The concept of “employer branding” is not new. Born in the 90s, this discipline aims to apply brand management techniques to human resources management.
Promoting the “sexy” aspect of work in a company has never been more relevant. Why such a craze? And how do you go about attracting the best talent? A look back at the Employer Brand Forum event organized by Infopresse.
An essential discipline
Cultivating an employer brand can be very profitable. In addition to being a source of competitive advantages that attract, motivate and retain talented people, it can help to radically reduce the costs associated with hiring a new employee. Less investment in media placement, reduced recruitment process duration, etc.: when good candidates are fighting to be part of your company, your efforts are no longer devoted to going after them. The time has come to stop questioning the importance of employer branding, and instead to identify the opportunities and threats that digital technology represents.
Many quality speakers spoke during this day. I took away four pieces of advice for anyone wishing to develop their company’s attraction potential:
1. Define your purpose
You’ve probably already walked the corridors of companies decorated with small frames recalling the values and mission of the organization: “integrity,” “quality,” “customer satisfaction” and other empty words. What could have been considered a bold attempt at leadership during the 80s is now counterproductive. As Sylvie Leclerc, Senior Advisor at Illico Hodes, pointed out, “recruitment is a process of seduction.” To attract a candidate or mobilize an employee over the long term, your corporate mission must be distinctive and unifying, and must be illustrated daily in your actions.
2. Identify your target audience
Like any brand, an employer brand should not seek to please everyone. To integrate and be productive, each employee must possess a certain number of characteristics specific to your company (expertise, personality, lifestyle, etc.). Identifying your audiences and using your empathy to understand their expectations will help you offer the recruitment experience that will attract the best talent.
With its “Sid Lee Land” program, the Montreal agency has set up an innovative recruitment process aimed at young aspiring advertising professionals. Format, content, social media, experience, etc. everything has been reviewed to effectively transmit the company’s values to young graduates and naturally bring out high-potential candidates.
3. Preserve your authenticity
Not all companies have to look cool at all costs. When it comes to communicating working conditions, we are often bombarded with images of foosball tables and state-of-the-art coffee machines.
The challenge of employer branding lies in its ability to align promise with reality. In a world that has become transparent, any discrepancy can have disastrous consequences for a company’s reputation. As Simon De Baene, co-founder and CEO of Gsoft, explains, “employer branding does not exist for us. At the base, there is corporate culture.” This young CEO wanted to create an organization made up of highly engaged employees: success celebrations, freedom regarding schedules and vacations, Christmas parties in Las Vegas, sports teams, etc. A “Gsoft” culture has developed over the years, supported not by a human resources or marketing department, but by the employees themselves. Being true and sincere when communicating an employer brand often avoids having to manage the early departures of newly recruited employees who are disappointed by the reality of the work.
4. Invest in your employees
The time when the prestige of a company was enough to attract people is over. When qualified workers are scarce, they can afford to become demanding, both in terms of compensation and self-fulfillment. An inspiring leader can be the best lever for action for an employer brand.
Jan-Nicolas Vanderveken, President of Havas Canada, looked back on his recent experience of a company merger. For him, “an employer brand is the sum of the personal brands of all employees.” Personal branding therefore plays an essential role in the attractiveness of a brand, whether it is oriented towards end consumers or towards potential candidates.
An organization must promote the talents that make it up by highlighting their expertise and personalities. Such an approach helps to give faces to a company and to retain its ambassadors in the long term, while giving credibility to its leadership in its field. Perhaps you think that investing in an employer brand is reserved for large companies? Think again. The success of such an approach often lies in the degree of commitment of senior management. In this game, small structures have the advantage of flexibility. By being creative and authentic, there is no need to spend crazy amounts of money to start building your employer brand.
