In the modern business climate, things are not looking well for employers and business leaders looking to acquire and retain the best talent in the industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many uncertainties and has made talent retention a difficult task, while the increasingly popular gig economy gives people the opportunity to transition seamlessly from one employer to the next. What’s more, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to attract employees for your company when digital technologies have opened so many opportunities in the competitive job market.
All of this, complemented by the fact that modern job-seekers are very picky about the brands they work with, and you have yourself a real challenge. The key to solving these problems lies in branding. Building a powerful brand doesn’t just help you acquire and retain customers – it helps you attract the most talented individuals in the industry and inspire them to become a part of your family.
Let’s talk about the most important steps you need to take in order to build a powerful employer brand in 2021.
Your strategy should follow organizational needs
To start, you need to reassess your goals and organizational needs, so that you can optimize your branding strategy and avoid any pitfalls along the way. It’s one thing to build a beautiful and compelling brand identity, but another to build a brand identity around a specific set of goals that will push your business forward in the competitive market. In other words, don’t let your branding work against you, make sure it serves your organizational needs.
To achieve that, you should know what your goals are as an employer. You need to know exactly who your candidates are, what kind of talent and type of employee you’re after, what you can and cannot offer, and what you ultimately want every employee to bring to your business. Next, you need to know what you can provide to the employees.
Keep in mind that modern candidates are interested in a decent salary, but they’re also interested in a positive company culture, the right brand values, an amazing work environment, diversity and accessibility, and more.
Build the right set of values
To build a powerful brand identity that people will know, love, and advocate for, you need to stand up for the right causes and nurture the same values as your customers. And the same goes for your employees. If your goal is to attract the best of the best, and more importantly, to inspire them to stay at your side through thick and thin, then you need to think beyond financial compensation.
Successful entrepreneurs know that providing a decent salary is important, but in the end your candidates will decide to work for you and stay with you because of the amazing brand experience. People love working for a company that takes care of them, their customers, and the environment, so some of your values can include workplace diversity, respect towards customers, and sustainability.
Align your brand with different types of employees
To become a better employer in 2021, you need to expand your strategy to all employee types. In this diverse global market, people are nowadays looking for different types of work – some are looking for full-time positions, others part-time, and some are looking for contract work. In the US, for example, the gig economy is booming, which is why business leaders need to make their brands appealing to the increasing contingent workforce.
Gig workers are looking for stable and prospective employers, which is why some of the best contractor solutions in the USA focus on aligning the worker with the brand and what it can offer, in order to provide the perfect match. The key is to find the ideal employee not just for the open position, but someone who can fit perfectly into your brand, whether they are a contingent worker, or a full-time employee.
Be consistent across all candidate touchpoints
In a digital world, the best employers know that they can only attract and retain the best employees if they have a consistent brand presence across all online and offline touchpoints. In other words, you need to provide a consistent brand identity and experience to potential employees across the board, in order to create a cohesive image and portray your brand in the best way possible.
Whether you’re advertising on Google, managing various social media accounts for your business, building recruitment-oriented landing pages on your site, or reaching out via email and phone to candidates, the brand experience needs to be consistent.
Invest in a positive company culture
Lastly, you should make it a priority to build a positive company culture, in order to motivate your team but also spread the word of your amazing brand to potential employees across the web. Keep in mind that news of a great company culture travels fast in the modern job market, and people will decide whether or not they’ll work for you based on the culture you nurture within your teams and workspace. With that in mind, make this one of your top priorities if you want to retain the best employees, and bring the top talent in the industry to your doorstep.
Over to you
Building a powerful employer brand can be a difficult task nowadays, especially now that the best of the best have so many opportunities to choose from in the online and offline realms. To set yourself apart from the other companies in your niche, make sure to use these branding tips that will elevate your image in the eyes of the most talented job-seekers out there.
