Employer Branding

Some companies are focused on Employer Branding with processes and strategies in place. Similar to techniques used for customer acquisition, these include using social media to showcase HR-focused activities or encouraging top employees to share updates about what they’ve learned during their time at the company.

Do not confuse “going-out-there-to-let-people-know-that-our-company-is-looking-for-new-employees” with Employer Branding. Creating events, workshops, blogs and other interactions with the company and its employees is just another hiring strategy and a tiny little part of Employer Branding.

So, what really is Employer Branding?

Employer Brand vs Employer Branding vs Recruitment

While Employer Brand is the following, as described by Wikipedia...
"Employer brand describes an employer's reputation as a place to work, and their employee value proposition, as opposed to the more general corporate brand reputation and value proposition to customers. The term was first used in the early 1990s, and has since become widely adopted by the global management community.”

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employer_branding

And recruitment means…
"The process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate (from within or outside of an organization) for a job opening, in a timely and cost effective manner. The recruitment process includes analyzing the requirements of a job, attracting employees to that job, screening and selecting applicants, hiring, and integrating the new employee to the organization.”

source: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/recruitment.html

Employer Branding actually is,
“... an umbrella term for employer brand management, employer brand positioning and internal marketing. It’s an inside-out, implicitly-explicit, value-based approach to shaping the perceptions and behaviours of employees as well as external talent.”

source: https://www.managementstudyguide.com/employer-branding.html

Well, Employer Branding is, of course, more than that. Some experts and consultants refer to Employer Branding as a way to convert customer PR strategies into recruitment, such as sharing company values — your company must stay true at all times on social media. It is crucial that people know what your brand’s values are. They might already feel connected with your company, as a customer and as a potential employee.

Others within Employer Branding insist on a proper onboarding process. After recruiting new hires, the reality of the workplace experience must match what was discussed at the interview. Keep your promises even after your sale was made. It is very important to deliver a great value-matching daily experience for your new recruits. Monitor how they engage and perceive your brand values and your company’s ability to uphold them to gain valuable insights.

What is also well-known is that your employees are your brand ambassadors. Word-of-mouth from a friend is a trusted source of information. Your company is a winner if your employees elect to promote you on social media as an employer. If they aren’t, you can still ask them to do so or add their personal recommendations under a current job vacancy.

What companies usually do not cover

Employment Branding is not only about sharing company values, keeping promises to new hires, and setting up workshops and meet-ups. There are many other aspects that must be covered, such as creating a great candidate experience. You must ensure that every candidate who applies for a role or inquires about a job opportunity comes away from the interaction with a positive experience.

People who get in touch with your company, even short-term, are also important, even though the communication or cooperation was brief. A candidate who failed to progress through the interview process may be a successful hire in the future. You want to make sure, even in light of an unsuccessful application, that each candidate leaves with a positive feeling about your company as a potential future employer.

All candidates can be brand ambassadors. A candidate you didn’t hire might have a friend who is more suitable for the job you are trying to fill. If you leave this candidate upset, do you think they will recommend your opportunity to their friend?

You must always keep your promises, adhere to your values, and be respectful of every person who interacts with your company. This requires proper internal communication and plenty of staff training, for employees in every position, on how they should treat people both inside and outside your company. This training process becomes much more natural once your employees enter your company with the same experience you want them to provide for others.

• How do you perceive Employer Branding at your company?