Suppose you want to buy a new TV. How do you go about it? Do you go to a store, pick up the cheapest one and hope you made the right choice? Or do you approach it the way most people do these days: you look out for the brand you have already heard good things about, do a bit of research on the internet, all the while checking meticulously through test reports and user reviews, so that in the end you might well know more than the salesperson in the store?
Digitisation makes it much easier for people to search for and find information these days. The same applies to selecting the right employer, because let’s face it – people probably think much more carefully about their choice of employer than a new TV.
It is well known that companies need to maintain good employer branding if they are to attract the attention of potential employees. But did you know that good employer branding also has numerous positive effects on your company?
How employer branding affects your external image
The right employer branding can help your business in many different ways – and not only how it is seen from outside, but also within the company. Find out here how employer branding affects your external image.
You benefit from clearly defined employer branding
Clear employer branding is everything. It’s the result of a successful strategy. You are probably wondering whether your company has a strong and unambiguous brand as an employer? Consider what candidates say about your company during interview discussions. What reasons are most commonly mentioned by candidates for wanting to join your company, and what do they expect of you as a potential employer? If these do actually sound like you – congratulations! If you have the feeling the candidate could be talking about a completely different company, you need to check the clarity of your employer branding and external communications.
You will stand out from the competition
“Join the market leader for (product X). We offer an attractive salary and opportunities for further training!” – this kind of generic text appears in job ads again and again. With the right employer branding, you can highlight your particular strengths and use your distinctive characteristics to stand out from your competitors.
You will increase the quality and quantity of applicants
See also point 1. The better prepared a candidate is before joining your company, the higher the chance that they will fit in with the company culture. Nothing is worse than sitting through an interview with a candidate when it is clear after the first few minutes that your mutual expectations are miles apart. And with authentic and attractive employer branding you can also build up your reputation. Word gets around.
You will gain more employee recommendations
It’s a bit of a triumph for any company when employees are proud of their employer and tell other people about that. If the company is one that has a well-known image as an employer, you will save your employees having to explain so much. Then all they have to do is make the job in question interesting to their acquaintances.
You will build your reputation
This point is self-explanatory. It’s not only your company’s products and services that make its reputation, but also your employer branding activities. Position yourself in the minds of potential candidates as a top employer.
You will see internal benefits from clear employer branding
The same applies to both external and internal impact: make sure that your image as an employer is also clear to your employees, at every level. Unambiguous, well-defined employer branding makes it easier for all those involved to engage with this in their day-to-day work, and to be committed to it. Appropriate internal communication of your brand image is the starting point for many positive effects.
You will enhance employer appeal amongst existing employees
It is hardly a secret that few employees today stay for decades with the same employer. Because the grass is always greener – they hope – somewhere else. So stay on the ball in the battle for talents and don’t forget about your own employees. Work actively to make your employer branding public within your own company. Factors that are particularly important for brand penetration are internal systems such as company communications, human resources and, by no means least, the attitude of senior management.
You will improve the way your employees interact with each other
With clear positioning of your employer branding within the company, you will establish an excellent basis for shared understanding and principles amongst employees. You want your employees to all pull together? Then make sure that they know what you stand for as an employer, and what role each person has to play in the shared success of the business.
You will need fewer new hires
Employees who feel a sense of identification with their employer tend to stay longer. To enable your employees to identify with you, they need to know what your stance as an employer. With clear employer branding, you can make sure that your employees stay longer and you are not constantly searching for new talent.
You will increase employee commitment
See previous point. The more shared points of identification there are, the higher the commitment. It’s that simple.
You will reduce staff turnover and keep knowledge within the company
The innovative strength of a company is to a large extent rooted in the brainpower of the employees. When employees leave, you not only lose a member of the workforce, but also valuable knowledge which you need to keep you ahead of your competitors. So just as you work hard to win over new candidates, you need to put at least as much effort into retaining the employees you have.
You will increase the productivity of your business
You will increase the productivity and profitability of your business if your employees feel committed to your brand as an employer.
Conclusion
As you see, with the right employer branding and a strong company image, not only will you have a good reputation externally, you will also generate numerous positive effects within the business. By using the right employer branding strategy, you can achieve pole position in the candidate market and at the same time help to enhance the commercial success of your company.
