An insight into how companies can strengthen their relationship with existing and potential employees by effectively communicating the brand’s values, personality and culture

Employer Branding today, is a hot topic among companies ranging in strength from a 100 to 100,000 employees, from Canada to India and everywhere in between, and regardless of industry. Further, Tim Grogan, Employer Brand strategist and Head of Solutions for APAC at LinkedIn defines employer branding as the unique and differentiating promise a business makes to its employees and potential candidates. “A well-managed and defined employee value proposition and a well-articulated employer brand have a huge impact on the current as well as prospective employees,” he explains.

Considering it is human nature to look at the cons before looking at the pros, it so happens with the employers and employees as well. More often than not, employees tend to focus on what they don’t get and what they need, as opposed to giving much importance to what is great about the organisation and what is being provided for. This is where employer branding works. It helps an organisation tell people why it is a great place to work. So, how do you tell your story in the best possible manner to garner the right attitude and appreciation from your employees? Here are some cues:

Ask the employees what makes you unique – Companies use employer branding strategy to appeal to desired talent; so, they need to convey why an employer’s workplace is appealing and unique. Why do you choose to be here? What makes this an engaging experience? What is your stickiness quotient here? These are a few questions, answers to which may be quite helpful while working on branding yourself as the company to be with. Using data analytics to create the benchmarks of the employee value proposition, you will have to ask your employees these questions through surveys, focused groups and interviews.

Work on your communication strategy - As an employer, once you know who you want to talk to and what to communicate, it is paramount to choose the most efficient and effective way to reach your target talent pool. “From your careers tab on your website to the kiosk on a career fair in campuses – the first touch-point is a crucial part of employer branding,” says LinkedIn’s Tim Grogan . Further, it is equally important to work on internal communication about your brand, as it is while promoting your company externally.

Start recruiting proactively – Investing ahead of the curve is essential for an employer’s brand strategy to succeed. Taking on a more proactive recruitment process requires engaging with the talent through employer branding long before a position comes open. This is done for building a pipeline of qualified talent that is ready to be put into place as soon as a position is available. Also, the primary measurements for recruitment encompass ‘Time to Fill’ and ‘Cost per Hire’. Other metrics that play into recruitment is success level of new hires and retention rates. All these are indicators of a strong or weak recruitment process and hence need to be incorporated while creating the employer brand.

Evolve with the times – As important as it is to start telling your story, it is pivotal to steer the focus with changing times. Simply put, as business challenges change, the employee value proposition also goes through alterations. Hence, keeping up with the times and making the changes to your employer branding strategy with the passage of time is definite. The LinkedIn report on Employer Branding also validates this point with data. The report reveals, globally, upgrading employer branding is considered the second most essential and long-term trend with respect to recruitment .

A clear and defined employer brand can offer significant benefits to your organisation. It can significantly improve application rates and put your company in the enviable position of having a wide pool of talent to choose from. Also, in companies where values, personality and desired behaviours have been deeply embedded, employers are also likely to benefit from increased engagement from employees. With such significant benefits associated to creating a compelling employer brand, it is no surprise that the LinkedIn report also reflects that 69% employers agree that branding themselves in the talent market is a top priority for their organisation.