One of the biggest challenges employers are facing right now is in finding and retaining the best talent. In a recent survey, 73% of CEOs said that they were concerned about finding employees with the right skills. This skills shortage, combined with fairly low unemployment across the US, places the burden squarely on the shoulders of employers to do everything they can to attract the right candidates.
A huge piece of that puzzle revolves around employer branding. Employer branding essentially boils down to the way that your company represents itself not to consumers or customers but to job applicants you’re looking to hire. Your employer brand establishes a reputation for what the company is like as a place to work.
And while large companies like Google or Amazon have readily recognizable employer brands due to their size and scope, it’s a mistake for smaller companies to think that they don’t need to put much effort into employer branding. In fact, you could argue that employer branding efforts are even more important for smaller companies that aren’t household names, because companies both big and small are ultimately competing for the same top talent. Small companies can stay competitive in the war for talent by fostering great work environments and successfully conveying what it’s like to work there through employer branding.
Still not convinced? Here are a few extra reasons you shouldn’t neglect your employer brand:
- 69% of people wouldn’t take a job with a company that had a bad reputation, even if they were unemployed
- 84% of people would consider leaving their current jobs if they were offered another role with a company that had an excellent reputation as an employer
- 67% of employers think turnover would be lower if candidates had a better picture of what to expect from working at a company before accepting a job.
- 74% of Glassdoor users are more likely to apply to a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand on Glassdoor
Employer branding can seem a little daunting if you haven’t dabbled in it much before. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways you can quickly and easily tweak your employer brand without overhauling your entire organization. We’ve written about this topic before, and try to practice what we preach. A little effort can go a long way in building up the way you’re perceived by candidates, helping you attract the right employees for your team.
