How to Build Your Employer Brand

Defining Employer Brand

Tide. Gerber. Mattel. Nike. Dunkin’.

When you think of any brand, different words, images and feelings that the brand evokes come to mind. As a business leader, you want consumers to think of your product or service first when they have a need. An employer brand is no different, except that you’re not selling a product or service to a consumer, you’re selling the organization to a potential job candidate.

A brand’s image – the same ones you thought of when you read the brand names above – might come from advertising, the shopping experience, reviews, the online presence and voice, the product value, the emotions triggered, and again, the employer brand follows suit, stemming from communications, the recruiting process, career fairs, current employee insight, community presence and the list goes on.

Why Does Employer Brand Matter?

Your organization seeks top talent, and once you have great people in the doors (figuratively or literally), you want to retain them. Your employer brand is what brings the talent in and what keeps them around. It also helps you attract the right people, ones who share your organization’s values, who bring diverse perspectives and who make the company better. Seventy-five percent of job seekers research your employer brand for fit before applying.   

Your employer brand contributes to your overall brand, with research increasingly showing that consumers would rather spend money with companies that treat employees well.

Five Ways to Build Your Employer Brand

Good news: There are a lot of opportunities for business leaders, HR professionals and hiring managers to build or improve the employer brand. Let’s start with five major elements of the employer brand:

1. Job Postings: The postings on your website or other online recruiting sites should incorporate and celebrate the organization’s mission and values, explain what it’s like to work at your organization and even incorporate insights from current employees. Each posting should excite candidates and hiring leaders alike and should be a unique glimpse into what it’s like to work at your organization.
2. Candidate Communications: If you’ve been on LinkedIn in the last year, you’ve seen the frustration that a lack of good communication can cause to candidates. Thank your applicants for applying – it takes their time and mental energy. Ensure your communications are consistent, timely and aligned to your values. Your communications to candidates should feel authentic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leverage a formal process or an applicant tracking system. Give your candidates realistic decision timelines and don’t leave them hanging – even an update that the process is taking longer is something. Ensure those who are communicating with the candidates are passionate ambassadors of your employer brand – from reception to recruiting and anyone involved in the hiring process. They are all faces of your employer brand. 
3. Onboarding: Employer branding doesn’t stop upon hire. The first 90 days are crucial to the success of new hires, so the experience should be inspired by values, incorporate proper training and jumpstart meaningful connections. Share the onboarding process with your new hires so they know what to expect.
4. Feedback: Understand the employee perception, not just with your annual engagement survey, but by engaging the opinions of your candidates and new hires about the recruiting, hiring and onboarding experience. Then take this feedback – however you’ve gathered it – and act on it. Actively monitor online employer brand career sites like Glassdoor.com. Respond to positive comments and address any negative ones.
5. Community Engagement: Your approach may have adjusted due to COVID-19, but your name in the community is strengthened by your presence at career fairs, campus involvement, participation in local events, networking, giving back, and more. Are you recognized or known for something in the community? It’s time to put focus there.

The Employer Brand Builder

Check out The Employer Brand Builder tool by humanworks for a deeper dive into other employer brand elements and driving questions. Use this tool to build your roadmap to employer brand success! Connect with Rebecca or Sarah to discuss opportunities to roadmap and enhance your employer brand.