We’ve looked at why it’s more important than ever to actively create and communicate your company’s employment brand. If you’re thinking of developing one, here are six things that all good employment brands should be.
1. Relevant to target audiences — the employees you want to hire and keep.
At the core of every good employment brand is the compelling reason to choose your company over another employer. Standout employment brands not only include this, but tailor it to ensure it appeals to the types of employees that companies know they want to hire and retain. To do this, you must know what your target talent wants in an employer.
2. Differentiated from your competitors for talent.
Your employment brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum. In today’s talent marketplace, it’s likely that the types of people you want to hire and keep are considering other employers. That’s why it’s important to understand what your competitors are offering prospective and current employees, and create some meaningful space between your employment brand and theirs.
3. Believable to current and prospective employees.
The most common reason I’ve seen employment brands fail is because companies say they offer something that they can't deliver on in the hiring and employment experience. Your employment brand has to be believable to your current employees, who know you best, and it must look believable to prospective hires, who are on the outside looking in.
4. Relevant within your industry, today and tomorrow.
As industries change, so do the expectations of workers. In high-demand sectors of the economy, the desires and demands of potential employees can change rapidly as they become more aware of their worth. When I work with companies on their employment brand, we look at where the industry is going and how emerging trends may impact the type of work culture that will appeal to target talent for the next 2-3 years.
5. Supportive of the goals of your company.
Having the right talent is key to helping your company meet its corporate goals. Developing a strong employment brand starts with asking “What do we need to achieve our company’s goals?” rather than “How do we hire and retain the right people?” Ultimately, companies hire and retain certain talent to solve corporate issues, so your employment brand needs to be aligned with where your company is going.
6. Communicated internally and externally.
A well-developed employment brand isn’t helpful if current and prospective employees don't see or understand it.
Part of every good employment brand project is a significant communications effort, starting at the top of the company. Your executives need to believe in and champion your new employment brand – and be able to explain what it is and why it’s important.
Great employment brands allow any employee, regardless of their role, to understand how their day-to-day job performance contributes to the success of the company. Everyone at your company needs to be clear on what is expected of them when it comes to living your employment brand.
Prospective hires should to be able to easily understand why your employment experience is different from and better than your competitors'. A strong internal and external communications strategy is required to effectively promote your employment brand.