Employer Branding – why is it important?

Picture this – your sitting around with a group of friends discussing where to go for dinner & drinks on the weekend – everyone is throwing out names of places to go – what is the first thing you do?  Pick up your phone or tablet and start the “google” search.  

Whether you are making dinner plans, looking for a new dentist or booking a vacation rental – your first step is research.  The internet provides us with a plethora of valuable information – why wouldn’t we use it to make informed decisions.  Whether you do a google search, check out social media or online reviews – the fact is you research first before making a decision.

Looking for a job is no different!  Job seekers are becoming increasingly savvy in their research of potential employers.  Candidates will check in with friends/family & professional connections, search through social media & online job boards to gather information, they will check out your website and look for online reviews from your past and current employees.  With our job market being tight ensuring that you have a strong Employer Brand definitely elevates the quality and quantity of candidates for open positions in your organization.

What is an Employer Brand? I’m not a marketing expert & I’m not going to try to be – but I can show you what’s important in an Employer Brand from an HR perspective.  Your Employer Brand is basically your reputation as an employer.  

It includes:

• • What your current employees think about you
  • Why is your company a good place to work – what is your EVP
  • Do current employees recommend you to their friends
  • What story does the career section of your website tell 
  • How does your social media content portray you as an employer
  • How do you treat candidates in your Hiring Process
  • What makes you special as an employer

Gone are the days where posting a job is enough to attract candidates & you have likely seen evidence of that if you have posted positions in the last 6 months.  Job vacancies are taking longer to fill and that takes a toll on your current employees and on your business.  Strive to make your company an amazing place to work for your current employees & you will immediately elevate your Employer Brand.  

You have an Employer Brand whether you’ve put effort into it or not — so put some effort into it and ensure it’s a brand you can be proud of!

Your Employer Brand is becoming increasingly more important for attracting & retaining talent.  An HR Consultant can help you identify what’s working for you and what could use some “stepping up”.  If you’re looking to “step up” your Employer Brand from an HR perspective – give us a call at 204-451-0111 – we would be happy to help you.