The employer brand is “the image of your organization as a ‘great place to work’ in the minds of current employees and key stakeholders in the external market, and is concerned with the attraction, engagement and retention initiatives targeted at enhancing a company’s employer brand.”
Similar to a company’s external brand, an employer brand must be managed consistently and exists whether a company actively manages its Employer Value Proposition [EVP], or not. The disciplines used for managing a corporate brand are increasingly used by the human resource and talent management community to attract, engage and retain talented candidates and employees in the same way marketing applies such practices in attracting and retaining clients.
Employer brand management must incorporate every aspect of the employment experience, and the people management processes and practices that shape the perceptions of existing and prospective employees. It supports the external recruitment of the right kind of talent sought by an organization to achieve its goals, and the subsequent desire for effective employee engagement and employee retention.
Internal Marketing
Whereas employer branding focuses on the company’s employment experience, internal marketing focuses on communicating the customer brand promise, and the attitudes and behaviors expected from employees to deliver on that promise. Internal marketing, internal branding / brand engagement takes a more ‘inside-out’, value-based approach to shaping employee perceptions and behaviors.
Corporate Branding
A company’s corporate brand speaks to all key audiences – clients, prospects, investors, media, and partners – all stakeholders – including existing and potential employees. Employer brand is a facet of the corporate brand, not a separate competing brand. The two are inextricably linked and they have to be aligned.
Gaps
The comment, “it’s so hard to find good staff these days,” is an indication that it is becoming increasingly competitive to attract and retain talent (at all levels). With the increasing global shortage of talent driven by an aging population, increased mobility of workers, especially generation Y’s, migration, and technological advances, attracting the right talent for your organization will become increasingly difficult. Other gaps a company may have, include
• A collaborative process between Human Resources and Marketing to define the employer brand within the corporate brand context. Done well, the employer brand can reinforce and support the corporate brand and vice versa.
• Active management of a company’s reputation particularly with today’s advanced technology and rapid communication.
• The level of visibility and understanding of your employer brand proposition throughout the organization to meet your business and financial goals?
Value Delivered
Companies that spend time and money on employer branding reap the benefits. Just a few…
1. Companies that ‘live the brand’ spend less on advertising…companies like Starbucks, Sodexo, SAS, Philips and Google.
2. Companies with consistent, distinctive and deeply held values tended to outperform those companies with a less clear and articulated ethos.
3. Retention costs are significantly lower than the costs associated with hiring, training and integrating a new employee, not to mention time lost when the role is not filled.
4. Companies with a strong EVP/brand recruit the best talent and curb attrition
5. Employees more likely to be engaged and perform consistently at a higher level when employer brand is strong.
Employer brand management should be a priority for companies of all sizes. Remember, while an unsatisfied customer tells ten people about his experience, an unsatisfied employee tells a hundred.
