Is it really a recruitment issue? Or is it your employer brand?

How often have you said with great frustration “Why is it so hard to get good staff these days?”

This usually happens after ‘another’ failed recruitment drive that served up a less than average calibre of candidates. Or perhaps some of your rock stars have left for greener pastures…whatever the reason…you’re asking the wrong question.

It should be “why don’t people want to work for our company anymore?”

Have you become a Talent Repeller?

We often blame market conditions, the recruitment process or even the universities for not producing enough good talent.

However, the reality is, if your company’s reputation as an employer does not inspire people to want to work for you, you’re destined to become a ‘Talent Repeller’. Being viewed as an unattractive place to work both externally and internally doesn’t just impact your recruitment efforts. It also has serious implications for your productivity, customer experience and retention and your bottom line.

Is there an answer?

The good news is that there is a practical solution at hand – building a robust employer brand. It may sound like some kind of new-age business jargon, but an effective employer brand can produce real results for your business.

Wikipedia defines employer brand as an employer’s reputation as a place to work and their employee value proposition. In plain English, this translates to why people want to work for you and what they get (both financially and emotionally) in return.

It’s your reputation as a place to work and how you are perceived in the job market. Research by LinkedIn has found that having a strong employer brand can have a significant positive impact on a candidate’s decision to consider a potential employer:

• 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job
• The number 1 obstacle candidates experience when searching for a job is not knowing what it’s like to work at an organisation

A well thought out employer brand strategy will not only go a long way to solving your recruitment issues, it will also help boost morale and productivity in your current employees.

How do I know my employer brand is working?

Once you’ve put in the hard yards defining and establishing your employer brand, how do you know whether it’s been a success?

When measuring something like the perception of your employer brand, it pays to engage experts like Energise to get the hard data and percentage figures through proven research methods. But, if you want a quick snapshot right now, here are some key questions you can ask:

• What was the moment you knew you’d made the right decision to work here?
• What was your best day at work?
• What’s something that’s happened that can only happen here?
• What are you most proud of?

If you don’t feel a pit of dread opening up at the thought of asking these questions, you know you’ve created a brand that your employees love.

Would you like to hear more on employer brand?

You can read more about Employer Brand, including an overview of our 4 Step programme here. If you don’t have time to get into the details, make sure you watch our video which features engineering industry leaders talking about Employer Brand and why it matters to them.

Or, if you have questions or concerns about your Employer Brand, get in contact with us to find out how we can help.