How to improve your employer brand

The job market has become increasingly competitive in recent times, with our research showing that 3 in 5 businesses in the UK are experiencing increased competition to find talent with the right skills. As a result, employers are continually looking for ways to differentiate themselves and appeal to top talent.

One of the most effective ways to do just that is by building a positive strong employer brand. However, strengthening your organisation’s employer brand is easier said than done, with employers across industries looking for innovative ways to highlight their unique offering to candidates.

In this article, we’re taking a deep dive into employer brand, why it’s important, and exploring five proven strategies you can use to start building an employer brand that contributes to the long-term success of your organisation.

What is employer branding?

An employer brand is the image and reputation that an organisation has as an employer. This encompasses organisational values, culture, the benefits on offer, the work-life balance provided, and the development opportunities employees have access to.

Employer branding is the way in which an employer markets their organisation and the employment experience to both jobseekers and existing employees. This is essentially a strategy designed to position an organisation as an ‘employer of choice’ to boost talent retention and attract top candidates.

Why is employer branding important?

Employer branding is more than just a marketing strategy used by HR teams to create an attractive brand. It’s also a way to stand out in a crowded market.

Building a good employer brand allows employers to showcase all the things that make their organisation a great place to work. As a result, an effective employer branding strategy can help organisations to:

• Attract applications from top talent
• Cut costs associated with hiring
• Increase employee retention rates

5 tips for developing an employer brand that attracts talent

Employer branding is a continuous process that requires a coherent strategy and evolution over time. To unlock the significant benefits a positive brand can offer, employers need to go back to square one and think about how they can present their organisation as somewhere people really want to work.

Below we’ve outlined 5 steps you can take to build your employer brand and start appealing to top talent.

1. Assess your current employer brand

At the outset, you might not be fully aware how your organisation is currently perceived by jobseekers or your existing employees. That’s why before embarking on the process of brand building and improvement, it’s vital to first take some time to analyse the current state of your employer brand.

The most effective way of doing that is by conducting a comprehensive brand audit that uncovers insights into current employees’ views of the organisational culture and any areas in need of improvement. There are numerous methods you can use to carry out a brand audit, such as:

• Sending out internal surveys to existing staff
• Organising focus groups
• Conducting social media searches
• Hiring outside expertise to monitor your reputation

The goal here is to collect as much information as possible to give you a solid foundation for when you start thinking about optimising your employer brand.

2. Define your employer value proposition

Once you’ve gathered all the data and insights you can on the current state of your employer brand, the next step is to actually define it. This requires considering what your organisation stands for and what sets it apart from the competition, also known as an employer value proposition (EVP).

Your EVP should clearly outline why an employee would want to work for your organisation, rather than your competitors. As such, it’s worth thinking about what kind of employer you are, are there things you stand for, and what makes you unique.

A fully fleshed-out EVP should therefore touch upon elements like

• Salary and benefits
• Perks
• Rewards
• Career progression
• Company culture

3. Leverage employee advocacy

Now you can start involving your current employees in your brand-building efforts through employee advocacy. When employees are happy to share positive experiences they’ve had working at your company, it reflects well on the entire organisation, making employee advocacy key to successful brand building.

To effectively leverage employee advocacy to enhance your employer brand, consider:

1. Encouraging employee testimonials: Invite employees to share their stories and experiences on your website and social media channels, as authentic testimonials can resonate with candidates by providing real insight into your culture.
2. Creating a structured advocacy programme: Develop a formal employee advocacy programme that encourages employees to promote your brand. This could include sharing job openings, news, or positive experiences on their personal social media accounts.
3. Recognising and rewarding advocates: Acknowledge and reward employees who actively contribute to promoting your brand with incentives, such as bonuses, public recognition or special perks.

By empowering your employees to become ambassadors for your brand, you can help amplify your reach, and thus build an authentic and attractive employer brand that can contribute to talent acquisition success.

4. Create a positive hiring process

Whether their application is successful or not, candidates will form an opinion about your organisation during the hiring process. As a result, when a candidate applies for one of your open roles, it’s crucial to ensure that they have an overwhelming positive experience.

Remember, how candidates are treated once they’ve applied doesn’t just influence their decision to accept a job offer. It can also determine whether they apply for future roles and, just as importantly, how they talk about your organisation to their family, friends and professional network, which can have a significant impact on your reputation.

In order to create a hiring process that promotes a positive applicant, brand and employee experience, employers should consider:

• Simplifying the steps required to apply for positions, ensuring that job postings are both clear and informative.
• Ensuring timely and transparent candidate communication that shows respect for their time and effort while helping to manage expectations.
• Providing a positive interview experience that is both welcoming and professional with well-trained, courteous and consistent interviewers.
• Seeking feedback from candidates, regardless of whether they are hired or not, to collect valuable insights to refine and enhance future hiring.

5. Invest in employee development

One of the main reasons employees leave a role is a lack of opportunities for professional advancement. As a result, investing in employee development can help in both retaining top talent and enhancing your brand as an employer. This can be achieved by:

• Providing regular training programmes
• Creating and communicating career progression paths
• Implementing succession planning initiatives
• Supporting employees pursuing higher education relevant to their roles
• Acknowledging employee’s development achievements

By giving existing employees the opportunity to learn new skills, you can showcase your commitment to professional development. This doesn’t just foster loyalty and retention amongst existing members of staff, but can also help appeal to ambitious candidates looking for an employer who can help them take their career to the next level.

So, to further enhance your brand as an employer, be sure to highlight the development opportunities you can offer candidates in your job adverts, something our research shows 42% of employers are already doing. This can position your organisation as a place that values professional growth, helping to build a reputation as an employer of choice and appealing to top candidates simultaneously.