What is employer branding in recruitment?

What is the link between recruitment process and employer branding? 

When it comes to employee recruitment, the reputation of the company is vital. The impression that the potential candidates have towards the company could significantly impact on the decision to apply for a job in an organization. 

Employer brand is heavily shaped by the existing employees and even word of mouth. Undoubtedly, a positive employer brand enhances recruitment efforts while also contributing to higher employee engagement and retention rates. 

The employer brand is closely linked to employee recruitment process. When a company is known for being a great place to work, it could help easily in attracting top candidates and persuade them to stay once they’re hired. With better retention rates, the companies do not have to allocate money for frequent recruitment efforts. Additionally, having a capable workforce would benefit the company in reaching its goals. Therefore, a positive reputation as an employer is necessary for successfully hiring employees.

What falls under employer branding strategy?

An employer branding strategy is a company’s blueprint that shapes how its potential employees perceive the brand. The strategy comprises some of the practices that companies need to consider when creating the plan. A strong employer brand affects the recruitment and retention of employees. So, developing a well-structured employer branding strategy is essential because it could streamline the process of creating and maintaining the employer brand. 

Examining the recruitment and selection process

The recruitment and selection process could have a significant impact on the employer brand. This includes every stage from the job postings, the evaluation stage and up to the moment of welcoming of new hires. So, it is necessary to ensure that the process runs smoothly and timely with regular communication right from the start to the end. 

Creating strong job descriptions

Writing appealing job descriptions is essential for attracting well qualified candidates to an organization. Firstly, the company’s unique culture such as a supportive, friendly work environment, and employee benefits can be mentioned. Use clear and talk to the point when describing the role. Try emphasizing key skills and qualifications required. Secondly, highlight any flexible work arrangements that set your company apart from other companies. Finally, mention career growth opportunities within the organization. By creating job descriptions that effectively communicates your company’s culture and opportunities, you can attract candidates who are not only qualified on paper but also correspond with the company’s objectives.

A well-designed company career page helps build employer brand. Through customization, companies can tailor their career pages in an attractive way that could reflect their unique identity, values and mission. 

In addition to that, using social media when posting job advertisements helps promote employer brand. For example, when posting job advertisements on facebook ,it could be more casual and engaging, using visuals, or interactive content to get the attention. On the other hand, Linkedin is more of a professional platform in which, the structure could be more formal, focusing on the professional aspects of the role

Smooth application process

In employee recruitment, it is crucial to have a smooth application process without any technical and non-technical user experience issues. 73% of applicants say that they quit completing the job applications if the process takes more than 15 minutes. Therefore, a user-friendly and speedy online application system with clear instructions given would mean that the company considers the candidate’s time as something important. Once the application is submitted, candidates should receive an automated email, providing an estimated timeline of the hiring process. Continuous updates about the application status during the application process could reflect the company’s professionalism and respect for applicants. In such instances, utilizing an applicant tracking system like Hiretrace could enhance candidate experience which is crucial for employer branding. In fact, the application process could be refined using an ATS as it could facilitate sending automated emails while tracking candidate progres

Engaging interviewing stages

Interviews are one of the ways that could convey your company’s culture and work environment. By discussing company values during interviews, you not only assess the suitability of the candidate but could also strengthen your employer brand. For instance, if cooperation is a primary concern, you can raise questions related to a candidate’s skills towards teamwork. This could portray your company’s commitment to cooperation. Through these discussions, candidates gain insights into the company’s culture. This could promote a positive employer brand as a place where teamwork is paramount

Final offer and onboarding process

The onboarding process holds significant importance as it shapes the initial impression new hires have regarding the company. It’s their first exposure to the organization’s culture and operations. Therefore, it is crucial to provide a smooth and welcoming experience. A well-organized onboarding process ensures that new employees are supported, and equipped to succeed from the very first day while also ensuring that promises made during the recruitment process are upheld.

Improving candidate’s experience 

Improving the candidate’s experience can be regarded as an important subset of the employer branding process. It’s essential to have a positive interaction with them, right from the moment a candidate begins seeing the job advertisement. This involves going beyond responding to questions quickly, keeping candidates informed throughout the hiring process, conducting interviews in a professional manner but also providing feedback to candidates not selected too. Even if a candidate becomes unqualified, providing a positive ending experience can leave a good impression among the candidates. When companies focus on creating a positive candidate experience at every stage of the hiring process, they could attract qualified people while cultivating a strong reputation among the candidates.

Optimizing employer branding channels

One aspect of employer branding strategy involves optimizing the channels through which the company communicates the employer brand to its potential candidates. Companies can make use of various channels such as company websites and social media channels to reach the target audience. Companies can showcase their culture and opportunities which are important in attracting potential candidates. For instance, a company can improve its company website by creating a careers page that mentions employee testimonials, benefits, and a glimpse into the working environment of the company. They could use social media channels to share content that shows their workplace culture, the team behind and career growth opportunities. This shows an inside look of the company for potential candidates.

Apart from that, current employees also act as a valuable channel to build employer brand. This means, if the employees are satisfied with the company, they can spread the word among their networks as to why it is necessary to work for the company. 

Writing an effective Employer Value Proposition (EVP) 

An employer value proposition is a document that explains the benefits that the employees get from the company in return for their skills and experiences that they bring to a company. An EVP is another facet of employer branding strategy which comprises of company’s mission, culture and provides employees with reasons as to why it is necessary to work for the firm. A well- written EVP should include the company’s mission, culture along with other aspects such as employee benefits, adherence to diversity, equity, job security etc.  Ultimately, this contributes significantly to build a positive employer brand as it aids the candidates understand why the company has been established 

An EVP could be taken to the audience through different channels such as the company website, social media platforms, job boards and during the recruitment process too. Also, consistency should be maintained when promoting EVP across all channels to ensure a common message is conveyed to potential candidates. This consistency helps strengthen the employer brand and creates a clear image of what the company is about.

Why should companies prioritize employer branding? 

Are you an employer who wants to hire top talent? If so, prioritizing your company’s employer brand is of paramount importance. In today’s world, candidates have various options to choose from, making it hard for businesses to stand out from its competitors. By emphasizing employer branding in recruitment, you can differentiate your company from other companies, attract top talent, and retain a skilled workforce. In employee recruitment, a strong employer brand not only helps you recruit the best candidates but also enhances the company’s reputation and employee satisfaction. Also, having a strong employer brand could make the company products and services more attractive to customers. To add, clients tend to choose products or services that are offered by companies or businesses that have gained a good image in the industry. That is human nature. Simply put, a strong employer brand could attract more clients. 

 Let’s discuss in detail the benefits of focusing on employer branding

Maximizing employee retention 

When a company has a good reputation that reflects its culture and work environment, it tends to attract candidates who align with the company culture and mission. Employees who resonate with the company’s culture and goals are more likely to remain within the organization in the long run. For instance, when companies prioritize employee recognition and development through rewards and career advancement programs, they feel motivated and committed to the organization. They are highly unlikely to leave firms that support their career growth.  

Enhances employee recommendations

Hiring new people could be an investment, both in terms of time and cost. To improve efficiency, many companies have established employee referral programs. These programs encourage existing employees to recommend suitable candidates whom they know. Having a positive employer brand plays a pivotal role in such referral programs. When existing employees share positive work experience with their network, they are more likely to join the company due to the recommendations they get from someone they know.  

Attracting top notch candidates 

Most of the candidates would love to work for firms that possess a strong reputation. A powerful employer brand could attract candidates who not only seek just a job but also look for a firm that aligns with their future expectations, leading to personal and professional growth. In addition to that, having a good reputation would set the company apart from its competitors. This could persuade the candidates to choose one company over another. Thirdly, a positive reputation could also attract passive candidates too who are not interested in actively seeking jobs but are attracted to companies that possess a good reputation in the job market. Thereby, it is necessary to focus on employer branding in recruitment efforts if your aim is to find candidates of high caliber. 

Drives organizational success 

Investing in employer branding could significantly impact on the long-term success of an organization. When companies invest in providing learning opportunities for employee career growth, the employees become more capable of contributing to the company’s success. To add, when employees learn through career advancement programs, they are more likely to share innovative ideas. This culture of sharing ideas and openness would create a space to develop new products and services. In general, commitment to employee development not only benefits individuals but would also enhance the company image in the market as an employer that promotes learning and development. 

Apart from that, when employees are satisfied and supported by their employer, they are more likely to serve the customers better because such employees tend to interact with customers in a better way as they are motivated. This finally leads to the success of the business while also building trust among customers. 

Cost saving 

Having a powerful employer brand allows the businesses to maintain engagement with potential candidates even though there aren’t any immediate job openings. This continuous relationship-building makes sure that when vacancies finally open, you will already have a set of engaged and interested candidates to choose from. This would prevent the need to start the recruitment process from the very beginning. With a set of candidates who already know the company, the time required to fill open positions is reduced a lot. Instead of spending time and money on attracting new applicants, you can focus on selecting candidates from the ones who already know your brand. This would lead to low recruitment costs and even save time because there is no need for extensive advertising. 

Conclusion 

In today’s world, to attract the best talent and stand out from competitors, you will have to invest in employer branding strategy. Making use of an applicant tracking system (ATS) like Hiretrace, could significantly enhance the recruitment efforts, streamlining the hiring process while providing a positive candidate experience which in turn would contribute to enhancing the employer brand