With labor shortages, businesses large and small are struggling to recruit new employees and retain top talent. Hence the importance of promoting your employer brand. But what is the employer brand, concretely? Answers with Caroline Boyce, trainer and lecturer at HEC Montréal.
Posted at 9:00 a.m.
We often hear about the employer brand. What is it exactly ?
“All companies have a reputation,” emphasizes Caroline Boyce. We know, for example, that Costco is an employer of choice because of the salaries and possible progression. It’s mostly a matter of perception.
“With the employer brand, we control the message. There is a structured approach, based on the authenticity of the company. We choose what we put forward to aspire to be an employer of choice. The marketing action makes it possible to promote the experience offered to employees and to demonstrate what distinguishes the company from others.
How important is having a strong employer brand?
“In times of war for talent, there is an escalation in the conditions offered by employers. To get out of it, you have to be able to rely on your uniqueness, ”says Caroline Boyce.
The expert points out that there are functional elements (schedule, work environment), economic elements (compensation, benefits) and psychological elements that affect employees on a daily basis.
“The employer brand revolves around them. What motivates employees to come to work every day? What makes them proud, animates them? Is the culture based on openness, innovation, diversity and inclusion? »
A strong employer brand makes it possible to determine its corporate culture, to target the right candidates from the interview and to limit the turnover rate. “It also lets you know what the employees need. »
How do you assess the strength of your employer brand?
“The first way to do this is to rely on reputation surveys. Large organizations make them year after year to see how they are perceived in the public eye. It is an indicator that we can follow. »
Caroline Boyce also notes that sites like Glass Door give companies a five-star rating. “You can look at our current rating and see how it changes,” she says.
Organizational surveys, which regularly take the pulse of employees, also measure the effects of employer branding. “These make it possible to know the proportion of ambassadors among employees using the NPS index [Net Promotor Score]. The higher the number, the better. It facilitates recruitment by encouraging referrals. » Companies can also rely on their human resources key performance indicators, such as the rate of turnover, the effectiveness of recruitment or the quality of candidates.
How can we improve it?
“People often see employer branding as a big process because it starts with a survey. Then come the discussion groups and the human resources action plan. Afterwards, there is the creation of advertisements and a slogan before the launch. The process takes 6 to 12 months. »
On the other hand, if the goal is to increase employee well-being and retention, many small gestures can make a difference, according to Caroline Boyce. “No need to do a survey to offer free coffee to factory workers,” she illustrates. To improve your employer brand, you have to listen to employees and focus on their needs.
The process will be in vain if it only serves to look good, however, insists Caroline Boyce. “To succeed in your employer brand, it takes two things, basically: a culture focused on people and the desire to improve the employee experience. »