Branding is one of the most important things about any organisation. Whether starting a new business or developing an existing one – producing a brand that attracts customers and creates trust is a must have for any forward-thinking business! However, it’s not just about marketing that brand to increase profit or build your customer base, the reputation of an organisation when recruiting can be the difference between fighting great candidates off with a stick or struggling to even bring people to the door.
Our chief Spider Michelle Pollard joined Business Coach Phil Budd last week for a LinkedIn Live discussing the Importance of Employer Branding, and we’ve highlighted some key points below…
So where do you start with building your Employer Brand? One fundamental message, no matter the size of your organisation, is you need to understand your business values and have them nailed down before you promote your business as “the” place to work.
Here at Spider, Michelle has hired and retained great people based on the core values of the business. Don’t be scared to live and breathe these and base your decisions at the heart of them. If you have the right people in your team that have the right values then mentoring, training and developing their skills will certainly ensure your business is a better place to be and you retain a happy team. Be the destination for great candidates by getting your values in line first and foremost.
Communicate Communicate Communicate. Another area highlighted was talk to your team! What do they say about your business when you’re not in the room? What do your clients say, your suppliers? Understanding why people buy from you will help shape your messaging to the talent pool that you’re trying to attract the best people from. You are unique!
Listening to employees and enabling them to share ideas will also ensure they feel acknowledged and appreciated. Being transparent is the way forward. A happy team will look after your business in more ways than one whilst ensuring a direct impact on your bottom line. Retaining strong employees by promoting this type of culture and environment is sure to appeal to candidates when it is time to hire! Shout about it in whatever medium you can and ensure your Brand Ambassadors do too.
Sometimes employees choose to move on due to personal circumstances- such is the circle of life! How you manage that exit or offboarding process of an individual is as important as onboarding your new hire. If you really can’t change their mind understanding their reasons and ending your working relationship on a positive note will again provide you with the right reputation as an employer. No potential new hire wants to hear that their predecessor was sent packing with a sour taste in their mouth! So, if you are unfortunate enough to lose a good egg, value them until the very end. Never burn your bridges!
The last 20 months have been extremely difficult across every area of life due to the Covid-19 pandemic, closely followed by the now famous “pingdemic”. Businesses large and small have been thrown into situations never faced before, from furloughed teams to home working adjustments and now employees being pinged left right and centre having to isolate and hideaway. How these businesses approach these scenarios and treat their employees must be managed properly.
Being flexible and understanding personal situations whilst keeping your livelihood running is no mean feat. Let’s face it, word gets around quickly. Social Media is a great tool; however, it is a platform used easily to express feelings and they are not always good ones! Should employees feel they are being unfairly treated and need a good old rant, social media is exactly where they will go to vent their frustrations. And once this escalates – employer brands and reputations begin to be tarnished!
So, when considering your values and building that all imperative Employer Brand, remember trust is a door that swings both ways. Look after your team and they will look after you. Nail this and you will have the greatest people your business will ever need. Happy Recruiting…
For more information on how to hire great talent visit us at www.spiderrecruit.co.uk or call us on 01473 276146