Employer branding - the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Employer Branding, in a nut shell is the entire view of what staff, potential staff, and ex-staff think of your company as a place to work for. To achieve a sound Employer Brand, the employer must display and exercise the true worth of what it as an employer has to offer workers, consider it a promise and stick to it.

It should also communicate all the info, 'commitment of word', company's policies, culture and structure in order to secure agreements and foster a shared vision between employer and employee. In truth, affirm and keep true to what you promise, and don't promise what you can't affirm.

Strong advocate

One can only truly agree that employer branding is your company's total outfit and personality which is a manifestation of your image, culture, attitudes, benefits, values, and vision. Therefore, keeping 'good' on your promise is what attracts, hires and retains the best candidates. A good brand is a strong advocate for employees to embrace the vision of an emotional partnership for your company and brand you as the best employment experience.

Relationship management between employer and employee is of utmost importance. Employer branding can act as a powerful tool and used as a catalyst to drive the message of what you as an employer 'stand for', and win the race in the manner in which you engage your employees.

So ask yourself: "Is your company's culture open and inclusive of the broad diverse employee base within SA?" Employee retention is one asset that makes and creates the best companies. It's human nature: 'we act good when we feel good'; and employees offer their best when they are being looked after, acknowledged, made to feel good and given a sense of ownership for the work they do.

'Good feel' experience

Empowering employees, empowers companies; it retains staff, gives your company the competitive edge to attract them, and even when they do leave, they will continue to sing a song of praise about the unique culture of your organisation and the 'good feel' experience they encountered whilst being employed there.

Employer branding also allows you to communicate how employees and potential employees (even those from your competitors) can benefit by working for you, and how you can add value to their careers and lives. Too often have employees found themselves in a position not fulfilling, understood, or inappropriate because of miscommunication about what the company hired them for. So make sure your company hires for the position not the situation.

When creating a brand it's vital to 'live the brand', thus creating an invitation for staff and potential staff to make an 'emotional investment' in your company; and to be proud of their work, and work environment. Most corporates value employer branding as the 'best bait' to attract in the big catch or strong performers and keep them there, which is often the challenge because of the reality of better baits out there.

It is also valued as a function for displaying sound and respected social and economical commitment and investments to its external stakeholders, be it clients, media, the government and even the general public. These are the corporates that know that the value and success of businesses are not created by companies, but by the people that work for them.

Challenge to attract the best

With the increase of skills shortages and a changing employment climate, not to mention competition, it's often a challenge to attract the best recruits, which is why 'brand' is so powerful. Even you as an individual in your personal capacity have a 'brand'; think about it; it's your personality and character, it's how people perceive you. Brands are not really built around the product, service, or price; it's built around the minds of your target audience and what they think of you.

Tapping into the minds of your audience (in this case staff and potential staff, and influencing external bodies) and knowing what they want instead of what you think they should have is one strategy that builds a strong employer brand. This is what gets HR ticking, a culture where employer and employee can meet each other at some point, be proud and confident, and agree on the position they represent within the company.

Ever wonder about the first five to ten minutes of a conversation between two or more people who've just met? Or they meet after a long time and catch up. Once an introduction is made, these questions are most definite to surface:

1. "What do you do?" or "Are you still with company XYZ?
   
2. "Who do you work for?"
   
3. "How long have you been with them? Are you happy?"
   
4. "What's it like working for them?"
   

So now ask yourself: "Does your 'employer brand' attract employees, make them good advocates, make them stay and never want to leave? Does your brand keep people arriving and even more wanting to work for you?"

It's never too late to improve or build a healthy and intelligent Employer Brand; just make sure it represents the truth and nothing but the truth.