When talented candidates sift through job listings, does your name stand out? If not, go the extra mile to set yourself apart from the crowd. You’re not just another company offering the standard salary and benefits. You have the kind of culture, support, and perks that most employees dream of finding. Developing a stellar employer brand will help you show that to the world! We’ll walk you through exactly how to do that now.
Identify Your Brand
Determining your brand involves two main steps:
- Finding out what you’re offering employees right now.
- Deciding how to enhance what you’re offering—the specific ways in which you want to provide more value to employees.
Let’s take a look at each of those steps now.
Identify your employee value proposition.
First, determine what your company offers its employees in terms of culture, mentoring, and other aspects of work. Use surveys to ask your employees how they feel about your company. Identify your highest performers and ask them why they choose to work there. Ask questions on topics like these:
- Workplace culture.
- Relationship with their manager.
- Engagement in their work.
- Satisfaction with job benefits.
- How you could improve the employee experience.
- What you’re doing best.
Next, articulate your employee value proposition (EVP), ensuring it aligns with your customer-facing brand. Holistic branding will show authenticity and reinforce your commitment to your values.
Enhance your EVP.
Now that you know where you stand, define where you want to go. Here are some key areas of growth that most employers must continue to hone:
- Giving consistent feedback (in real time, when possible).
- Mentoring employees and investing in their growth.
- Creating a supportive learning culture.
- Being transparent.
- Listening to their employees.
- Adopting effective workflow processes.
- Being flexible in terms of working hours and remote work.
- Showing their commitment to societal wellbeing.
Strive to excel in each of these areas, many of which are especially important to Millenials and Gen Zers. In turn, you’ll have a workforce that is happy to reflect your desired brand to the world.
After identifying your brand, it’s time to take it public. Here’s how to make your brand visible to the broader public.
Share Your Brand with the World
Now, it’s time to become your employer brand’s PR agent. Use the following three strategies together for best results.
Create compelling content for job posts.
When you think of a job posting, you probably imagine numerous long paragraphs of text and lengthy bulleted lists. You can differentiate your content by adding visuals. Include captivating photos and short videos that give candidates a glimpse into a day on the job.
Affirm the priorities defined above in your job postings, too. Instead of just outlining responsibilities, show what you plan to offer them and why that matters to you. Strive to write in a snappy, engaging style that sounds like you’re speaking to a mentee.
Harness the power of social media.
You can cultivate a consistent brand voice through social media platforms. “Take the opportunity to control the narrative,” says the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). Here are a few ways to do that:
- Share employee testimonials.
- Share glimpses of your work environment, if applicable.
- Make statements about how you support your employees and why.
- Share gratitude for specific employees’ great work and team accomplishments.
Post regularly on the platforms you use, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to build up a following.
Launch an employee advocacy program.
When it comes to building trust with candidates, no one has more credibility than your current employees. Enlist their help with strategies like these:
- Notify employees about new innovations and opportunities. Give them materials that are easy to share, like a link to a blog or Facebook post.
- Create enticing referral incentives, like bonus pay or time off.
- Encourage employees to regularly share updates about the company. These shouldn’t be limited to just job openings. Sharing other company news or their own reactions to exciting events will also boost your visibility in positive ways.
Continue to fine-tune your brand over time. Train your managers to support your brand in their practices. Affirm your brand in your meetings with leaders so it remains a consistent focus. By taking each of these steps, you’ll have an employer brand that helps candidates clearly visualize why they’ll love working for you.
