Remember when we discussed the importance of having an Employment page on your website? As we previously explained, your brand's website is your ”secret weapon’’ that you can leverage to attract job seekers to apply for open positions at your company. And, more times than not, studies show that you’re more likely to attract higher-quality, more values-aligned talent on your website than you would on a job board or third-party platform.
Now, we're going to take this one step further. It's not enough to just have an Employment page on your website. First and foremost, you need to get one major thing in a good place before you make high-quality hires: your brand.
Hiring is harder than ever—which means your brand is more important than ever!
Before getting HR involved, take an honest look at your brand. Is it in a good place to even make a hire? It's important to leverage your brand to help in hiring and retention. A brand exists in the mind of a consumer and, in this case, a candidate for employment. Be cognizant of all the elements you and your company can control and leverage your experience and your “Employer Brand” to get the best candidates that not only drive operations but enhance your brand as well.
What is an ”Employer Brand?”
As defined by Recruiter Box, employer branding is “the package of functional, economic, and psychological benefits provided by an employer and identified with the employing organization.” Essentially, employer branding conveys several key components of your organization including its identity, company culture, and why your company is a valid option for job-seekers to consider.
One of the lessons we most frequently communicate to our allies is that your brand isn't what you perceive it to be; rather it's the culmination of stories and experiences your audience has with your brand, and how they describe your brand to others. The same principle applies to your hiring practices. At the end of the day, your organization’s name or logo has little to do with your brand—it's what your organization stands for or represents that will draw in talent.
Your Brand is your best asset.
There are a few major components to your brand that must be in check before you actively pursue candidates.
1. Perception and Reputation. It’s a digital age and HR is looking at employees from all angles, so you know they're checking your social and online footprint just as much as you're checking theirs. Great brands don’t share incorrect information, follow sloppy posting habits or let bad reviews go unaddressed.
2. Culture. Building a positive work culture is the root of a strong employer brand. As an employer, your brand can be indicative of your culture—and ideally, it's inclusive, employee-focused, and authentic to your brand values.
3. Definition. The phrase ”Don't judge a book by its cover” goes out the door when it comes to your brand. Your company is, and will be, judged but its brand, just as you'll judge candidates by their personal brands. Don’t let inconsistent messages, bad visuals and generally poor brand management be a detriment to your hiring.
But it's not just about hiring—it's about employee retention.
Making a hire is much easier than retaining employees. However, if you have a solid brand in place that your entire company can support, retention is far more manageable. Following best practices to achieve great brands also fosters work environments that keep your employees happy, engaged and productive.
Three ways your brand can help retain employees after hire:
1. Transparency. During the hiring process, there is a lot of give-and-take of information about both the prospective employee and your company. Don’t let the dialogue end after the interview. A lack of understanding about what your company is doing can lead to a rift that only grows. You want to control the narrative as much as possible when handling your brand and that plays directly into employee satisfaction.
2. Brand advocates. Pride in your work is an important element because happiness at work often comes from that sense of pride. Employees who feel proud of their work speak well of their jobs and their employer both online and in person. Globally, 84% of people trust peer-to-peer recommendations over any other form of advertising. Organic, offline word of mouth drives up to 200x more sales than one paid media impression. And, as stated by The Drum, people place their greatest trust in each other, not faceless organizations.
3. Voice. Speak consistently and appropriately to your respective hires from the start. Don’t try to sound like something you're not just to impress a pool of candidates.
Keep in mind that a new hire affects both your company's brand and the employee themselves. The hiring processes and practices you have in place are a prime opportunity to make a lasting first impression and can be quite indicative of your mission, vision, values, and culture. Use the process and online hiring tools as a means of conveying these important brand attributes.
Need help improving your hiring process? Check out these tips!
Glassdoor is one of the world's largest job and recruiting websites—aka one of the most reputable resources for best practices in hiring processes. Check out some basic ways to improve your hiring processes that can also be applicable to best practices for your brand. Winner, winner!
Respond to reviews. According to a 2016 U.S. Site Survey, 62% say their perception of a company improves after seeing an employer respond to a review.
Update your company information. Ensure your company including your name, the number of employees and website, are correct.
Update your benefits information. Make sure all of the benefits (and perks) your company offers are reflected on your hiring page as well as on third-party services like GlassDoor and Indeed.
Solicit feedback! When you follow up with candidates who interview at your organization, ask them how the experience was for them. This will help you improve your hiring process.
Team TIS can help get your brand ready for hire.
Looking to streamline your brand to be ready for hire? Contact us today to learn how website optimization, hiring pages, a brand audit and/or brand strategy might work to get you the candidates of your dreams!
