Are you and your company a cool employer where people would love to work? Especially young people? How do others perceive you, generally?
Are these questions buzzing around in your head? Then you are just right here on our Coopers Blog! Today's post focuses on Employer Branding – the art of establishing a company profile that speaks to your candidates on a technical as well as an emotional level.
Employer Branding is on everyone's lips. No wonder, considering the shift from an employer- to a candidate-centric market. It is no longer enough to simply post jobs and hope for great candidates to apply. Rather, as an employer, you need to actively communicate why someone should apply at precisely your company. We show you how this can be done.
Employer Branding Definition
Employer Branding is defined as all strategic measures to establish your employer profile. One the one hand, this allows you to position yourself as an attractive employer on the labour market and on the other hand, you get to differentiate yourself from competitors. The resulting employer brand comprises the values, characteristics and the culture of your company. It communicates them outwards as well as inwards.
Employer Branding Example
Your employer brand should deliver a compelling reason why someone would want to work at your company. Why s/he is excitedly waiting for an interview invite and is super enthusiastic to become a member of your team.
The tech giant Google is mastering this extremely well. Many people describe the work environment at Google as modern, innovative and creative – without ever have been working there. It needs an authentic Employer Branding strategy to build such a strong employer brand.
Employer Branding Strategy
Employer Branding should be embedded in your company's strategy rather than in the operational business. This is where it deviates from HR marketing. Employer Branding is a vast field, but the following four steps support you in establishing a strong employer brand.
1) Define your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
The EVP is basically a promise made to candidates and employees to be a great employer. The values in your EVP deliver the answers to the question why someone from your target group would want to work in your company.
Define your corporate identity with an inter-divisional group. Who you are, what you stand for, where you are headed. Good key questions can be found here and here. Furthermore, employee surveys help you to find out whether your actual and your aspired employer image are in line.
2) Fully embody your EVP
You position your employer brand authentically on the market, when the values included in the EVP are internalized and embodied on all levels of your enterprise.
Bear in mind: Employees choose a company but leave superiors. Therefore, it is important that really everyone act in concert. It should not turn into more illusion than reality. You need to be able to keep what you promise.
3) Speak up!
It sounds hackneyed, yet it is essential: Use and maintain your social media channels. Facebook, Instagram, Kununu & Co. are among the first and most important touch points with your sought-after talents. It is the home of the upcoming young professionals.
Allow for a glimpse into your daily business and the company premises. Instagram is especially suitable to present your firm's informal and humorous side. Pictures take up and illustrate your values – like employees at their desk, team breaks, small gifts for the team like home made cake et cetera.
Another advice: Include social media icons in your job posting so they are easily shared. This brings you on the radar of not actively searching employees.
4) Define and track KPIs
Track the success of your Employer Branding concept. Relevant KPIs are among others: (qualitative) applications total / qualitative) applications per position / time to hire (time between notice and replacement) / click on job and application buttons.
Regular employee surveys give you insights about the impact your Employer Branding measures have internally.
Ultimately, you want to be attractive for the best fitting candidates. Develop a common ground and an image that candidates can easily relate to. This will not only attract but also commit young talents to your company in the long run. This will not only reduce your fluctuation rate but also the costs coming with that.
Are you actively engaging in Employer Branding? Or currently developing an employer brand? We are excited to hear from you about this and hope this article provides some helpful information.
Your Coopers Team
