Photo by Brad Preece on Unsplash
It is no secret that businesses worldwide have no competition shortage, leaving them to seek out the best talent possible to encourage success. While there is no limit to the number of job seekers on the market, there is a limit to how many potential employees can propel a business to the front of the race. If a business is not able to retain or even create an employer brand that attracts new and qualified talent, they have already lost one of the most crucial battles in the market.
The prospect of crafting an employer brand that impresses both consumers and potential employees can be daunting, especially for smaller businesses. Still, it’s an essential piece of the puzzle that ensures a workforce’s success. If implemented correctly, small businesses can utilize it as an invaluable tool that sets them apart from the big players.
Branding in The Real World
When it comes to outstanding examples of employer branding, there’s much for businesses to follow. Take Zappos, the online shoe and clothing retail giant, and their approach to employer branding. Besides being renowned for their unparalleled customer service, Zappos is recognized for having some of the happiest employees in the job force thanks to core values that encourage employees to incorporate fun and a little weirdness. Without a substantial and enthusiastic work environment to work off, a small business can’t hope to survive the challenges of the market.
Employer branding isn’t only crucial inside the workforce, but outside of it, too. Lists like Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work” and Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” have only increased in popularity over the years, cementing the fact that a brand’s reputation can make an incredible impact when it comes to how both job seekers and consumers treat the company.
“What people say about your company. It’s about two audiences: current employees and potential employees,” says Raz Mitzna, the owner of Attract and Retain. While this may only seem like an added pressure, it can prove to be a benefit. When a company works to improve the lives of its employees, they are simultaneously proving to consumers that by supporting the business and purchasing products, they’re also supporting a healthy workforce.
As efforts to improve employee-advocacy and company transparency increase with cultural shifts such as the #MeToo movement and the fight against racial injustice, it is up to employers to show the world that they care about their workforce. In times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is proven that consumers value a business’s treatment of its employees (67%) over product availability (65%).
How Smaller Businesses Can Enhance Their Employer Brand
Employer branding isn’t something reserved only for companies with the biggest earnings, the largest workforce, and the furthest head start. When boiled down to the basics, an employer brand is achievable for businesses of any size, regardless of their global reach. When it’s time for you to sit down with your recruitment team to formulate a branding strategy keep in mind these three essentials.
Employee Focus
Employees are the beating heart of your business. When you call job seekers into your company to fill an open position, they should walk away knowing exactly why they should work for you; and how those reasons stand apart from the competition.
Know Your Dream Candidate
Creating a profile of an ideal employee isn’t just a way to save your recruitment team time when it comes to interviewing. By doing so, your business can create quality benchmarks to ensure other employees are remaining productive.
Listen to Current Employees
The workforce you already have can be your most useful asset in creating an attractive employer brand. Listen to their complaints, survey their satisfaction with the company, and make improvements based on such information.
It is a volatile market out there, and it is tough to not get swallowed up by the top players. Ultimately, a strong employer brand keeps your business from falling victim to the sharks by attracting and retaining top-tier talent. If implemented correctly, your workforce will be better prepared to bounce back from hardships while still expanding their capabilities. So, when companies ahead of you slip up, you’ll have all the means necessary to take their place.