Employer branding, or how to make your brand perception stronger

In today’s global market, the most valuable resource is not money, but it’s also not information any more – it’s attention. And it goes beyond simply tracking who watches your ads and for how long. Attention also refers to what kind of story your company tells and what values it stands for. Research shows that 75% of American wouldn’t apply for a company with a bad reputation, even if they are unemployed. 

That’s where the HR-buzzword, employer branding, comes into the picture, but we are positive that its effect goes way beyond recruitment gains. It’s about communicating your company’s core values in a way that makes your brand believable inside and outside the office.

We don’t live to work, we work to live

While our grandparents worked at one place for 40 years, these days an average person changes jobs 12 times in their lives. And every time we apply for a new job, we hope for something better, something more rewarding than what we had at the previous one. This mindset shift is even more interesting when we consider that today 4 different generations are present on the job market. And Baby Boomers couldn’t be more distant from Gen Z when it comes to expectations and preferences regarding their workplaces.

Although cultural differences paint a more nuanced picture, we can generally say that in the 21st century we don’t want to live to work. Quite the contrary: we work so that we can have a (good) life. Understanding this and focusing on work-life balance is one of the main elements of employer branding. By definition, the practice is “associated with a desire to become an employer of choice and compete effectively in the war for talent.” Data shows that companies with a strong employer brand can hire 1-2 times faster and get 50% more qualified applicants. 

Employer branding as a communications strategy

The stats mentioned above are definitely good implications for HR, but we at MOST Branding believe that employer branding is much more than a means of talent acquisition and retention. As communications experts, we see it as an overarching part of the corporate strategy that plays an important role in making brands visible and believable.

In a world where customers are turning away from fast fashion brands because of their infamous sweatshops, companies simply cannot overlook the importance of employer branding. In the eye of conscious customers, your product or service is only as good as your company as a workplace. Besides the obvious steps, like job security and fair wages to your employees, employer branding in this broad sense comes down to clear, transparent, and authentic communications. 

Get your company core values in order

Now that you are aware of the importance of a strong employer brand, it’s time to get down to work. It all starts with defining your company values, polishing your comms, and coming up with a strategy, including a logo, a brand book, a brand pyramid and more. If you’re in the early stages of building your company, all this may sound daunting, so it’s best to get help from professionals. We’re happy to take the lead and walk you through the main steps of incorporating employer branding into your communications. Let’s talk!
 

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