Who Do You Want to Target?
When planning your employer brand strategy, it is helpful to determine where your brand is in the minds of the job seekers and adjust your messaging strategy accordingly. At Universum, we use the recruitment funnel to visualize the different stages a potential job seeker must go through before accepting an offer.
Do you have a brand not very well known to your target group? Is your industry not very well known among your potential hires? If so, you need to create awareness among the group about your organization and your industry. Your name, logo, and message need to be in front of the audience. Perhaps you have a well-known brand, but a potential employee doesn’t know how their skills would be useful at your organization; in that case, the focus should be on helping the target audience familiarize itself with you as an employer.
If your organization’s focus is further down in the funnel—in changing opinions of job seekers, being in their considered set of employers, or having them apply to your organization—then you most likely have a mature employer brand. However, there is always the opportunity to influence perceptions through appropriate messaging and positioning.
Where are you in the funnel? Who do you want to recruit? Universum (through our research, consulting, publications, websites, videos and events) can help you at all stages along the way. Contact us to learn more at:
contact@universumusa.com.
Employer Branding: A Quick Overview
RESEARCH...
Is the starting point for any employer branding strategy. By undertaking research, you gain valuable insight and data points on how your brand is perceived internally and externally, which will give you the full picture of the current position of your employer brand.
EMPLOYER VALUE PROPOSITION...
Consists of a set of associations and offerings that characterize an employer and differentiates it from competitors. Universum can help you to determine and/or enhance your Employer Value Proposition (EVP).
COMMUNICATION PLAN...
Once the EVP is determined, it is necessary to devise a plan on the way in which it is communicated internally and externally.. The communications plan will outline the appropriate communication channels to reach the target groups based on the stage your organization is in the recruitment funnel, and how to align the messaging with other corporate communication.
COMMUNICATION MATERIAL...
After the communication plan has been finalized, it is time to define the materials based on your stage in the recruitment funnel, i.e. the pictures, words, copy and other specific mediums to be used.
ACTION...
Is the final step. This is when you implement, measure and adjust your activities, based on all steps above. This needs to be done on a regular basis. Both employers and job seekers change – in their value propositions, preference of communication channels and career choices.
A strong brand leads to profitability!
An attractive internal and external employer brand is a base for successful operations. It diminishes costs of your ‘regretted losses’, i.e. your unwanted turnover. It diminishes cost of recruitment. Most important though, it ensures your supply of strategic talent for growing your business, for efficiency and for productivity.
Working with the employer brand is an investment that when done professionally should lead to higher returns. Therefore, an organization needs to allocate sufficient resources to employer branding. Neglecting to do so will jeopardize the long term competitiveness of your business.
Good luck in your search for future talent – and growth of current talent!