Employer branding is a guarantee of success for recruiting. The value of positively charged employer branding is made clear in a study by the e-recruiting company Stepstone. In a survey of 6,000 employees, around 88% said they would refrain from applying to a company with a problematic reputation. In addition to the goal of recruiting, it is also possible to achieve overall corporate successes, such as cost reductions and increased sales. The central object of employer branding is the formulation of the employer value proposition.
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For the company, this results in the strategic goal of creating an attractive, unique brand that is perceivable on the market through employer branding. This is known as the Employer Value Proposition. It describes what current and potential employees have and can expect from working in the organization.
Building an Employer Brand
Building an employer brand is a management process that is subject to constant development. The initial development is divided into four phases:
- Analysis phase
- Strategy phase
- Implementation phase
- Evaluation phase
Analysis Phase
To implement an appropriate strategy for building an employer brand and developing an employee value proposition, the first step requires a structured analysis of both internal and external circumstances.
Externally, it is important to consider the market position of competitors, but also how one’s own company is perceived as a brand on the market.
In the internal evaluation it is necessary to consider how employees currently evaluate the company and to find out what strengths and weaknesses exist. It makes sense to conduct this analysis across all areas of the company in order to identify and recognize differences between production and administration, for example.
Strategy Phase
The results from the analysis phase serve as the basis for defining an EVP, as well as developing a strategy for the development of an employer brand. Like a product brand, this EVP above all, should stand out from the competition to be attractive to qualified personnel.
During development, social elements of the corporate culture should be incorporated into an employer brand. In addition, the developed concept should not only be cultivated as an image but should find its way into the day-to-day life of employees.
Implementation Phase
The communication concept for the employer brand developed during the strategy phase should than be communicated publicly and effectively to potential employees,while the existing brand should be omnipresent in the company. This involves selecting the right media mix and the type of distribution, which can be either targeted or aimed at a wider audience.
Depending on the target groups to be addressed and the messages to be conveyed, more effort should be put into communicating over social networks.
Evaluation Phase
Developing an Employer brand is a management process that requires permanent monitoring.
The evaluation phase therefore serves to check whether the measures taken also achieve the defined goals. Just like an organization, the employer brand is also constantly evolving, so it is important to keep checking whether the strategy and the measures still meet all requirements. The best way to meet future challenges is to view employer brand development as a marathon, rather than a sprint.
Requirements for the successful establishment of an employer brand
- Feedback loops
- Permanent development in iterative cycles
- Adapting communication concepts to target groups
- Alignment of the employer brand and CI
- Commitment from management and executives
- Employer brand as a goal and vision - both on a formal and informal level
