Did you know, organizations with a poor employer brand may need to offer a 60% pay hike to attract the best talent? The cause? Undedicated efforts to build the organization’s reputation in the talent market. Which in turn reflects a weak Employer Branding Strategy.
What is an Employer Branding Strategy?
Employer Branding is all about developing an attractive image of the organization. Whereas, Employer Branding Strategy includes the practices, processes, and the overall plan. These dictate how to create and nurture that image both internally as well as in the market.
Why is having an Employer Branding Strategy crucial?
Today, most organizations understand the importance of creating an employer brand. Because of this, employees are becoming inundated with an abundance of information.
As such, having a strategy that details:
- The traits and characteristics of the employer brand
- The proposition of the brand to the employees
- The communication plan, internal as well as external
amongst a host of other specifications can go a long way in helping establish a clear brand story. One that speaks to the target talent and stands out in the market.
Common mistakes to avoid while building the strategy
While working with brands, we have noticed some common Employer Branding Strategy mistakes. More often than not, these omissions arise out of focusing too much on the action points. While forgetting about the actual intent and root of the brand story.
Take a look at the 5 major mistakes you should avoid. To build and communicate the most attractive brand story:
1. Not setting Employer Branding Goals
Every organization has its own short-term and long-term goals. And these must guide the Employer Branding Strategy at all times. Especially how it relates to attracting and retaining the right talent.
This means the first step must always be defining employer branding goals. And redefining the same when there is a need to realign the strategy with the demands of the market.
Some examples of these goals include:
- increasing social media engagement
- boosting employee engagement within the organization
- improving brand ratings on platforms such as Glassdoor
By establishing set goals, you can develop action points that are impactful. Thereby helping fulfill your business and branding goals on time.
2. Lack of Authenticity and Purpose
Authenticity and purpose are the cornerstones of a successful employer branding strategy. Candidates and employees are becoming increasingly discerning. They seek employers with similar values, whose missions resonate on a deeper level.
A lack of authenticity and purpose can result in a mismatch. With blatant differences between the company’s projected image and its actual work environment. This can further drive disengagement and mistrust in the workforce towards the employer.
You can hone in on your authentic brand image by implementing elements like:
– meaningful mission and values,
– employee stories and testimonials,
– transparent communications, etc.
As a result, you will attract like-minded talent. Those who connect with the company’s purpose and culture, and thus stay for the long haul.
3. Inconsistency in Employer Branding Messaging and Frequency
A cluttered employer branding results from having misaligned as well as inconsistent communications. This can undermine the effectiveness of the employer branding strategy.
When candidates and employees encounter conflicting messages or experience a lack of brand presence, it erodes trust, confuses perceptions, and leads to the failure of the strategy.
To avoid these pitfalls, HR professionals must ensure that all communications and interactions reflect the organization’s core values and mission.
By regularly assessing and refining the employer branding message to align with the company’s evolving identity, organizations can maintain a strong presence in the job market and relevant platforms.
4. Overlooking the Voice of the Employees
Employees are the heart of any organization. And their perspectives, experiences, and opinions contribute to shaping the company’s employer brand.
Hence, integrating the voices of the employees into the branding process is crucial.
You can do this by:
– including feedback mechanisms
– initiating opportunities for open conversations such as through Town Halls
– establishing employee ambassador programs where enthusiastic employees can represent the company
By creating opportunities that encourage feedback and open conversations, organizations can ensure their employer branding strategy accurately reflects the voices and experiences of their employees.
5. Not communicating the EVP to Employees
Most organizations have a well-defined Employee Value Proposition. But they fail at communicating the same to their current and potential employees. This is a big problem.
When the workforce is unaware of the offerings of their employer, they don’t know what to expect. This can spell trouble when another brand is able to clearly define and communicate its EVP. And thereby present a more attractive work environment with relevant offerings.
By communicating your EVP to your employees as well as potential candidates, you tell them what’s in it for them. While laying a clear foundation for your employer branding and employee experience initiatives.
Your EVP sets the tone for the employee’s experience with the organization. So don’t lose out on the opportunity of leveraging the same at all times.
By focusing on these foundations, you can develop a strong Employer Branding Strategy. One that lends to the authenticity and conviction of your employer brand, both internally and externally.
Furthermore, successfully communicating the trustworthiness of your employer brand ensures employees everywhere recognize your organization as a ‘great place to work’.
Do you think your team has the resources to roll out a successful Employer Branding Strategy?
Write to us at talktous@dfrens.com. And transform your employer branding initiatives.
