Lately, more and more people from the business started talking about employer brand and this is not accidental. Our market is experiencing a growing “hunger” for professionals and attracting quality talent is a top priority for CEOs. Only 63 percent, however, are concerned about the availability of key skills (data from the annual survey of PwC).
Clearly, marketing and HR managers do not have the luxury to make mistakes in this area. Yet there is evidence that many organizations feel overwhelmed and unprepared. How to ensure a good recruitment campaign will be launched and how to hire in sync with your brand are two basic and important questions facing every HR manager.
According to a study of Forbes, about 70% of companies have announced sites for finding work but fail even to meet heaps of emails flooding. This is a perfect example of the loss of opportunity to find the right candidate because you just can’t miss it. Furthermore thus employers stand to leave job seekers confused and in the worst case even lower public opinion about the company.
It is not incredibly difficult to prevent these negative outcomes. Any attempts at rational presentation of the hiring process would be welcome to assistant either through online video, phone calls, social media or other type of techniques. The most important thing here is to make a meaningful connection; i.e. to inform their talents and make conscious actions they feel engaged.
Raising awareness of the brand
Nowadays employer without an online presence is seen as a manifestation of old-fashioned, and even unprofessional. Sites that capture the employer brand with its values, corporate culture and goals are the absolute minimum that is expected as online presentation of a company. Employers who know their target audience, have found a way to cut your way to reach her. For most of them it means to step out of your comfort zone, beginning to actively use social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Tweeter and even Instagram.
Of course, the reasons for this move will surprise you. Digital channels give employers the best overall picture in finding large groups of potential and quality talents. Moreover, job candidates often realize they are facing greater competition and also looking for alternative channels for direct and personal communication with employers. Also, online way for recruitment raises the awareness considering your brand. When you engage your potential candidates through social media platforms you assure them a more natural way of direct and convenient communication, which inevitably leads to a better connection and commitment to your brand.
LinkedIn study shows that passive candidates are not as much as we thought. Only 20% of employees are completely uninterested in new possibilities. In view of these statistics it is becoming increasingly clear how important the presence of your brand on social networks is.
The future of employer branding
Certainly in the future the two main directions in the development of employer brand will be focused in two main areas: care for engagement and retention of current staff and focus on external talent in an attempt to attract the right people for the organization. Digital platforms will continue to grow as a major channel for job search. Marketing and HR managers will have to work together in creating and building a solid strategy for employer branding. Although most CEOs recognize the need, few are the ones to take steps to remedy the problem.
If you want to learn more about employer branding and how to position more stable brand to potential and existing talent, follow our blog.