Article: The Journey has just started

Employer Branding

The Journey has just started

Irfan Abdulla, Director at LinkedIn India, talks about the conceptualization of the #EBWeek and the focus of LinkedIn
The Journey has just started

Q. How did the #EBWeek get conceptualized?

A. When we did the last survey of Employer Branding, 84 percent respondents said Employer Branding is a key influencer when it comes to hiring talent. It helps you create a unique identity that sets you apart to draw interest from the audience relevant for your business. At LinkedIn, we help companies hire and engage great talent. Every year, we asked HR and TA leaders what they are passionate about.

So clearly this is on top of the business agenda. We realized that we had to create a community where best practices could be shared and talent heads could learn from each other's journey. The LinkedIn #EBWeek is an effort to bring together the community of HR professionals who are passionate about Employer Branding. At LinkedIn, we are in a unique position to bring together global best practices and provide thought leadership in this space.

Q. What is the evolution you have seen in India when it comes to Employer Branding?

A. Earlier, people used to talk about Employer Branding more at the strategy level; today, professionals are putting it into practice. It has clearly moved from a framework conversation, to an execution conversation. This is happening not only with IT/ITES and service companies but also with the companies in engineering, manufacturing, etc.

When we conceptualized the #EBWeek, we also wanted to include our customers in this conversation because that is where the real learning happens, when participants learn from each other's journey. We had best practices from Sapient, L&T, Quest Global presenting how they used Employer Branding for their hiring strategy and the business benefits their organization accrued.

Q. What is in your view of the future of Employer Branding in India?

A. In India the journey is just starting. In the next phase, Talent Acquisition leaders are likely to look for access to insights and knowledge relevant to their labor segments to make informed decisions.

The LinkedIn Talent Trends 2014 survey reveals that 54 percent Indian candidates surveyed value the organizations’ reputation as ‘a great place to work’, almost at par with the global average of 56 percent.

It is very important for organizations to know how to communicate and influence the audience that their organization is trying to attract. In the process of becoming an Employer Brand, the contribution and influence of better engagement will continue to grow.

Q. What is next for #EBWeek?

A. #EBWeek is not about this week alone, the conversation will continue online in the Talent Corner Group on LinkedIn, planned webcasts and twitter updates.

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Topics: Employer Branding, #BestPractices, #EBWeek

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