What is Employer Brand? Discover Your Company's Personality Today

Employer brand has been a significant focus the last few years, with most larger companies now investing in it to attract and retain their top talent over competition who are also trying to attract top talent.

But what is your Employer Brand - and should you be working on it?

Your Employer Brand (at its core) is your company's unique personality. It's the atmosphere your company has, the beliefs and tone of your company, and your company's vision.

Your Employer Brand can also be directly tied to a person. Think of Apple during the Steve Jobs years. Even as consumers, you could tell what "kind of people" Apple wanted to attract as employees. Then there's Tesla, with the Tesla share price directly related to what Elon says and does. For some companies, their Employer Brand is a personal brand. 

However, your company can build your Employer Brand without your CEO's or founder's face. In fact, most companies choose the "face of their employees" instead. 

So, with that in mind, let's dive in and find an Employer Brand strategy that works for you!

Key Takeaways:

• Employer Brand (at its core) is your company's unique personality and feel.
• Your Employer Brand can include your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
• Candidates and current employees love to work at companies that align with their values and culture.
• Tools like Vouch make it easier for companies to capture their Employer Brand.

A Strong Employer Brand, Why Build It?

Building a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent. It involves defining your company's values and culture, showcasing them through social media channels, and consistently delivering on the promises made to your employees.

The key is this: You need to create and promote a company and culture that people believe in.

Why build a stronger Employer Brand?

Your Employer Brand can give you a substantial competitive advantage in your industry.

If you actively work on building it, your Employer Brand can directly influence your ability to attract and retain talented employees, can significantly reduce the cost per hire and give you an unfair competitive advantage in your industry for years to come.

Capturing The Non-Tangible Employer Brand Magic

To effectively build your employer brand, you need to go beyond facts.

People make emotional purchases daily, and investing in a company like yours is no different. A checklist of facts alone will not convert them - you need their emotional investment, too.

You want candidates who do more than bulk send their resumes. The best employees "want to work" at your company and help you succeed. That's the power of building your Employer Brand.

And this magic again comes from involving your current employees, which will organically shape your Employer Brand to share their stories and experiences. Authenticity is key. 

By using your current employees to resonate with candidates, you are also building a culture without forcing a single company retreat day or corporate mission statement.

Additionally, leveraging Video and social media platforms can help you reach a massive audience, not only to showcase your company culture to potential employees for open positions but also to show your customers "why" they should be doing business with you - not a competitor. 

The second magic point of building your Employer Brand is that it is some of the most powerful marketing content your company can have for all stages of your funnel.

This is hard to measure, but watching videos like the one below from XX shows how much power these videos have as consumers.  
‍

The 10 Proven Steps for Building Your Employer Brand

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you get started. Please note that if you are starting from scratch, you may want to spend more time talking to your current employees in the research phase. Your Employer Brand really can't be forced; it needs to be organic. And if you notice some red flags during your research phase, then these will need to be addressed first - to prevent losing your current talent.

The ten key Employer Branding steps: 

1. Audit Your Current Employer Brand

If you currently have or have worked on your Employer Brand, now is an excellent time to review it. Assess your current reputation as an employer, and consider looking at employee reviews on websites like Glassdoor and social media. Identify strengths and areas for improvement.

2. Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)

The first step is identifying what makes your organization a great place to work. This includes your company culture, values, benefits, opportunities for growth, and any unique EVPs. The best way to define this is by talking to your current Employees or getting them to complete a short video interview with a video tool like Vouch.

Of course, not all employees will speak openly and honestly, so sometimes you will need to read between the lines and ask open-ended questions that capture more than a yes or no answer. If you are unsure, please book a Free demo with the Vouch team. We help a lot of leading companies with this challenge.

3. Understand Your Target Audience

After interviewing your current employees, you need to further define your target audience — the type of talent you want to attract. This could be similar or different to your current employees, which you need to understand here. You are trying to uncover what your target audience looks for in an employer, known as a persona. 

4. Get More Employees Involved

Your employees are your best brand ambassadors. In step 1. we interviewed them; now it's time to ramp it up and get more employees involved. Using the same video tools, you can encourage more of your employees to share their experiences, participate in testimonials, and be active on social media. Employee advocacy directly impacts your employer brand.

5. Craft a Consistent Brand Message

Your Employer Brand needs to have a clear and consistent message reflecting your company culture and values. The key is boiling everything you do down to a few points and ensuring that this message is communicated across all platforms, including your career site, social media, and recruitment materials.

6. Optimize Your Career Site

Before promoting your Employer Brand to active and passive job seekers, you must ensure your career website page is optimized for conversions, as it's often the first touchpoint for potential candidates. Make sure it is user-friendly, informative, and visually appealing. Highlight your EVP, company culture, benefits, and available opportunities in clear, simple terms without making people jump through unnecessary hoops.

7. Utilize Social Media

Capturing your Employer Brand is the first step; now it's time to get your message out to your target audience. Leveraging social media platforms is the best way to showcase your company culture and engage with your audience - through sharing employee stories, company events and outings, and any initiatives that highlight your organization's values and feel.

Posting ongoing, engaging content, such as Videos that showcase your workplace is critical. It is also best to take a holistic approach, post content not only on social media but also create blog posts for SEO, think about adding content to sites like Medium on the importance of company culture, and share employee success stories through "day-in-the-life" videos.

8. Implement Employee Referral Programs

Your current employees are also a great way to attract top talent, and you can leverage your employees' networks with a simple referral program with an incentive. This helps in recruiting and reinforces a positive employer brand through word-of-mouth.

9. Monitor and Respond to Feedback

When promoting Employer Brand on social media and blog posts, you also need to be proactive in responding to DMs and comments and keep an eye on employee reviews and feedback on platforms like Glassdoor. The key is responding constructively to both positive and negative feedback, demonstrating that you value and address employee concerns - further enhancing your employer brand.

10. Measure and Adjust

Regularly measure the impact of your employer branding efforts. Use metrics like application conversion rates, time-to-fill, and employee retention rates to assess the effectiveness of your strategies. Adjust your approach based on your results. Just be sure only to make incremental changes, not big ones, as your Employer Brand needs to remain relatively consistent. 

Summary: By following these ten steps and consistently promoting a positive image of your organization, you can build a strong employer brand that attracts and retains top talent. Keep in mind that employer branding is an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring and adjustment to stay relevant and competitive in the job market.
‍

How Do You Measure Your Employer Brand Success?

It is crucial to align it with your overall brand image to ensure consistency and authenticity. This means that the traits and values you promote externally should also be reflected internally.

Regularly evaluating the impact of your employer brand using metrics such as employee satisfaction surveys, turnover rates, application conversion rates, and employee referral rates is everything. This can also help with internal funding and resource approval.

Here are the main metrics to measure:

1. Employee Satisfaction Surveys: Measure the level of satisfaction and engagement among your employees to gauge the effectiveness of your employer brand.  

2. Turnover Rates: Track the number of employees leaving your organization to assess the attractiveness and retention of your employer brand.  

3. Application Conversion Rates: Measure the percentage of job applicants who successfully convert into hires, indicating the effectiveness of your employer brand in attracting qualified candidates.  

4. Employee Referral Rates: Evaluate the number of employee referrals, as they often indicate a strong employer brand and employee satisfaction.    

With ongoing optimization, you can continuously strengthen your employer brand and attract top talent who align with your company's values and culture. Remember, a strong employer brand is a valuable asset in today's competitive job market, helping your company stand out and thrive in the long run.

What Are Examples Of Employer Branding Strategies?

Remember that your company is unique - and this needs to be reflected in your Employer Brand, job descriptions and recruitment process. Even companies with lots of competitors have their own culture and feel, and when we look at three world-leading companies, we can quickly see the different types of branding strategies used.

1. Google: Emphasis on innovation, employee autonomy, and a fun and stimulating work environment.
2. Apple: Focuses on cutting-edge technology, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose.  
3. Microsoft: Commitment to diversity and inclusion, professional growth, and meaningful impact through technology.  
4. Zappos: A supportive employee culture and being yourself at work.  
   

These examples illustrate how successful employer brands align with the company's and its employees' values and aspirations. By leveraging measurement and evaluation, you can enhance your employer brand and attract top talent who resonate with your organization's unique identity.
‍

FAQs

Q. What is my company's Employer Brand?

Employer brand refers to a company's unique personality and identity that influences its ability to attract and retain talented employees. It encompasses the company's values, culture, and reputation as an employer.

Q. Why is my Employer Brand important?

Employer brand is vital because it helps companies stand out and appeals to candidates who align with the company's values and culture. It plays a crucial role in talent attraction and retention.

Q. How can I build and manage my Employer Brand?

Building and managing your employer brand involves:

• Defining your company's values and culture.
• Showcasing them through various channels.
• Consistently delivering on the promises made to employees.

Creating a compelling employee value proposition (EVP) and aligning the employer brand with the overall brand image is essential to ensure consistency and authenticity.

Q. How can I measure the impact of my Employer Brand?

You can measure the impact of your employer brand through various metrics, such as employee satisfaction surveys, employee turnover rates, application conversion rates, and employee referral rates. These metrics help assess employee engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, as well as the effectiveness of the employer brand in attracting and retaining top talent.

Conclusion

In today's competitive job market, having a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.

Your employer brand represents your company's unique personality and identity, influencing candidates' perceptions and decisions. By understanding your company's values, culture, and brand image, you can build and manage a compelling employer brand that resonates with your target audience.

A key component of your employer brand is the employee value proposition (EVP) that your current employees tell. Your EVP highlights the unique benefits and opportunities of working for your company, showcasing why talented individuals should choose you as their employer of choice. Creating a compelling EVP that aligns with your company's values can attract candidates who align with your culture and contribute to your long-term success.

Your Employer Brand also needs to be consistent and authentic.

Involving your employees in shaping your employer brand is key, as it creates a sense of ownership and engagement and reflects your company culture's true essence. Leveraging Video like Vouch social media and online platforms can help you reach a wider audience and showcase your employer brand to potential candidates.

Remember, your employer brand is invaluable in talent attraction and retention. By investing in your employer's brand strategy and emphasizing your unique employee value proposition, you can stand out in the market, attract top talent, and create a positive and engaging work environment for your employees.

Also, try tools like Vouch that make building your Employer brand remarkably easy, helping you create video content that captures authentic employer reviews and employee experiences. Be sure to book a demo to chat with an expert today.