Is your company distinguished by a unique brand and culture? What are the elements that make your workplace different from all others? Do former employees talk favorably about your business or are the negative comments piling up on social media? There are so many variables that affect your employer brand that you should be keeping an eye on.

Company culture, values and branding are all elements that can make or break a company’s reputation as a good place to work. Disgruntled or unhappy employees are quick to post negative assessments if they feel like management bullies workers, plays favorites or distributes work unfairly. Conversely, workers are quick to laud employers who elevate workers and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. 

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The caliber of talent your business can attract depends on what people say about your company culture, work atmosphere and other company-related benefits. Is your company culture something that reflects the way you do business, train workers and handle clients? Or is it simply a framed mission statement on a wall that has no tangible connection to daily activities?

Why Employer Branding Matters

Employer branding is the foundation for a business’s success or failure. Whether your culture is collegial and supportive or toxic and divisive can be a defining factor in the kind of talent your brand is going to attract. People talk. Word gets around. If you have created a progressive, accommodating workplace that is geared toward professional development and growth, employees will spread the news and attract even more quality talent. 

But, if you are harboring a toxic work environment with inflexible micromanagers who are quick to criticize and berate, word will get out, even if your company pays more than most. It is up to you to build your reputation as an employer. Companies with the best reputations will attract the best workers. 

Live Your Values

Your company values are your roadmap for hiring. Hiring managers will look for workers whose work ethic reflects those values and strive to create an environment where the core values are woven through every action and task. Hiring through a lens of your company values will ensure you hire the right additions to your team that will stick around and make an impact.

Ask yourself:

  • Do I provide employees with opportunities for growth?
  • Do my employees stagnate in their roles?
  • How narrow is each employee’s scope of work?

Buy-in at all levels is what builds a solid company brand and creates a reputation that attracts quality workers.

Employees that Reflect Core Values

Interviewing and making offers to top talent that match your values can only happen when you attract the right talent. Improving your employer brand is an ongoing loop of auditing your processes and making tweaks based on feedback from new employees. Did anything turn them off from being interested in the organization? What communication as you expected in the process? Asking for feedback on your hiring process will help you improve your processes over time and attract top talent.

Here are three suggestions when hiring:

  1. Ask applicants what attracted them to your company. Find out what they know about your business culture and have them explain why they think they would fit in.
  2. Look for job applicants who already emulate your company’s core values, through previous work experience or extra-curricular activities like volunteerism.
  3. Create job postings that incorporate your company’s core values into the job requirements. Applicants who are not aligned with your core values will be less likely to apply for jobs within your company.

Organizations that work hard to create a distinctive employer brand that reflects their work style, values and goals are the ones that champion employee retention. A great way to improve your brand and perceptions of your organization both internally and externally is through positive PR. Reach out to Red Banyan today to see how we can improve your image and get your message in front of the right audience. 

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