Nurturing Relationships for Future Job Openings
In the same way that every Industrial/Organizational Psychologist is challenged with increasing brand awareness of our field, recruiters also face the challenge of bringing awareness to their job opportunities. While we may not have initially signed up to be marketers, we must rise to the challenge and embrace the excitement that comes with marketing, whether it's promoting our personal brand, our field, our employer brand, or specific job openings.
In the realm of recruitment, establishing a strong employer brand and executing effective job advertisement campaigns are crucial for attracting top talent. Recruitment marketing, which utilizes inbound marketing strategies, content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization, plays a pivotal role in this process.
In this blog, we will explore the concepts of employer branding in the context of recruitment marketing, providing valuable insights and tips to build a talent pipeline and nurture relationships for future job openings.
THE POWER OF EMPLOYER BRANDING
Employer branding refers to the intangible advantages, financial incentives, and practical benefits associated with a specific employer. It has emerged as a specialized long-term approach to effectively manage the awareness and perceptions of employees, potential employees, and other stakeholders towards a company. A robust Employment Value Proposition (EVP) forms the foundation of the employer brand, significantly influencing employee engagement and motivating prospective candidates to join the organization. We'll delve into the link between a strong EVP and increased engagement among respondents and explore how talent brands can be tied to the marketing mix.
Recruitment marketing utilizes the strategies of inbound marketing to establish a strong employer brand and execute effective job advertisement campaigns (Eclipse software marketing, 2018). Inbound marketing is a method that attracts potential customers or leads through content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization, and branding.
The employer brand refers to the combination of intangible advantages, financial incentives, and practical benefits associated with a particular employer (Thorne, 2004). Employer brand also pertains to the perception and reputation of an employer as a desirable workplace, along with the unique value proposition it offers to employees (Mosley, 2014). This is distinct from the overall corporate brand reputation and value proposition that is targeted toward customers and other stakeholders.
EVP Action Items:
1. Define Your EVP: Conduct a thorough analysis of your organization's values, culture, and benefits to craft a compelling Employment Value Proposition (EVP). Identify what sets your company apart from competitors and create a strong foundation for your employer brand.
2. Employee Engagement Surveys: Implement employee engagement surveys to understand how your current EVP is resonating with employees. Use the feedback to refine and enhance your EVP to align with the needs and desires of your workforce.
3. Content Marketing Strategy: Develop a content marketing strategy that showcases your EVP and employer brand. Utilize platforms such as your company website, social media, and industry blogs to share engaging and informative content that highlights the benefits of working for your organization.
4. Targeted Audience Segmentation: Identify your target audience of potential candidates and segment them based on demographics, psychographics, geography, and behavior. Tailor your messaging and content to resonate with each segment.
EVP Tips and Tricks:
• Be Authentic: Be transparent and honest about your company culture and values in your employer branding efforts. Authenticity builds trust and attracts like-minded candidates.
• Leverage Employee Advocacy: Encourage your employees to be brand ambassadors and share their positive experiences working for your company on social media and professional networks.
• Showcase Employee Success Stories: Highlight the success stories of current employees to showcase the positive impact of your EVP and employer brand.
• Utilize Visuals: Incorporate visual elements like images and videos into your content marketing strategy to make your employer brand more engaging and memorable.
EVP Takeaways:
1. Employer branding is a powerful tool for attracting and retaining top talent. A strong EVP forms the foundation of an effective employer brand, influencing employee engagement and motivating prospective candidates.
2. Recruitment marketing, through inbound marketing strategies, helps establish a strong employer brand by attracting potential candidates through engaging content and effective job advertisements.
3. Targeted audience segmentation allows organizations to deliver personalized messages that resonate with specific candidate groups, increasing the effectiveness of their employer branding efforts.
4. Building an authentic and compelling employer brand is essential for standing out in the competitive job market and attracting top talent that aligns with your company's values and culture.
While consumer and corporate branding typically receive more attention, employer branding has emerged as a specialized long-term approach to effectively manage the awareness and perceptions of employees, potential employees, and other stakeholders towards a specific company (Sullivan, 2004). This suggests that patience and continuous process improvement are necessary to create sustainable and efficient practices to manage the internal and external company reputation.
It could pay off though. Heger’s (2007) research established a connection between a robust Employment Value Proposition (EVP), which forms the foundation of the employer brand, and the level of engagement among respondents. The study revealed that employee engagement is significantly influenced by an organization's EVP, as the attributes of the EVP (which are appealing to employees) serve as a motivating factor for prospective candidates of the organization.
Employment Brand Equity
In creating a sustainable system, it helps to look at reputation resources. Ewing et al. (2002) detail a construct called employment brand equity (EBE), defined as, "... a set of employment brand assets and liabilities linked to an employment brand, its name, and symbol that add to (or subtract from) the value provided by an organization to that organization’s employees” (page 14). If the primary purpose of advertising is to establish and strengthen brands, it follows that the main objective of current recruitment advertising is to create and enhance the employment brand. Therefore, just as the effectiveness of advertising can be measured by its impact on brand equity, the success of recruitment advertising can be evaluated by its influence on EBE.
EBE Action Items:
1. Conduct an Employer Brand Audit:
Assess your organization's current employer brand and identify areas for improvement. Gather feedback from current employees, candidates, and stakeholders to understand perceptions and areas of strength and weakness.
2. Develop a Strong Employment Value Proposition (EVP): Craft a compelling EVP that highlights the unique benefits and opportunities your organization offers to employees. Ensure that the EVP resonates with both current and potential employees.
3. Implement Employee Engagement Initiatives: Invest in initiatives that foster employee engagement and satisfaction. Create a positive work environment, provide growth opportunities, and recognize and reward employees' contributions.
4. Measure Employer Brand Equity: Implement metrics to measure your employment brand equity. Regularly assess the impact of your recruitment advertising efforts on the perception and reputation of your employer brand.
EBE Tips and Tricks:
• Consistent Messaging: Ensure that your employer branding messaging is consistent across all communication channels, including social media, career websites, job descriptions, and company events.
• Employee Advocacy: Encourage current employees to be brand ambassadors and share positive experiences about the organization on social media and other platforms.
• Continuous Improvement: Employer branding is an ongoing process. Continuously gather feedback, adapt your EVP, and improve engagement initiatives to maintain a strong employer brand.
• Showcase Company Culture: Highlight your company culture and values in your branding efforts. Share employee stories and testimonials that showcase a positive and inclusive work environment.
EBE Takeaways:
1. Employer branding is a long-term approach that requires patience and continuous improvement. It involves managing the awareness and perceptions of employees and potential employees towards the organization.
2. A robust Employment Value Proposition (EVP) is crucial for employee engagement and motivation. The EVP should appeal to both current employees and prospective candidates.
3. Employment Brand Equity (EBE) is a valuable construct that assesses the impact of recruitment advertising on the organization's employer brand. Measuring EBE helps evaluate the success of recruitment efforts.
4. Creating a sustainable employer brand involves looking at reputation resources, such as EVP and employee engagement initiatives. It requires consistent messaging, employee advocacy, and continuous improvement to enhance the organization's reputation as a desirable employer.
Conclusion: Unleashing the Power of Employer Branding
In today's dynamic business landscape, employer branding has proven to be the linchpin for attracting and retaining top talent. By focusing on the intangible advantages, financial incentives, and practical benefits associated with a specific employer, organizations can effectively manage the perceptions of employees, potential candidates, and stakeholders. At the heart of this approach lies a compelling Employment Value Proposition (EVP), which not only forms the foundation of the employer brand but also significantly influences employee engagement and acts as a potent motivator for prospective candidates.
Throughout our exploration, we have uncovered the interplay between a strong EVP and increased engagement among respondents, showcasing the immense value of investing in an employer brand.
Leveraging recruitment marketing and inbound marketing strategies, organizations can establish a robust employer brand by engaging potential candidates through captivating content and effective job advertisements.
It is essential to distinguish the employer brand from the overall corporate brand reputation. The employer brand embodies the perception and reputation of an organization as a desirable workplace, accompanied by a unique value proposition tailored to employees. This distinct identity sets the stage for attracting the right talents who align with the company's ethos and culture.
To implement an effective employer branding strategy, action items have been identified, ranging from defining your EVP and conducting employee engagement surveys to developing a content marketing strategy and targeted audience segmentation. Additionally, practical tips and tricks have been highlighted, such as being authentic, leveraging employee advocacy, showcasing employee success stories, and incorporating visuals to make the employer brand more engaging.
Moreover, we have uncovered the importance of viewing employer branding as a long-term approach that requires continuous improvement and patience to create sustainable and efficient practices in managing both internal and external company reputation. The groundbreaking research by Heger (2007) establishes a direct link between a robust EVP and heightened employee engagement, while employment brand equity (EBE) emerges as a valuable construct to assess the impact of recruitment advertising on the organization's employer brand.
In conclusion, employer branding is a powerful tool that organizations can wield to stand out in the competitive job market, attracting top talent that aligns with their core values and culture. By cultivating an authentic and compelling employer brand, businesses can foster lasting connections with employees, bolstering their reputation as desirable employers in the industry. Ultimately, the strategic alignment of talent branding with the marketing mix drives long-term success and sustainability in today's dynamic and ever-evolving business landscape.
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References
Eclipse Software Marketing (2017). Inbound Marketing Vs Outbound Marketing For Recruitment Agencies. Retrieved 7 August 2023, from https://www.recruitment-software.co.uk/inbound-marketing-vs-outbound-marketing-recruitment-agencies/
Ewing, M. T., Pitt, L. F., De Bussy, N. M., & Berthon, P. (2002). Employment branding in the knowledge economy. International Journal of Advertising, 21(1), 3-22.
Heger, B. K. (2007). Linking the employment value proposition (EVP) to employee engagement and business outcomes: Preliminary findings from a linkage research pilot study. Organization Development Journal, 25(2), P121.
Mosley, R. (2014). Employer Brand Management: Practical Lessons From The World's Leading Employers. John Wiley & Sons.
Sullivan, J. (2004). Eight elements of a successful employment brand. ER Daily, 23(2), 501-517.
Thorne, K. (2004). Employer Branding: One-Stop Guide. Reed Business Information, Quandrant house.