As the US Economy continues to strengthen and unemployment rates fall, the days of easily hiring a highly qualified person and getting them to stick around are all but gone. 2017 will be a challenging year for attracting and retaining the best and the brightest. It may be time to accept that Employer Branding is no longer expected of only large businesses, but of us all. .
Employer branding is a new concept to some, but it’s actually an old term (circa 1990’s) with a renewed popularity. It describes a company’s reputation as an employer and serves as a value proposition to employees (both current and prospective). While the term might not be new, the rules have certainly changed over the past 25 years! The transparency we now have with social media, coupled with websites like glassdoor.com which not only allows for anonymous reviews of companies and management but also provides salary information and job boards, has completely transformed employer branding. What was once a controlled and calculated message from a company is now an endless stream of current and former employee perceptions. For many, this could mean that marketing efforts typically associated with brand management are now a requirement for HR management as well.
TimesJobs.com recently released a list of things that will change recruitment in 2017. Among the items discussed was the continued shift from employer to candidate when it comes to Employment branding. “The candidates will feel empowered to seek new opportunities and hence employers need to work on building their brand.”
First time you’re considering your employer brand? You’re not alone. LinkHumans.com recommends starting with a basic understanding of how you’re currently perceived. “You’ve got to understand what your ratings are in terms of things that you want to be associated with. So if you want to be innovative for example, or you want to be seen as a good development company, then you’ve got to measure those things.”
While you may not be ready for a complete employer branding campaign, at the very least you need to be aware of this power shift and begin to discuss what it could mean for your organization! Perhaps it’s time to do a little research and see what perceptions are currently being shared about your organization?