Branding isn’t just a customer-facing proposition, but rather a multilayered process which establishes the reputation and values of an organization. To attract prospective employees and bring the right talent onboard, it’s something you need to get right.

If you feel like your business could be doing more to establish itself as an employer worth working for, read on to get the lowdown on the various aspects of the branding process, and why they’re important.

The basics of branding

Your brand consists of a variety of elements, both tangible and intangible, which help define your business and set it apart from competitors. It’s all about perception, and from an employer perspective, that perception is largely shaped by the opinions held by existing team members and people who’ve previously worked for your firm.

You might think that in this sense, your employer brand is out of your hands. In reality, the opposite is true, because there are several things that you can control in order to influence the way your business is perceived both internally and externally.

The assets which build your brand as an employer

In terms of what influences how people see your business, the list includes:

Company culture

Having a clearly defined, consistent company culture is a good starting point for brand-building as an employer. People need to know what your business stands for, what ethos underpins its operations, and how this translates into everyday interactions.

Some parts of this will be set in stone as a result of the broader traditions of the place your business is based. Others are up for you to decide, and can be forged according to your own ideologies, or founded on those behaviors and beliefs to which you aspire and strive.

Workplace policies

It’s good to have a clear, unambiguous idea of your company’s culture, but better still to follow through on this by putting policies in place which reflect what it sets out.

For instance, if you are keen to accommodate the needs of team members regardless of their personal circumstances and working preferences, you need to also offer flexible working and remote working as options. In short, you need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

Employee benefits and perks

A straightforward way to convey your brand as an employer to applicants for job openings is by highlighting the perks that they can expect once they’re part of the team. This can include the aforementioned flexible and remote working opportunities, but should also cover things like vacation days, sick pay, training and professional development.

Employee benefits need to be competitive within your industry niche, and also suitable for the types of roles that are available. And of course they must match your values, as well as being provided in a fair manner, rather than dangled as an unattainable prize in front of those who’ll never be eligible for them.

Testimonials

Using an employee testimonial to boost your reputation as an employer is an efficient and effective solution, as well as once which is becoming increasingly expected as a base level feature.

If you want to get the best candidates onboard, you can’t just convince them to apply with raw facts and figures or written reviews; video testimonials are the key to convincing them that your company is the real deal, and not just a baseless hype machine.

Social media

To gauge the reputation of a business, you only need to turn to social media to see what kinds of conversations are taking place around a given brand.

Consumers do this when deciding whether or not to buy a product or service, and job-hunters use the same tactics to find out if there are any upsides or pitfalls to working for a particular company.

Thus you can use social media for employer branding, as well as for employee retention. Presenting your organization in a positive light, generating a following, fielding questions, responding to criticisms and generally staying on top of your social presence will pay dividends in so many areas.

The strategies which will ensure your employer brand flourishes

Sometimes the biggest hurdle you have to overcome when approaching the challenge of building an attractive brand as an employer is knowing where to start. There are several strategies worth pursuing as a priority, such as:

Stimulating internal engagement

You shouldn’t worry too much about how your brand is perceived from the outside until you’ve dealt with any issues with its reputation from within.

The best way to do this is through directly engaging with existing team members, asking for their honest feedback on the way the organization operates, and giving them the opportunity to recommend changes that they believe would result in greater job satisfaction.

Making your brand more human

Companies can seem like monolithic entities, perhaps even soulless and unapproachable to those not already on the staff.

This is something that your branding efforts have to counteract. Storytelling is therefore not just a marketing tool to apply to B2C campaigns, but also as part of your recruitment and onboarding initiatives.

Optimizing onboarding

Speaking of onboarding, you have to follow through on your brand building in this scenario as well, or else your retention rates for new hires in particular will plummet.

It’s another example of how company culture can’t just be superficial, but has to run deep throughout your organization. That way employee expectations are set appropriately from day one, and there are no nasty surprises which will lead to dissatisfaction.

The bottom line

A strong employer brand will compliment and go hand in hand with a successful customer-facing brand for your business.

This is more relevant than ever in 2023, when a shortage of talent for many roles in a variety of industries means that lots of companies are competing over a small pool of available employees.

If you’re struggling to attract and retain team members, this is a clear sign that it’s time to reappraise your branding and make changes where necessary.

Image Source: Pexels

HR Future Staff Writer