Employer Brand - why it's matter

"They delay salaries and have constant turnover," "The team is young and united," "High annual bonuses, but a lousy boss..."

Do you know what labels are attached to your company's name? Usually, they are not baseless and reflect the impressions of your current and former employees, and even clients, partners... And if you haven’t paid attention to them so far, perhaps it's high time not only to investigate them but also to try to manage your public reputation. Because it is an integral part of your employer brand, and the more positive things it’s associated with, i.e., the higher its value, the easier it will be to attract new talent and even find new business opportunities.

My brand is better than your brand

According to a LinkedIn study, the value of an employer brand can reduce hiring and recruitment costs by up to 50% and decrease employee turnover by up to 28%. The ease of communication with candidates is difficult to measure, but a recognizable and desirable employer brand certainly makes it much easier to hire new employees. At identical salary levels, more than 60% of employees with up to two years of experience are inclined to prefer the brand of an established and known employer over a better financial offer from an unknown company. Thus, the value of the employer brand directly reduces the salary costs for the employer!

We've all heard legends about employers like Google and Apple. Are these stories that arose by chance or the result of a targeted policy and message management? Thanks to their successful branding, these global corporations not only make us want to own their products but even dream of becoming their employees.

What Strategy Should We Follow?

The primary goal of HR marketing is to make our company recognizable in the market, spark interest, and captivate top professionals who are not yet part of our team. However, this specific activity has another equally important objective: to increase the employer's value in the eyes of current employees, engage them, foster a sense of belonging, and help them realize the importance and value of the business they are a part of.

If you have recognized the need to invest in your employer brand, manage it, and track its impact, you must answer a few strategic questions:

• What is the current state of your employer brand?

Even if you haven’t taken deliberate action yet, your employer brand already exists—it’s out there, in the corners of your office corridors, at industry association meetings, on online forums, in conversations among friends, or at dinner tables after work. You need to take a clear account of what you’ve done so far—intentionally or unintentionally—and confront the results, even if they’re painful. Recognizing the reality is the first step toward change.

To identify and understand the current state of your employer brand, you can research career or employer forums. Alternatively, take a targeted approach by conducting an employee engagement survey and comparing your results with other companies. If you choose this route, it’s best to make it a regular practice. You can also assess the situation using surveys processed by your HR team or by hiring an independent external consultant.

•  What is the goal of your message?

This is one of the key questions before moving forward. Determine whether your employer brand efforts are inward-facing—focused on engaging and motivating current employees—or aimed at attracting top professionals. Are you looking to enhance your company's value to investors and clients, apply psychological pressure on competitors, or support your marketing efforts by promoting products made by "happy employees"?

Depending on the audience you aim to reach, you’ll need to formulate specific key messages. These might range from "the best and most secure place to work (and retire)" to "the most dynamic, fast-growing, and profitable (at any cost) company" or "the most fun, innovative workplace (with little concern for work-life balance)." 

• Who is your target group?

It matters whom you direct your message to and through which channels it will reach them. Do you aim to attract fresh graduates or recruit the cream of the professional elite? Based on this, you must determine the conduits for your message—formal or informal, digital or traditional, modern or classic.

Don’t forget to use channels to collect and process feedback from the market. Agencies specializing in employer brand research and awareness are now available. Focus groups can also be organized to develop an employer communication strategy. 

• What is your budget?

HR marketing is expected to deliver a return on investment, but it comes with costs. Clearly assess how much you can afford to invest and what expenses you would incur for one strategy versus another.

• Who will be responsible for managing the employer brand?

This responsibility could fall to marketing, PR professionals, HR specialists, or it could be approached as a group, team effort. However, it’s crucial that top management is also committed to the mission of building the employer brand.

First Steps in Rebranding

HR marketing has its nuances, but to save time, money, and effort while mastering them, here are some practical tips on where to start:

1. Engage Brand Ambassadors

Happy current (and even former) employees are your best ambassadors. Each one of them reaches a wide circle of people—friends, acquaintances, classmates, students, and professional contacts. The way they share information about your company helps shape public perception.

Include the CEO and top management in discussions, presentations, career fairs, interviews, internship programs, open days, and other events. This not only helps them feel like an integral part of the company but also promotes the real faces behind the business—those making strategic decisions and setting the course for growth.

2. Focus on the Digital Side of HR Marketing

One often underestimated but essential step is optimizing your corporate website. Ensure you provide comprehensive information about your company, its structure, culture, mission, values, and career opportunities.

Regularly generate unique content—news about the company, career updates, promotions of employees and managers, team-building activities, and other initiatives. Publish interviews with interns and scholarship recipients, if applicable. Consider organizing contests to engage your audience.

A strong online presence requires visual appeal. Use appropriate images to illustrate your company’s story, ideally from real events or featuring real employees. Avoid overusing stock photos and graphics.

3. Be "Social"

Having a corporate profile on popular social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter, is now considered essential, depending on your company’s profile and goals.

Encourage employees to update their social media profiles and share company news, including product launches, campaigns, open positions, and internship programs.

Originality pays off—be transparent, respect differences, and provide a platform for diverse opinions. Address misunderstandings, respond promptly, and engage in personal communication with key figures in your industry.

4. Leverage the Traditional Job Posting

Job advertisements remain a valuable channel for sharing crucial and engaging information. Go beyond listing requirements—highlight what you truly offer. Experiment with transparency by including a salary range or outlining employee benefits.

The hiring process is also an opportunity to build your employer brand. Remember, job interviews impact not only potential hires but also candidates you reject. What impression would you want them to share about you after the interview? 

5. Seek Professional Help When Needed

If you feel overwhelmed, consider hiring HR marketing consultants. Invest in a professional photographer or videographer to create quality visuals—photos of employees in their work environment, video clips, or professionally edited films. If your budget allows, work with a creative agency for branding and advertising materials.

6. Measure Results

Regularly compare your initial goals with the achieved outcomes. Possible metrics include the number of applications for open positions, declined job offers, early employee turnover, satisfaction, engagement, and identification with the company.

Ideally, within a year, you’ll start noticing the positive impact of your efforts.

Conclusion

The resources needed to build a strong employer brand already exist—your people. They want you to actively listen and address what truly matters to them, whether it’s financial or something deeper. Without timely attention, trust, and support, no employer brand can genuinely resonate or succeed in delivering its message.

If you need additional information or assistance in developing your Employer Brand (Employer Branding) send us an inquiry, and we will provide you with our expertise and experience.

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