Employer Branding 101

Employer branding; one of the most common phrases used to explain exactly how a company can attract talent to their businesses. It’s a phrase we’ve all heard but with everything else going on, do we really spend a lot of time focusing on it?
We appreciate it’s hard for employers to focus on branding but, it’s used so frequently because it is so important. Therefore, Webrecruit Ireland have put together a list of important points to remember when thinking about your employer brand…

  1. Employer branding is different to corporate and consumer branding

Contrary to popular belief, employer branding, corporate branding and consumer branding are not the same thing. Instead, they are an extension of each other, and perfecting each can help to position your business more favourably in the eye of the consumer and competitors alike.  Your reputation as an employer is your employer brand. Your company’s ethos should be representative of how you treat your employees. The human side of your business should be illustrated and candidates should understand what it might be like to work for you. This is different to corporate branding, which represents your company’s identity and reputation in the market, as well as communicating the benefits of your organisation against that of your competitors.
  1. You can’t change an employer brand overnight

Employer branding is a long-term, on-going process. That being said, what’s the best way to eat an elephant?!

One of the most important steps is to take off your corporate hat and really look at your employer brand through the eyes of your employees or prospective employees. What way would you like them to view you as an employer and how could you make that happen? Other smaller steps can be taken as part of long term employer branding projects. Why not build a company careers site to house your vacancies and employee-driven content? Or look to incorporate regular activities such as staff satisfaction surveys as an effective measurement tool for employer branding.  Social media is also invaluable in enhancing your employer brand. It’s important to get the balance right between producing the correct content and showcasing your company culture. People want to know they are interacting with real content from real people, and not just standard messages from a corporate entity.
  1. Examine how you attract potential employees to your business

Are your job ads a glorified Job Description or do you really review the key benefits and reasons why someone would want to work for your company. This is always a number 1 priority for Webrecruit Ireland when developing job ads for clients; it really is THAT important.
  1. It’s a whole team initiative, not just an HR initiative

Many organisations think that employer branding is an issue confined to HR teams and HR teams alone. Others think it’s a task for marketing or even one for senior management. In reality, for employer branding to work, a whole-team approach is needed. Communication to all stakeholders is a must. The perfect employer brand can only be portrayed when all employees are on the same page.
  1. It’s more than just a key word

Finally and most importantly, it’s vital to recognise that employer branding isn’t just an ‘of-the-moment’ buzz-word a business can throw around and expect to reap magic rewards. Ignoring your employer brand and neglecting an employer brand strategy can lead to the loss of ideal candidates to your competitors with a better reputation.
Want to learn more about Webrecruit Ireland’s advertising and technology solutions can help to promote your employer brand? Contact our Dublin office on 1890 67 80 80 or our Belfast office on 028 90 80 20 30.



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