There is an old saying is business....if you are not growing you are dying.
Today’s talent market is more demanding than it’s ever been.
According to Deloitte’s 2016 Millennial Survey, 66% of millennials plan to leave their organizations by 2020. There are 1.4 unemployed workers for every open position, and the average job opening remains unfilled for about 28 days. 83% of CEOs are concerned their Talent Acquisition practices.
Your employer brand sets your company apart from others competing for the same talent, and it may convince candidates that your company is the place for them.
If you are not growing a strong employer brand today, your talent acquisition efforts are dying.
Your Company and its EVP
All companies need experiences that set them apart from their competitors.
By telling candidates what makes your company different, you'll not only amplify the pool of qualified applicants, you’ll also improve the performance and engagement of your existing people.
At the heart of a successful employer brand is the EVP or employee value proposition. It tells them what your company is all about including:
- What it feels like to work there
- Why people stick around
- What it takes to be a success
Support your EVP with people-related practices that make for a memorable, unique employee experience. Rather than describing what an employee gets, the EVP tells them what they’ll contribute to....be a part of.
With a solid EVP, you’ve got a built-in solution for the attraction and retention of talent in today’s competitive market.
How Your Employer Brand and Your EVP Intersect
To be successful, your employee value proposition and your employer brand have to meet these three criteria:
- It has to be authentic enough to resonate with your employees.
- It must be memorable, meaningful, and aspirational.
- It has to be integrated into all of your human resources and people practices.
Your brand and your EVP are a reflection of your company’s values and purpose.
They tell people what to expect when they interact with you. This is includes current and prospective employees, as well as your customers.
Conducting Research and Soliciting Feedback
You can’t build an employer brand without your employees’ help.
The research phase may involve meetings, internal surveys, exit interviews, candidate aspirations, competitors’ brands, and other forms of feedback.
With this information, you’ll find it easier to show candidates what it’s like to work for you (and why they should consider it).
Defining Segments and Channels
Next, you’ll need to establish a target audience and determine the positions on which your campaign should focus.
Decide which channels you’ll use to reach those audiences, such as internal and external communications, social media platforms, trade associations, local events, and educational institutions.
Develop your Employee Value Proposition and Align it With your Goals
Based on the input you received during the past two phases, it’s time to develop your employer brand’s crucial ingredients.
Your EVP can be as complex or as simple as you’d like; in most cases, however, it’s best served as a single statement followed up by a series of messages customized to your target audience.
Most importantly, you’ll need to design an EVP that aligns with your company’s purpose, values, and vision.
Choose Key Performance Indicators and Metrics
The best employer brand is useless without a way to measure its success.
Start by setting a baseline by which you can assess the results of your talent acquisition efforts.
Use the results of those evaluations to set targets in key areas such as applications by channel, time to fill positions, the cost per hire, employee retention rates, and engagement rates.
Creating Compelling Brand Assets
To show candidates why your company is such a great place to work, you’ll need some great brand assets.
Using your own people, create some videos and take some photos that give potential employees a glimpse of your corporate culture.
Next, allow those same values to shine through on your social media profiles, website, and job postings.
Optimize the Candidate Experience
After showing your candidates why they should work for you, follow it up with a seamless application process.
It should be as easy as possible to apply for a position within your company; simplify things by making it mobile- and social-friendly. Integrate your employee value proposition and your branding into your applicant tracking system by making the logo, colors, look, and feel consistent across channels.
In the End – It's About Playing To Win
The job market is extremely competitive, and to come out ahead in the talent acquisition game, you’ll need a way to set your company apart from your competitors’.
One way to do it is to create a compelling employer brand.
When your organization invests in employer branding and improves its candidate experience, you are more likely to make quality hires.
By following these important steps, you’ll be able to create an EVP and employer brand with soul.