The war for talent, improving employee engagement, shared commitment towards company goals… Employer branding is a heavily discussed subject at boardroom tables as many feel it’s an essential element to attract and retain talent. It not only has an impact on your recruitment strategy, but it affects the overall company culture and reputation. And in the end… it has an effect on your bottom line.
- Employer branding should balance short-term benefits with long-term goals
- Consistency is essential to avoid confusion and possibly dilute adoption
- As a company wide strategy employer branding should be a fixed item on the boardroom agenda.
Employer branding is more than just taking a few steps…
Just like any other company strategy, an employer branding strategy should focus on long-term goals combined with reaching short-term benefits. However, when the pressure is on, short-term benefits risk becoming the sole activity on a strategy. Providing a false sense of accomplishment and neglecting any long-term goals.
Human behaviour is notoriously difficult to influence, so as a result it takes time to change the perception of your company or your reputation as an employer. It requires patience, consistency and a genuine commitment to cultural transformation.
As always… consistency is key
Every employee probably has their own opinion of what makes a great workplace and how management should act. That diversity of perspectives can become a pitfall when you try to cater to all opinions. By doing too much, you risk creating confusion, communicating inconsistently and in the end… missing any or even all goals.
A clear and transparent employer branding strategy at management level is of the utmost importance. Alignment between management team members will act as an example of the company’s shared values, vision and mission and will assist you in maintaining that employer brand consistency.
Employer branding as a boardroom topic
Commitment to employer branding should be more than just offering lip service to your hr-department. Only when it’s a consistent topic on the management agenda and when initiatives get discussed, analysed and (re)prioritised you send a clear message to the entire organisation that this is not just an hr initiative, but a company wide commitment to foster a positive workplace culture.
A cascading cultural shift
From boardroom to workfloor. Your employer branding strategy should be carefully cascaded to make sure that:
- Communication is clear and transparent for everyone
- Everyone involved understands values, mission and vision
- The impact of the strategy is understood and accepted
As a result, your workforce becomes a unified force, driving the company towards its goals with a shared sense of purpose, while fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence. This cohesive approach is key to realising the full potential of your employer branding strategy
It's a small world
Not everyone fits any company culture, which means we unfortunately need to say goodbye to someone. Offboarding is as important to your employer branding strategy as attracting or onboarding new talent. Disgruntled ex-employees are more keen to be vocal about your company than happy ones. And some of them can be quite eloquent in providing quite convincing negative facts about their time spent with you.
Always keep in mind that it’s a small world, and online everyone has a voice. Try to make sure every departure is handled gracefully, maintaining a positive relationship even after they have moved on.
How can June2O help you?
Colleagues are often the most critical target audience. We can assist in sculpting your long-term goals into short-term steps. Drafting an employer branding strategy that captures heads and hearts.
We’re keen to listen to your challenges and see whether we can face them together. Time is precious, but a 15-minute talk can be scheduled anytime. Or see what we’ve done for SDWorx or Etex.
