By Sophie van der Singel
What perception do your potential employees have of your organisation? A strong employment branding strategy matters a lot when you are looking to attract the best and the brightest candidates, especially in industries where the demand is high.
You need to understand what it is that your employees perceive as benefits and what is most important to them. How you reach them and how you communicate your brands’ strengths and perks will either leave your prospects with a positive lasting impression or an instant lack of interest in applying to work for you.
Step 1: LOOK
Look at what your competitors are offering. Do they offer incentives such as bonuses, or helpful perks like insurance or free gym membership? If you can’t match or better what your competition offers, you will likely fall behind them in popularity. Perceived available salary brackets and benefits will have a strong impact on your employment brand, and should never be disregarded.
Step 2: LISTEN
Listen to the views of your current staff. What are your employees especially happy with? The answer to this question will help you advertise your vacancies and employment brand better. What your employees have most commonly requested or complained about might show areas for growth and improvement so don’t dismiss these types of comments either.
Step 3: PROMOTE
Use recruitment campaigns to promote the benefits of working for you at every chance you get. You can use your company profile to highlight your organisational value and culture, and further expand your reach through social media. You can also utilise free review platforms such as Glassdoor to collect positive reviews from staff members and share these with stakeholders.
Step 4: RE-ENFORCE
Recruitment should be followed by continuously promoting the benefits you offer during your induction programs, on-boarding processes and general internal communication. The benefits of working for you, your company vision and perceived organisational culture together hold up your employment brand, so let everyone know who you are and what you have to offer.
Step 5: ACCREDIT
So now you’re shouting from the roof tops that you have a great offer for employees, but how can your prospects know that you are speaking the truth? Benchmark yourself against national standards and gain the right accreditations to show your position within the market. Stand out from the crowd and the hungry and talented will be more likely to seek you out.
However you wish to be perceived and no matter who you are competing with, creating a great employment brand will take some significant work. It’s not easy or straight forward, but it will definitely be worthwhile.
With a strong employment brand your business will be stronger, your recruitment processes will be easier and your staff will feel more satisfied.
