Why isit important to develop an employer brand and why is there so much interest inthis? How do you build employee loyalty and attract candidates? How can companiesgain added value and stand out from the competition? These are important issuesto address.
In this era of globalization and mobility of labour and skills, allcompanies need to be able to stand out and differentiate themselves from thecompetition with a corporate image or brand. The looming shortage of qualifiedlabour in the coming decades risks having a serious financial impact since competitionwill be primarily knowledge based.
Developing one’s employer brand is accordingly a major challenge, a keysuccess factor and a powerful tool for promoting services to customers,suppliers and candidates while being a significant strategic issue for ensuringbusiness growth and stability. This distinctive employer brand must become a permanentbrand—a principle with enduring rallying power, and whose values convey thevery essence of the organization.
Admiration is an important recruiting criterion . Being hired by andworking for a company one admires is a major source of pride for candidates,developing in them a desire for belonging, engagement and involvement. TakeCirque du soleil, for example, a company that continues to grow and gainworldwide recognition via the brand image it developed and is continually enhancing.And then there are the Honda creatives who came up with the idea of usingcomedian Martin Matte to promote the features of their cars, which sell likethe proverbial hotcakes.
Continually communicating and promoting one’s employer brand online, andvia job fairs, placement firms, etc., is to have the ability to attract while conveyingorganizational culture and values convincingly and powerfully. Thiscommunication, based on the employer brand, is an important way of showing yourleadership by fixing an anchor point for the company’s reputation linked to thequality of its work environment, management practices, social engagement, etc.
The employer brand is a powerful communications lever that facilitatesmore effective recruiting and promotes employee motivation, loyalty and engagement.This added value is so vital because it conveys an integrity and credibilityrecognized by both customers and employees. The company must live up to itspromise through logical and consistent acts.
It is therefore crucial for companies to act now to attract talented candidatesby implementing strategies and programs likely to promote employee loyalty andmobilize human resources; hence the value of setting up realistic loyaltyprograms to draw high-quality candidates and that benefit all. These programswill support corporate growth and allow companies to remain competitive and inthe running.
To differentiate themselves, companies must be able to innovate,consider new approaches and offer something others do not. Establishing a brandimage is listening to the needs expressed by employees, and showing creativityand imagination while implementing more human management practices.
Here are a few things you can consider doing:
- Telecommuting,to promote a better work/family balance
- Flextime orcompressed work weeks
- Opportunity to contribute to large, stimulating projects
- A modern,spacious work environment
- An incentiveand reward system
- A generousbursary program
- Training anddevelopment for both managers and employees
- Constructiveperformance feedback
- Environmentalresponsibility program
- Opportunitiesfor advancement and greater income
- Constructivework meetings
The purpose of this reflection is to be concerned with employee needs,such that they can choose what suits them best in order to feel like stayingwith the company. The participation of every employee needs to be considered aprecious asset and true success factor.
There are a variety of easy-to-use ways to find out what employeesreally want:
- Organizing focusgroups to find out why employees like their jobs and their reasons for gettinginvolved.
- In interviewsor meetings, asking how the company could become one of the top 50 bestcompanies to work for.
Your employees can also promote your employer brand by participating indiscussion groups on topics related to working conditions in order to conveyyour company’s values, or by encouraging them to write articles related to yourbusiness’s values.
Youcould also develop a corporate CV to promote your company. This CV, used as a toolto instil pride, differentiates the company and builds customers’ faith in it. TheCV mirrors a winning team to which every employee is proud to belong. Thisresults in the hiring of the best candidates, whose personal involvementcontinues to increase, thereby quickly generating significant added value for companies.
To be in the lead, you have to take the time to develop your ownauthentic employer brand and to promote it. If this has not yet been done, youmust work actively at it, or risk finding your company at the back of the pack.The time to effect change is now.
Developing an employer brand is a major challenge, but one which reallypays off!Denise Gaudet
Denise Gaudet
Défi-Action-Coaching
Management advisor and coach
degau@videotron.ca