9 quick ways to strengthen your employer brand

Discover the 9 best ways you can strengthen your employer brand so that you can attract and maintain the top candidates.

Following the fallout of COVID-19, we have watched the hiring market navigate months of turbulence and constant shifts. Although at times unpredictable, companies can ride the market’s waves as long as they have one thing: a strong employer brand.

Now, more than ever, candidates and employees want to work for a company that has a positive corporate reputation and brand values that align with their own. The question is, where do you start?

Let’s explore.

What is employer branding?

Essentially, your employer brand is a combination of all the qualities that make your company unique. These qualities encompass your culture, values, success, professional standards and more.

Your brand is what your company is known for, your reputation and the image you put out to the world. An effective employer brand should appeal to both their consumers and customers and their prospective employees.

Why is employer branding important?

To cut a long story short, without a brand, a company has no influence or real credibility.

A company’s brand is pretty much inextricable from the company itself, so it affects every part of the business.

The stronger your employer brand, the easier it will be for your company to grow organically with a trajectory for success. This is because the benefits of a strong employer brand include:

• Improved employee retention
• More interest from top talent and more diverse talent attraction
• Improved employee and company performance
• A competitive edge in the hiring market
• A positive corporate reputation

How to strengthen your employer brand

1. Streamline the candidate experience

When trying to improve your brand as an employer, one of the best things you can do is make your candidate experience as accessible and enjoyable as possible.

For example, make your application process as simple as possible. Avoid deterring candidates by only requesting the necessary information and providing an easy-to-navigate application system. If you want candidates to complete the application process, don’t overcomplicate it.

2. Sell yourself

From the very start of the application process to your marketing materials, make sure you are showcasing the best things about your company.

Include your most appealing qualities in any candidate-oriented content – like job perks and flexibility – and use your USPs across your marketing strategy to stand out to clients, prospects and shareholders alike.

3. Prioritise employee wellbeing

By implementing employee wellbeing initiatives and making your employees feel valued, not only will you increase talent attraction, but you will also improve your employee retention rate.

Putting your employees first will also strengthen your company’s reputation as an organisation with good values and a healthy work environment.

4. Reassess your company’s mission

Take a look at your mission statement and core values. Are these still relevant and attractive in today’s society? Do your company’s actions align with them?

Consider refreshing your company mission to affirm your position as a relevant and competitive company in the hiring market, and make sure to put your money where your mouth is.

5. Conduct an internal brand audit

If anyone knows how your brand is perceived, it’s your employees. Conduct an internal audit so that you have insight into your employees’ opinions on your brand and their suggestions for improvement.

To get the most accurate responses, try making the audit anonymous.

6. Conduct an external brand audit

Alongside your current employees’ views on the brand, it can be very insightful to find out why applicants are drawn to your company.

For example, at the end of your application process, you could include a question asking the candidate why they were drawn to your company and ask them for any feedback.

7. Provide opportunities for learning

Providing educational opportunities for your employees will not only benefit them, but it will also elevate your company’s business agility.

If you are known as a company that prioritises personal progression for your workers, your brand will stay competitive against other companies offering the same thing.

8. Utilise AI for your hiring process

The benefits of using AI in your hiring process are numerous. AI implementation will save your company time and money, it will reduce bias in hiring, and it can analyse huge volumes of data to find candidates that are ideally suited to your role.

All these things will serve to strengthen your company’s reputation as a modern business.

9. Reinvigorate your branding materials and marketing

A lot of your brand’s strength lies in its image.

Invest in developing aesthetic and cohesive brand materials that represent your company’s mission. You should also develop a robust marketing strategy to keep your company relevant in today’s consumer market.

Don’t underestimate the importance of your employer brand

Your employer brand shapes your company’s success across the board, from attracting prospective clients and job applicants, all the way to maintaining shareholder and investor interest.

To find out more about how to strengthen your brand and bolster your corporate reputation, reach out to our team today.