4 Emerging Trends in Employer Branding for 2020
2020 is proving to be explosive in the volume of new employers launching Employee Value Propositions and Employer Branding projects. Today, there are more job openings than candidates available and many companies are trying to figure out how they can stand out and land their next best hire. Workplace cultures are under a great deal of transformation, and many companies are seeking ways to deliver a more branded and compelling employee experience.
As employers focus on developing and differentiating their employer brand, many are also figuring out its true potential.
Below are the 4 emerging trends in employer branding you need to know :
- Small and medium-sized businesses are launching employer brands at 2X the pace of 2019
We have seen a dramatic spike in the number of small and mid-sized employers starting employer brand projects this year. These employers tell us that they are losing top talent to bigger employers in their communities. They tell us they find it hard to compete with employers that have clear EVPs and employer brand stories. We anticipate that 2020 will be the year that small and mid-sized organizations shift the competitive landscape in the recruitment world by becoming employer brand leaders.
2. Employer Brand strategy is now focusing more on the employee experience
More and more employers are opting to launch their EVPs internally for 1-3 months prior to hitting the external market. This internal launch strategy respects the fact that the EVP is built by, and for your talent. It ensures that the employer brand and EVP is far more than an expensive HR or recruitment project, but really is about branding the employee experience and the commitment you are making to be different and better than other employers in key areas.
“Companies that launch their employer brand internally typically see a 12 – 20% increase in engagement scores within 6-12 months”
There is a greater focus on internal launch activities planned for weekly milestones. EVP themed events, persona-based communications, ambassadorship games, and storytelling programs are all growing in demand. The appetite for leadership, HR and Recruiter training modules is also growing. A clear indication that employee experience is a top priority for most employers in 2020.
- Employer Brand Budgets have increased an average of 35% to include Digital and OOH Advertising Placement
Over the last 3 years, many employers focused on building EVPs, taglines, social content marketing, and career sites. They invested in LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed branded pages. All these efforts are great. They make your “storefront window display” look very appealing. The challenge is that for many, these efforts alone, are limited in terms of the impact made on top of mind awareness and preference in the market. Pulling the talent in, to look at one’s “storefront window display” has traditionally been overlooked.
Because employer brand campaigns and budgets have traditionally been confined to social media followers on the company LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram pages or job board pages, many a lot of the great storytelling and employer brand creative that is shared has reached a ceiling in terms of driving awareness and talent applications. 2020 is the year that employer brand campaign advertising becomes a priority. Digital media advertising, remarketing, and out of home advertising will be a key focus for employers who spent the past year or two building their employer brand platform and are seeking a greater ROI.
- Annual External Talent Brand Research Now Mandatory
Measuring the effectiveness and impact of employer branding has never been more critical. Organizations spend an average of $120,000 and $500,000 on their employer brand work annually, and as a result, anecdotal or “feelings-based” metrics no longer fly.
80% of talent leaders feel employer branding significantly impacts their ability to hire top tier talent.
HR organizations are no longer looking at internal engagement surveys alone to measure how successful their culture is. Today, HR is expected to regularly listen to and improve recruitment communications with target talent personas. As a result, annual research and industry benchmarking is rapidly becoming mandatory. HR leaders are increasingly required to know and understand metrics related to employer brand awareness, preference % vs competitors, and how job-seeking behaviors are evolving in the industry. As Talent persona marketing expands so too does the need for ongoing listening, analytics, and personalization.
72.8% of companies are struggling to attract top talent as their most qualified candidates are often already employed and/or not actively looking for opportunities.
When searching for a position, the average job-seeker will review 18 different resources before applying.
Building and maintaining a strong employer brand will impact your company’s reputation, culture, and bottom line. Employer branding in 2020 will see a rapid evolution in the solutions provided and the demand for measurable ROI. Learn more about employer branding now