How to build an employer branding strategy: A Guide for Brand Managers and Talent Acquisition Specialists
In this guide, we will explore the various types of employer branding projects, illustrating each with examples from UK-based organisations, and offering insights for employer brand managers and talent acquisition specialists.
What is Employer Branding?
Employer branding is the perception of your company as an employer among potential, current, and former employees. It encompasses the various efforts to depict your company as an attractive workplace, by emphasising your unique culture, values, and benefits - alongside the real day to day employee experience your people. Employer branding enhances employee engagement as well as differentiating you from competitors in the job market.
Types of Employer Branding Projects
Employer Value Proposition (EVP) Development
An EVP is a strategic statement encapsulating what your company offers its employees — beyond a paycheque. It showcases your unique organisational attributes and sets you apart from the competition.
Consider John Lewis Partnership, an employee-owned company. Their EVP revolves around shared profit, power, and knowledge, creating a strong sense of ownership and commitment among their employees.
Talent Attraction Campaigns
Talent attraction campaigns are targeted recruitment marketing efforts aimed at drawing specific talent demographics.
Unilever's 'Future Leaders Programme' is a case in point. Targeted at ambitious graduates, this initiative not only promotes Unilever's reputation as a world-class employer but also articulates the professional growth and impact these young professionals can experience.
Creative Content and Employer Branding Videos
Developing creative content that reflects and reinforces your EVP is important both for engaging existing employees and for talent acquisition. The form of this content will depend on the objective of the creative campaign - is it to engage existing employees? Is it to reduce the cost of talent acquisition? Is it to improve the quality of candidates or for a specific job function?
Creative content can include photography, illustration, videos, artwork, instillations, copywriting and so on and different forms are often used together and deployed over multiple touchpoints to present a consistent message (e.g. your careers website, social media, YouTube, out of home campaigns and so on). Right now videos are widely used as powerful tools for employer branding, capable of conveying your organisation's culture, work environment, and values in ways that words alone cannot.
BBC offers a brilliant example. Their careers video series showcases the experiences of diverse employees, creating an engaging narrative about their inclusive and dynamic work culture.
Career Website Optimisation
Your career website is often the first point of contact for job seekers. A well-optimised site should clearly communicate your EVP, showcase your company culture, and facilitate an effortless job search experience.
Bupa’s career website does an excellent job of conveying their values and culture, showcasing employee stories, and detailing the numerous career opportunities available. Moreover, Bupa's emphasis on work-life balance and the well-being of their employees gives prospective hires a vivid impression of what they can expect when joining the team as well as reinforcing the overarching values of the business.
Social Media Employer Branding
In the digital age, social media plays a pivotal role in disseminating your employer brand, enhancing visibility and allure for potential hires.
ASOS, the British online fashion and cosmetic retailer, excels at this. Their social media feeds are filled with behind-the-scenes glimpses, employee spotlights, and sustainability initiatives, effectively showcasing their vibrant company culture.
Onboarding Programme Development
Onboarding is more than an introduction to tasks and responsibilities. A comprehensive onboarding program can enhance the new hire experience, fortify their understanding of your brand, and improve retention rates.
For example, HSBC Bank has a structured onboarding program that not only introduces new hires to their roles but also immerses them in the company's values and culture.
Employee Experience and Retention
Retaining top talent is just as important, if not more so than attracting it. It not only reduces turnover costs but also reinforces your employer brand, demonstrating that your organisation values its people. Key to this is the day to day employee experience, and that authentic true to the employer brand you are marketing.
Barclays is a great example of focussing on retention strategies. Their flexible working offer promotes work-life for all generations and life circumstances, boosting their EDIB strategy. This flexibility demonstrates Barclays' understanding of and respect for their employees' diverse personal commitments and lifestyles.
Barclays also encourages an open feedback culture. They conduct regular employee surveys and have forums for discussions, ensuring every employee feels heard and valued. This approach not only gives employees a sense of ownership and engagement but also provides the bank with valuable insights to continuously improve and evolve their practices.
Employee Advocacy Programs
Your employees are your most credible ambassadors. Employee advocacy programs encourage employees to share positive work experiences on their personal social media channels, providing an authentic snapshot of your organisational culture.
Virgin Media stands out in this regard. Their employees regularly share content about company events, benefits, and social outings, giving an organic, insider perspective of the company.
Holistic Employer Brand Strategy
In reality an effective employer brand uses all these methods in an overarching strategy. The methods you choose within your employer brand strategy will change over time as your objectives change. Whether it's creating compelling employer branding videos, optimising your career website, or developing an engaging EVP, consistency and people-first authenticity with the employee experience is key.
Our free download walks you through the typical structure of an employer branding project when we work with a client. Feel free to download it and use it as a structure for your own projects!
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