Every company has a brand or a reputation defining how they are perceived in the marketplace. But when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, their reputation as an employer and a place to work is defined by their employer brand. Employer brands live and breathe in the minds and hearts of their former, current, and future employees.
In fact, 94% of employees would consider an employer’s employee brand when applying for jobs, yet nearly half of these people (46%) felt their most recent employer did not effectively communicate their brand.
So how can we improve employer brand?
Job seekers are judging your employer brand with the same scrutiny as customers evaluating consumer brands before making a purchase. So it’s time for HR professionals to channel their inner marketeer and create an employer brand strategy.
Think about what your brand offers its employees. Do you offer unlimited holidays or opportunities to take time off work to contribute to charity initiatives? Paw-rental leave for those getting a new puppy? Or simply extra ‘Duvet Days’? What would set you apart from your competitors? What would appeal to the type of employee you’re looking to attract.
Each person that works for your business has a life outside of work, supporting them with key moments in their life will show them you care.
Manage your offering and be proactive
What’s the point of offering your employees something different if people aren’t encouraged to make full use of what you’re giving them? If your people aren’t taking their additional holiday, for example, ask yourself why. Are they too busy? Are they aware it’s available to them?
To get the most out of leave incentives you’ll need a system in place to manage them that proactively prompt people to take regular breaks from work to boost their wellbeing outside of work.
Promote, promote, promote
Don’t just wait for a job advert to tell people what a great culture you have, craft messaging on your website, post social media ‘culture’ posts, and promote via your current employees… they will be your biggest brand advocates.
Aim to reduce staff turnover
The average cost of replacing an employee is between 15%-20% of their annual salary and the average cost of turnover per employee in the UK (earning 25k+) is £30,614. Working on your employer brand and having employees that are willing to stay with you, not only means you keep and engage the best workforce, it means you will have a low staff attrition rate and see a reduction in turnover and a cut in hiring costs.
Done well, a world-class absence strategy can boost your employer branding and create a spark around your company, and this buzz will attract motivated job seekers and an army of happy employees.
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Katrina is edays' own People Director with significant UK and international experience in delivering people strategy and value-adding HR solutions across a range of organisations and sectors (including Arriva, Boots, Rolls Royce, the utility and charity sectors). Katrina has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and is CIPD qualified.