Employer Branding is more than a HR project
7th June 2023 | 2 min. read | Deniz Simsek
What makes for successful employer branding? How do you speak to different target groups? How has employer branding changed?
Here are some insights from our latest projects.
From the HR department to management
Employer branding is not just a "HR project", but an attitude that helps to make a company attractive and fit for the future. The market for teaching and specialist staff requires different perspectives - from business, communication, HR and branding. These different perspectives need to be bundled and coordinated in order to develop the full power for the market. At the same time, it is important not to turn employer branding into an open-ended process, but to define clear responsibilities.
From campaigns to integrated solutions
Employer branding has changed a lot - and that's a good thing! A few years ago, there was usually a strong focus on a campaign with the aim of increasing the number of applications. Often you simply created a funny video and that was it. But real employer branding involves much more. The core of employer branding is still a strong employer brand. Then you should ask yourself what happens before the application. And what happens afterwards. What is a pre-on-boarding phase? And why is it important? And then you must not forget the existing employees. Last but not least, the technological possibilities must also be taken into account. All in all, it's not that simple.
Employer branding is not an end in itself - the objectives must be clearly formulated.
Was it possible to reduce the number of vacancies? Have the costs for external service providers - i.e. headhunters - been reduced? Are my employees more satisfied and is the fluctuation rate lower than before employer branding? These are just some of the questions that need to be answered. It is important to define KPIs and track them constantly. This provides orientation and creates trust.
No "one size fits all" measures?
Target group identification is an important step in the development of an employer branding concept. Only if the target groups are precisely known can the measures be implemented in a targeted and effective manner. There is no "one size fits all". Once this work has been done, it is easier to determine the right communication and the appropriate channels.
Concrete changes that can be triggered by employer branding
We often experience that dealing with employer branding gives a jolt to the company and sets a transformation process in motion. If you are aware of your attractiveness, this makes you want to make further changes. And if you achieve the desired success with the measures, you feel reassured that you are on the right track. From this perspective, employer branding can be an accelerator for a long-overdue transformation.
Directly from practice: Here are our top 5 from the last workshops on the topic of "the biggest blockers in the application process of potential employees":
Incidentally, "profit first" turns many applicants off because they want to work in companies that not only focus on profit, but also respond to the needs of employees and customers. Companies that only focus on profit are perceived as less attractive by applicants. It is therefore crucial that the question of a company's "purpose" is addressed as part of the employer branding process.