What is your company’s value proposition? What separates your company from the rest? The answers to these questions will help you determine your “employer brand” which, in turn, helps to define corporate culture, company values and can convey the organization’s strategic mission. There are many reasons for employment branding, but one of the most critical is to attract and retain high value employees that best fit your culture.
Assessing the company’s strategic mission, vision and goals is the first step in developing employer branding. Solicit feedback from your employees; ask current and former personnel to describe their view of the company’s actual values, mission and goals. It is important to know the employee’s perception and employee satisfaction, so that if the company needs to work on modifying its identity, it can. Question applicants-those who got the job and those who did not-to find out their impressions of the company. Question senior management to determine what they want or expect their image to be as an employer.
Once your questions are answered, conduct a gap analysis. Compare the actual company-based on the results of your questioning with your ideal. Clearly define what steps need to balance the actual perception with the desired. Align your HR strategy to help you achieve your brand.
Compare the company brand with the recruiting brand. Make sure they are in sync. If one is different from the other, why and how can you align them?
When you are content with the recruiting brand, communicate it to your employees through training, coaching and performance management activities to reinforce behaviors and align your work force. Reward behaviors that line up with the brand and mange those that are inconsistent. Keep the employer brand in the employee’s “line of site” at all times.
Lastly, implement a strategy to enforce this brand and follow up often. Measure the effectiveness of the strategy and stay mindful of the pulse of the employees that ultimately create and perpetuate your brand.
