we will build a talent pipeline, giving you access to our extensive candidate pool and advertising reach for just one monthly fee. Email Josh at joshua.dixon@yourcode.co for an information pack or to schedule a 15-minute call to explore your options.