Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of undertaking a strategic employer branding initiative? Not sure how to get started? The comprehensive strategy behind a world class employer brand feels out of reach to many of the HR professionals and executives we speak with. While they know employer branding is a critical strategy to grow their business, they are in the thick of budgets, planning and business execution and have limited resources to go around.
An authentic employer brand is within your grasp and it can be done effectively without a huge budget or a complicated implementation plan. With some well thought out planning, consultation and a great big dose of passion for your organization, you will be well on your way in no time.
Here are three basic steps you can take to get your employer branding strategy off to a successful start.
1. What Is the Difference?
Reputation, workplace culture, employee value proposition…the list of factors that influence your employer brand is long. Do your homework and define the critical components of employer branding before forging ahead.
We often hear the terms employer brand and employee value proposition used interchangeably. These are very distinct and separate concepts which need to be understood at the onset. What is the difference? In its simplest form, your employer brand is your reputation as a place to work. Every organization has an employer brand, whether they are actively working on it or not. As Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, says “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”.
Your employee value proposition is the substance behind your employer brand. EVP is rooted in employee opinion – it’s what they value about the work experience at your organization. It is the truth of what it is like to be a member of your team and what makes that different from working for the competitor down the street.
Equally important is to understand what your EVP is not. It is not what the leadership team feels employees value or appreciate the most, nor is it a list of what everyone loves about working at the organization.
Articulating your true EVP is arguably the most critical step in employer branding. In order to be authentic, it needs to be defined by your employees, as they know best what it is truly like to work at your organization. We liken your EVP research to your employer branding “moment of truth”.
2. Map It Out
Do not attempt to freestyle your way through employer branding. In order to be perceived as genuine by employees and prospective talent, it is so important to begin with foundational research to articulate your EVP which will inform your brand strategy. Employees, leaders, external talent and your clients should all be involved. Their contributions will ensure an accurate and well-rounded perspective of your current employer brand.
Once you have identified your true EVP, you can begin to build your employer branding strategy. Align your employer brand with your business strategy, and don’t forget to align with the entire employee lifecycle. The brand must be real at each and every phase your candidates and employees experience. Consider how to address those critical points and reinforce your EVP throughout, while supporting your overall business objectives through your employer brand.
3. Bring Your Brand to Life
This is where things get really exciting! Activating your employer brand internally and externally should be the final step in your employer branding initiative. Once your EVP is articulated and your strategy is developed, you can confidently move forward with communication, tactics and brand amplification.
Communicating the final EVP back to the organization internally is an incredibly engaging experience when you have involved your team in the process. A tremendous sense of pride results in the activation phase and this is where your brand ambassadors will rally to create momentum for your employer brand. Keep the momentum going!
Telling your employer brand story is a hugely rewarding endeavor with real impact on your business from so many angles. Measure the strength of your current employer brand using our online tool to get started.