Maximising employer branding in 2022

As the number of experienced candidates shrinks and competition for talent heats up, hiring is becoming increasingly difficult. To attract the best talent, you need a strong employer branding strategy in place. Mary Cloonan outlines how.

It's 2022, and employer branding is becoming increasingly important as firms compete to attract and keep talent. In the age of advert obliviousness and worldwide information access, your brand is everything. It's what makes you stand out to a shrinking pool of experienced candidates, and it's what will drive you to become a viable option in a sea of gig-based work. Not only that, but strong employer branding can also make your business more attractive to potential buyers.

If you're looking to maximise your employer branding, you need to ensure that your strategy is robust and well-executed.

The importance of a robust employer branding strategy

Your employer branding strategy has the power to attract and retain talent, but it also makes your business more attractive to potential replacements or buyers. It is a critical part of your succession planning strategy, so you need to make the most of this opportunity. Outlined below are some advantages a robust employee branding strategy can bring:

• Lower employee turnover: when employees are happy and proud of where they work, they're less likely to leave.
• Improved recruitment: employer branding makes it easier to find qualified candidates because your firm will be seen as an attractive place to work.
• Increased employee engagement and loyalty: when employees feel like their voices are heard and part of something bigger than themselves, they're more likely to stay on and become loyal to your brand.
• Build credibility with customers: employer branding shows that you're a responsible employer, which can help build trust with customers.
• Increased competition: employer branding helps your firm compete for the best candidates in your industry.
• Higher employer reputation: employers with strong employer brands are seen as leaders in their industry and can attract talent from across the board.
• Increased sales opportunities: employer branding helps employers find buyers for business units or services because of your high reputation within the market.
• Lower cost-per-hire: by improving your recruitment process, you can reduce your spending on hiring new employees.

How to implement an employer branding strategy

Having established the importance of a robust branding strategy, the next stage is how to get yours in place. Consider the following three steps before you implement your employer branding strategy:

1. Conduct an employer valuation proposition (EVP) assessment: An EVP outlines the unique set of employee benefits. It should be based on deep insight into your employees' needs so that you can ensure that they've met before and after they join your company. This will help you understand what your business offers and how it stacks up against the competition.
2. Creating a dedicated digital presence: To maximise your employer branding strategy, you need to create a dedicated digital presence. This will help broaden your reach to potential employees. Your website and social media platforms should be designed with employer branding in mind, showcasing your company culture, values, and benefits. It's also essential to ensure that your website is up-to-date and user-friendly. If it's not, you could be losing out on potential talented applicants.
3. Be ready for change: If the last two years have taught us anything, it's that change comes quickly. Agile companies will flourish; those who don't embrace change will find themselves out of date and behind the curve as a business. Recruitment is a volatile business; to retain top talent, your employer brand must be able to adapt and continually improve. The best employer brands can stay ahead of the curve and keep up with the ever-changing demands of the market.

It's imperative to keep in mind that ignoring the branding of your firm or business isn't wise. By not taking the issue seriously, you are telling the market that you don't realise how important this is when individuals attempt to figure out why you're a viable alternative for their future. Therefore, it's essential to appreciate what employer branding is, why it matters, what your employer brand says and what steps you can take to build a unique and attractive one.

Mary Cloonan is the Founder of Marketing Clever.