Today, business reputation and precise brand voice are critical for a company to engage top talents. At a time when people are highly mobile and lean toward remote work or freelance over the office job, your strong employer brand is what helps to recruit better candidates and retain stellar employees.
While a brand voice and reputation is about how customers perceive a company, employer brand is for your business reputation as a workplace. Your employer brand creates expectations in your potential candidates before they even become your workers. So, if done correctly, employer branding is what allows you to hire and retain top talents.
Brand building is a long-lasting process: It takes a lot of strategic planning, commitment, and energy from HR management, marketers, and employees themselves. But while you typically notice when your company has a reputable brand, it’s easy to overlook the moment when something goes wrong.
How do you know your employer brand is in trouble? Here are the top three warning signs to consider.
Authenticity loss
There’s a problem with most employer branding: It goes alone, sans the corporate brand with its storytelling and core business drivers. And though 86% of companies planned to invest in employer branding last year, it too often became associated with the HR department working on superficial perks for employees. As far as we all understand, free lunch or unlimited vacation isn’t enough for your brand to stand out.
The mistake of many entrepreneurs is that they separate employer branding from broader strategic purposes of their business. The brand is strong when led by CEO and executive teams, not lower-level HR only; otherwise, it loses authenticity that candidates and employees smell a mile away.
You need to create and validate the talent framework that resonates with potential hires. If you don’t show the inside scoop for others to see what it’s like to work at your business, you do something wrong. Also, your brand is in trouble when you try to be like others, copying their ideas and culture.
Embrace who you are. Stay authentic.
Troubles with retaining and recruiting employees
How often do you try to replace employees in the company? Do you know why they resign every month or even every week? Retaining difficulties or increased employee focus on pay and perks are warning signs that something goes wrong with your employer brand.
Pinpoint why employee retention decreases. The sudden concern for compensation raises, increased perks, or a competitor having a better benefits package might be a sign your brand no longer communicates values resonating with employees. When that happens, they start looking for other factors to justify their employment.
Make sure to fix any issues and reduce employee turnover. Otherwise, it will impact the overall engagement and may lead to recruiting difficulties as well
Given that 75% of job seekers consider an employer brand before applying, negative reviews or rumors about a bad experience from your current or former employees may influence their desire to work with you. So, if you notice that your job openings don’t attract talents or the quality of candidates declines, it could be a sign of your poor employer brand.
Lack of flexibility and fear of change
Work-life balance and path for advancement are essential for employees. No one wants to stay in the office 9-to-5 in the same role forever. So, if you make talents lean toward strict time management over the quality of their work, it may be time to rethink your employer brand flexibility and openness to changes.
As your business grows, your employer brand must evolve as well. If you don’t improve it and are afraid of changes, you may be in trouble. Employees sense that fear and, as a result, lack the sense of safety that keeps them confident your company. All this prevents your employees from creativity and your business — from innovations, influencing its employer branding and overall reputation.
Encourage changes, ask for new ideas in your workplace, and receive regular feedback from employees about their experiences. Whether through surveys, reviews, or informal discussions, your people can help you take the business to the next level.
Yes, employer branding may not seem a top priority at first sight. However, when you measure the consequences of employee turnover and disengagement, it looks like a valuable investment in your business success. Your employer brand is as essential as your customer brand, so make sure to improve it and preserve it from troubles, for your talented workforce to be engaged, loyal, and happy.
