3 employer branding tips for your business
This trend is particularly true for business sectors where the demand for workforce exceeds the number of qualified applicants. Such candidate-driven environments include IT or shared services. To meet such challenges, many companies introduce an employer branding strategy, consisting of a number of steps to create a firm and coherent image of a sought-after employer. Below you will find some ideas developed during the Employer Brand Leaders Training workshops:
- Find out who are you looking for to find them
Finding suitable candidates through standard recruitment communication channels is becoming increasingly difficult. Most employers base recruitment marketing on adverts placed in search engines, on social networks or infotainment websites. However, the company should choose communication channels last, and not before the recruitment campaign is ready. Its prime focus should be the precise and mindful definition of the type of candidates it is looking for. Compiling a detailed list of all desired skills and personality traits is a good idea, and so is creating a demographic or behavioural profile. Selecting communication channels will be the next step – we need those that can help us reach the perfect candidate as effortlessly as possible. This will also allow us to design the message accordingly. Companies often start their adverts by listing all the requirements and expectations towards the candidate. This might be a mistake, as experts and managers are more attracted to texts that showcase the key advantages of the job and put the employer in a good light.
- Ask the candidate for feedback
Many companies gather feedback about their image through job satisfaction surveys and exit interviews for current and departing employees. The same attention should be paid to data about the expectations and motivations of candidates making the best impression during the recruitment process. After analysing the data, the company might discover that the careers section of their website lacks crucial data which seem obvious to someone on the inside of its business. For instance, many candidates ask about relocation packages or the opportunities for working on additional projects with a view to improving their skills. Quite possibly, from your perspective these services you provide to your employees are too obvious to mention. It is important to underline the terms of employment the candidates may find the most important. The more detailed the information on specific vacancies, the more talent it attracts.
- Invest in employee engagement from day one
Some companies see employment branding as a tool useful only during recruitment campaigns, even though in reality it should be applied for a number of crucial internal initiatives. For instance, the image-building efforts can be expanded by gamifying HR processes. Elements of simple games or fun challenges with awards can be included in orientation programmes for new hires. Even the tiniest of incentives can encourage faster learning and skill acquisition, resulting in improved efficiency and less time spent on required training. This approach is usually a pleasant surprise for new employees and translates into higher satisfaction with the new job. Consequently, it boosts involvement. Today’s markets are increasingly candidate-driven, so preventive action taken at the very beginning of the employee’s professional career is a step worth considering, as it greatly enhances staff retention.
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Przemysław Broniszewski |
Antal International ul. Puławska 2, 00-556 Warszawa www.antal.pl |
