In an increasingly difficult market to attract candidates, Employer Branding has become an important recruitment tool. But what is it!?

What is Employer Branding?

Essentially it is the application of marketing techniques to a company’s recruitment processes. Employer Branding is the positive message organisations want to convey to potential employees, highlighting not only the tangible rewards but the intangible aspects that can include company values and guiding principles.

How to establish an Employer Brand

An organisations Employer Brand is not the same as the brand they present to their customers. This is a “behind the scenes” look into the organisation, how it runs and what its people believe in. To do this requires time and effort to speak with employees and understand their perceptions of the organisation. Conversations need to go beyond “transactional” matters of the employee/employer relationship and dig deeper into the values, purpose and goals of the organisation.

Benefits of Employer Brand

Like traditional Brand Management activities, a positive Employer Brand can provide an excellent Return On Investment. Recruitment costs are reduced as the organisation becomes seen as a “Employer of choice” and candidates actively seek opportunities rather than wait for job advertisements. It has benefits as an effective retention tool as existing employees identify their roles are desirable and sought after. Employees develop loyalty to the organisation and are less likely to look for other roles.

Crucial to any Employer Brand is that they are based in reality. Anything else will be exposed as false and will have a more detrimental effect on reputation than having not done anything at all.

When employer works with a Recruitment Agency it is essential that they also maintain their Employer Branding and give a consistent message.

Bowen Eldridge Recruitment is based in Cardiff and specialises in Accountancy Practice, Finance and Marketing recruitment.