Competition in the job market is huge and growing. Many employers are no longer just trying to attract job seekers but also want to keep their existing employees happy and loyal. One of the most effective tools that can help a company achieve these goals is “Employer Branding” or employer branding. In this article, you will learn how to get started with employer branding step by step and how to establish yourself, in the job market, as a successful employer.

The first and also the key step is to define your company’s employer brand. Ask yourself the question “Who are we and what do we represent as an employer?”. Define it honestly because you will be presenting it to your potential and current employees.

Focus on the following points:

• Values and culture – what are the core values that your company represents? What is the company culture? For example, is it innovation, development, collaboration, or is it sustainability? 

• Vision and goals – what direction is your company heading in? What is your plan for the future? Job seekers should see where your company is headed and what its goals are.

EVP, or Employer value propositions, can be defined as a set of benefits you can offer your potential and current employees. 

You can’t reach everyone, so it’s important to identify the target group you’re aiming for. Think about what type of people should be your ideal employee.

You can consider the following factors:

• Skills and qualifications – what skills are key to your business? Are you looking for young talent or experienced professionals?
• Culture – who should feel most comfortable in your company? For example, are they people who prefer flexibility and independence, or those who value teamwork and hierarchy?
• Values – are you looking for employees who share your values and are passionate about your company goals?

By having a clear idea of your target audience, you’ll be able to develop targeted strategies for reaching potential employees. You may even have multiple target groups because of the variety of positions you want to fill.

Building an employer brand requires a strong presence on both online and offline channels. This includes, for example:

• Website – update your website to reflect your employer brand. Post information about new job opportunities, career growth and company culture.
• Social Media – create posts and maintain activity on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Share content that shows what it’s like to work at your company and be interactive with your target audience. Choose only those networks that make sense for your company.
• Offline activities – don’t forget about offline marketing. Attend job fairs, hold workshops and attend social events where you can showcase your company and network.
• Content marketing – create content that illuminates what makes your company unique. This can include blog articles, videos or podcasts, for example.

By being active on different platforms, you’ll be able to reach different audiences and strengthen your employer’s reputation

Involving employees in the employer branding process can be extremely effective. By this, we mean employee ambassador programs, which we have prepared an online course about. 

Here are a few ways to achieve this:

• Internal communication – make sure your employees fully understand and identify with it. Communicate with them regularly and encourage them to get involved.
• Employee Stories – encourage your employees to share their positive experiences related to working at your company. Stories of how they started as new hires and achieved success can be inspiring to others.
• Social media – give employees the opportunity to be a part of creating content on social media. They can share their work experiences, photos from their workday, and other content that shows what life is like at your company.

In order to effectively adjust and refine your employer branding strategy, it’s important to measure and evaluate its success. Set up metrics and track how your employer branding is evolving.

Some of the key metrics may include:

• Number of applications for positions – keep track of how many applications you receive after the implementation of the new strategies.
• Length of recruitment process – record how long it takes to recruit new employees. A strong employer brand can reduce the time it takes to fill a position.
• Retention rate – track how many employees stay with the company after a certain period of time. A higher retention rate can be a sign of strong employer branding.
• Feedback – conduct regular surveys or interviews with employees and candidates to get their opinions on your employer’s brand and work environment.

Employer branding can be challenging to get started, but it’s an investment that really pays off. If you can attract and retain talented employees, your company will have a great competitive advantage. With this step-by-step article, you should be well on your way to creating a strong employer brand and attracting the best people to your company. Remember, employer branding is an ongoing process that evolves and changes as your company evolves. Be open to change and continually work to improve your employer brand.