Talent shortages and an emphasis on recruiting initiatives have made the employer brand one of 2017’s hottest HR topics. The phrase has garnered plenty of buzz online, but for many HR personnel, the definition of “employer brand” remains unclear.
To learn more on the subject, I spoke with guest Rachel Duran, manager of talent acquisition marketing at CA Technologies on an episode of Paycom’s HR Break Room podcast. Below are three main takeaways from that conversation.
1. Be descriptive
The employer brand is similar to a product brand in that you can’t just put out a successful product without positioning it at all. You need to let the customers (or in this case, prospective employees) know what they can expect from what you’re selling (your organization). Describe what it means to work at your company and share which jobs are available; the answers to those questions make up your employer brand.
Communicating your employer brand can be as simple as a job description presented through blogs, videos, quizzes and interactive materials that help prospective candidates understand what they can expect from the culture, the benefits and the overall environment of the organization.
2. Be authentic
Authenticity is key to establishing an employer brand that attracts the right talent for you. The brand is shaped by the entire organization from the bottom up and is defined by the culture formed organically by employees and management alike.
Questions top talent asks when considering their next career step include “What does the day-to-day look like?” and “How do your organization’s values impact the atmosphere of the workspace?” Authentic answers are essential.
Don’t be afraid to dig in and do the investigative work to ensure your materials are accurate; they should communicate your employer value proposition. Also, avoid making the mistake of building a brand that is not reflective of your company’s actual mission and culture.
If marketing of an employer brand is not authentic and transparent, it runs the risk of actually increasing employee turnover when expectations are not met. Every interaction, from a recruiter’s first phone call to a company-wide email, is part of employer branding. If a company is not authentic in everything, it is unfair to expect employees to be satisfied.
3. Be realistic
A critical step in shaping your employer brand is to set realistic expectations for prospective talent. Branding should dictate all aspects of the organization’s representation, so ensure the perspectives of key stakeholders are included.
Once you have everybody’s perspective, it’s time to create the promotional materials for your employer brand. From the seemingly minute post with a custom hashtag to a larger project, such as a dedicated career website full of videos, your content should reflect your company’s culture.
In the current war for talent, the employer brand can be a valuable tool in recruiting efforts. Ensure your brand makes the biggest impact possible by being true to who you are. The secret to recruiting and retaining the talent you need is as simple as being honest about your organization’s identity.
