In today's fiercely competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent has become an art form – and as recruiters, it’s the very heart of your job. Enter the realm of employer branding—a powerful and strategic approach that transcends beyond traditional recruitment methods.
At its core, employer branding is the art of sculpting and projecting a company's identity as an employer. It encompasses everything from the company's mission, values, culture, and work environment to the way it treats its employees. It is the essence of the company's reputation in the job market, as perceived by both current employees and potential candidates.
The importance of employer branding in today's market
Did you know that over 82% of job seekers check out their potential employer’s brand online before even applying?
A strong employer brand can be a game-changer, as it attracts the crème de la crème of talent, motivates employees to stay loyal, and fosters a positive company culture that radiates outward. As prospective employees increasingly seek more than just a job, employer branding has emerged as the bridge connecting talented candidates to their dream workplace.
A well-crafted employer brand can:
Attract Top Talent: Obviously, a compelling employer brand becomes a magnet for highly skilled professionals who seek not only financial rewards but also a sense of belonging and purpose in their work.
Boost Employee Retention: When a company's culture and values resonate with its employees, they are more likely to stay committed and engaged, leading to decreased turnover rates and increased productivity.
Enhance Company Reputation: A strong employer brand can significantly impact a company's overall reputation. Positive word-of-mouth from satisfied employees can attract even more talent and clients, contributing to long-term success.
Drive Business Growth: An exceptional employer brand can elevate a company's competitive advantage, as it creates a positive ripple effect that reaches potential customers, partners, and investors.
Let’s dive into some examples of ways to simply do it right – and businesses that do!
Utilise social trends
Trends are the key to improving your social reach. Whether it’s sounds, video styles, or topics, if you keep track of those and put a personal spin on them, you’re winning.
The times when all of your content had to be polished and professional are long gone – people crave rawness and honesty, and, above all, fun. They want to know whether working for you would be stressful and boring, or if you have a down-to-earth, fun crowd on your team.
A recruitment agency that clearly understands that is The Boden Group. Their videos aren’t professionally made, filmed by employees themselves, with clear use of current viral social media trends. Taking whatever is currently hot online and adjusting it to showcase your brand can get you more reach and interaction on your content and therefore spread the message of your employer brand.
Be authentic
When showcasing your employer brand on social or anywhere else, you should always start with authenticity. It’s not just about presenting your polished company values, it’s also about showcasing the way your people really do things.
The heart of creating a great employer brand is the people. You can have the most tailored, marketing-polished video, post, or website – but, news flash, these usually don’t do so well. People can spot a fake and overly polished marketing campaign in seconds. Which company would you rather work for – one that has a great 5-minute professional video with employee testimonials (scripted, of course), or one where the employees themselves share fun clips of days in the office, jokes between teams, or snippets of events?
Getting your employees engaged with creating your employer brand is your golden ticket – and to get them wanting to shout about your agency, you need to make it a place they want to shout about. Content that is genuine, not forced, performs best. People want to know the real heart of your brand, and what it’s like day-to-day.
A great example? Firefish Software itself!
Choose a focus
Let’s be honest – if you start shouting about how amazing your benefits are, the diversity and inclusivity in your team, career progressions, culture, events, success stories, and… you get my point. Nobody is going to believe that you simply offer it all. This is why you should choose your focus – decide what your main agency values are, and what your current employees appreciate about the agency. Based on that, focus your branding strategy around those 2-3 things.
For instance, Electronic Arts (EA) built the majority of its online presence around its inclusivity. Having targeted campaigns with one message helps clear up the static caused by simply listing your company message. In fact, they have a whole YouTube channel dedicated to sharing stories from the heart of the company!
To learn about creating a successful branding strategy from start to finish, download our eBook below!
