Employer Branding: It’s More Than Just a Logo

When companies transition to a digital application process, they “brand” their application materials. They slap on a logo, pick colors and fonts consistent with their visual messaging, and write instructions designed to appeal to new hires. If that’s the extent of your employer branding strategy, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. LinkedIn Talent Solutions has found that in-depth employer branding can cut new hire costs by half and reduce company turnover by 28 percent. Have you thought about your employer brand just as deeply as you’ve thought about branding your products? If you haven’t, here are four questions that can guide the formation of your employer brand.

1. What’s Your Unique Value Proposition?

You know the unique selling proposition (USP) for your products, and you need to know your unique value proposition (UVP) as an employer. Imagine a recruiting prospect asking you, “Why would I want to work here?” The answer to that question becomes your UVP. UVP is rooted deeply in your company culture, its mission, and its vision for the future. Once you’ve identified it, make your UVP the guidepost for your employer branding efforts.

2. What Would Your Current Employees Say About You?

Over 70 percent of people find today’s jobs through their individual professional networks. When your employees become ambassadors for your employer brand, their networks become a crucial talent pipeline. If your employees aren’t satisfied with your workplace culture, they’re telling the truth to the people in their networks. Stop tabling their concerns, and address them. Make your company a great place to work.

3. What Positions Will You Need to Fill?

Succession planning is only one way to anticipate your hiring needs. Think strategically about new positions your company might develop as it grows and creates new products. Once you’ve identified your target talent segments, remember that segmentation is just as important for employer branding as it is for marketing products. Executive recruiting has a different flavor than entry-level recruiting. Focus your early branding efforts where you need them most.

4. Where Can You Find the Right People?

If you’re still waiting for talent to come to you, you’re never going to employ the best people. Although just 25 percent of people are actively looking for work, 45 percent of workers would be open to speaking with a recruiter. The top three things passive candidates want include money, work/life balance, and an appealing company culture. Keep these three elements front of mind as you develop your employer brand and craft a better candidate experience.

More Than a Logo

Employer branding involves a lot more than just creating visually branded application materials. Create your employer brand with just as much deliberation and precision as you created the brand surrounding your products. If you need some inspiration, take a look at how Red Bull, Nordstrom, and Delta Air Lines have incorporated their employer brand into the candidate experience in this free eBook.

Header image “World's Best Boss” by Chun-Hung Eric Cheng, CC BY 2.0.