Do you have an employer brand? Yes you do! ~ By Christina

Finding and hiring employees is the biggest pain point for all employers whether you're small, medium or large. 83% of CEOs in a recent PriceWaterhouse Coopers CEO survey said that changing their approach to talent management is their number one priority. The current system they are using is what we call “post and pray.” You post a job maybe on LinkedIn or maybe on Indeed and you cross your fingers that ideal candidate will apply – you sit back and hope for someone to walk in the door. But the approach does not need to be so accidental, it can be more strategic.

What is Strategic Talent Management?

A strategic talent management system is purposely finding and retaining people to work in your organization. The whole cycle is kicked off with your brand as an employer. The idea behind employer branding is to find and retain ‘human capital’ AKA: fantastic employees who are assets to your organization. For more on Human Capital check out my video: https://youtu.be/3URMCqzYN7I

Employer Branding

With employer branding you are enticing passive candidates (potential employees) through your external communication. You are filling your pipeline before or when you need someone; essentially you are engaging people in your business for the possibility of working with you. Similar to customer marketing in that you are hooking people in but in this case its to work with you instead of to shop with you.

Every organization that has ever existed has had an employer brand, a perception of what it means to work at their organization. Employer brands are shaped by the experiences of current and past employees, candidates, and even customers. Anyone who has engaged and interacted with your organization has the opportunity to contribute to this perception whether it is through word of mouth, social media, or through a review on Glassdoor. It is this same perception that sways a candidate to either continue with their application process, accept an offer, or run for the hills. 

Employer branding, on the other hand, is the art and science behind amplifying and/or influencing that perception. It encompasses everything from consistent messaging, communication, and visuals that help tell an organization’s unique story and Employee Value Proposition (EVP), to how and where you advertise your organization’s openings. It is important to keep in mind that your brand is what it is, change is not always the goal, and changing a brand is impossible without changing your company culture. You can, however, emphasize the most important, positive brand attributes in your communications. 

Creating an employer branding strategy is not as easy as putting pen to paper or posting a job on your favorite job board. It takes time, thought, and a little creativity. However, the starting point always begins with your employees. It’s about the common attributes of your successful employees, what it means to work for your company as a whole, or within an individual department. These factors become the basis of your Employee Value Proposition – the most compelling value you offer to prospective employees. It could be “High pay, free food, and a competitive environment.” Or it could be “Positive social footprint, internal advancement, and fanatical focus on customer satisfaction.” The key is to honestly look at your organization, get lots of input, and define a concise strategy that can be easily understood by your target candidates. 

Looking to get some answers about what your brand is? A good way to get started is by interviewing your current employees. Ask any combination of, or all the questions below, remembering to treat every conversation as an opportunity to learn more about the current state of your employer brand. A fair assessment will include employees from all departments, career levels, and geographic regions. 

Employment Experience

·        Why did you join our company?

·        What keeps you here?

·        Why do you enjoy working here?

·        What about your immediate team do you like the best?

·        What outcomes do you want from your work?

 Company Culture

·        What is unique about us?

·        Describe the kind of person who succeeds here

·        What is the common thread that all our employees possess?

·        How do we achieve our goals?

·        What four adjectives best describe our team?

Once your brand is defined, this messaging is ready to be shared with the world through your career site, social media networks, job ads, email messages from recruiters to candidates, and so on. No more post and pray for you. Now that you have your employer branding every external communication is an opportunity tell the world why you are an awesome place to work.