What Tactics Help Improve Employer Branding?
To help you enhance your employer brand effectively, we asked CEOs and founders for their best strategies. From creating day-in-the-life documentaries to implementing a strong referral program, here are the top eight tactics these leaders shared to improve your employer brand.
- Create Day-in-the-Life Documentaries
- Invest in Team Growth
- Implement Employee Spotlight Series
- Foster Open Communication
- Prioritize Education for Employer Brand
- Revamp Employee Testimonials
- Offer Seasonal Loyalty
- Implement Strong Referral Program
Create Day-in-the-Life Documentaries
One successful tactic I have used is creating a day-in-the-life documentary series that features different roles within the company. Unlike standard employee testimonials, this approach involves high-quality video content that captures our workers’ day-to-day activities, challenges, and achievements.
This is a crucial tactic for employer branding due to its authenticity. Providing an unfiltered view of everyday work life allows potential candidates to see our company’s culture and environment in a transparent manner. This helps build trust with job seekers, making them feel more confident about what they can expect.
Additionally, it captures attention more effectively than text or static images. This method not only makes your employer brand stand out but also ensures that it remains memorable to potential applicants. It offers a more realistic preview of various roles within the company, thereby helping candidates make more informed decisions about accepting job offers.
In a nutshell, this approach demonstrates innovation and a commitment to transparency and employee experience.
Peter Bryla
Senior Community Manager, LiveCareer
Invest in Team Growth
We believe that investing in our team’s growth leads to greater job satisfaction and higher retention rates. We offer regular training sessions and encourage our staff to pursue certifications relevant to their roles.
We also foster a supportive and collaborative work environment. Open communication is key, so we hold weekly team meetings where everyone can share ideas and feedback. It has helped build a strong sense of community within the company, positively impacting our overall brand reputation.
Acknowledging employees’ achievements boosts morale and motivates them to perform at their best. Whether through public recognition in meetings or offering bonuses for outstanding work, these gestures show our appreciation and reinforce our brand as an employer who truly cares about its people.
Konrad Martin
CEO, Tech Advisors
Implement Employee Spotlight Series
One successful tactic we’ve used to improve our employer brand at our water-feature e-commerce company is implementing an “Employee Spotlight” series on social media and our website. Here’s how it works:
- Monthly Feature: We spotlight a different employee each month.
- Personal Stories: We share their journey with the company, personal interests, and career growth.
- Behind-the-Scenes: We show their day-to-day work, giving insight into our company culture.
- Skills Showcase: We highlight their unique skills and contributions to the team.
- Video Content: We create short video interviews for more engaging content.
For example, we featured our logistics manager, showcasing how she optimized our shipping processes and her passion for sustainable packaging. The post included a video of her giving a warehouse tour and explaining her role in ensuring customer satisfaction.
Results:
- 30% increase in quality job applications
- Improved employee morale and engagement
- Positive feedback from customers who appreciated the human side of our business
Initially, some employees were camera-shy. We overcame this by offering multiple formats (written, audio, video) and providing media training. This tactic has significantly improved our employer brand by showcasing our company culture, demonstrating career growth opportunities, and humanizing our brand. It’s been particularly effective in attracting candidates who align with our company values.
Jonas Murphy
Fulfillment/Sales Manager, Pond Fountain Depot
Foster Open Communication
We know that a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent in the sliding-door repair sector.
Establishing a culture of open communication and employee input is one effective strategy we’ve used. We routinely administer anonymous questionnaires to obtain information on areas for improvement and employee happiness. Employee satisfaction at work is considerably higher when they feel heard, demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy.
Our dedication to resolving issues has made our office a helpful workplace, which benefits our standing as an employer.
With over 20 years of experience, I can testify to the benefits of having a strong employer brand. For instance, we saw a 25% drop in turnover rates after implementing feedback-driven adjustments. This reduced the expense of employing new employees and helped us keep a competent staff that excels at providing high-quality service.
Gal Cohen
Field Area Manager, JDM Sliding Doors
Prioritize Education for Employer Brand
Education is a foundational aspect of a robust employer brand strategy. It involves training and informing everyone within the organization, from the top down to all levels.
Use your company’s intranet for education and establish a dedicated section titled “How to Represent Our Employer Brand.” Equip this area with essential tools, links, and resources. Provide webinars and targeted training sessions focusing on articulating your employer value proposition and the nuances of representing your brand externally. This approach ensures everyone is educated, aligned, and equipped to project a unified brand image.
Request slots for your employer-branding or recruitment-marketing team in all-hands company meetings to engage actively in education. The personal touch helps build rapport and reinforce the employer brand directly with your workforce.
Employee advocacy is critical; they should understand the “why” behind their actions. Explain the benefits of being brand advocates—not just for the company but also for their personal growth and satisfaction. Highlight what’s in it for them through continuous education and engagement.
Focus on the development of both personal and professional brands for C-level executives. Effective education and training in this area allow them to set a powerful example for others within the organization, demonstrating the impact of strong leadership on employer branding.
Address the importance of psychological safety, particularly with senior leaders. Educate them on how creating a safe and supportive work environment contributes to the organization’s success and their personal accountability in fostering this culture.
Integrate your employer-brand or recruitment-marketing team into recruitment-strategy meetings to educate and involve your hiring managers deeply. Their presence and insights bring fresh perspectives that can refine hiring practices and align them more closely with your brand’s values.
Educate your recruiters on effectively using platforms like LinkedIn to represent the company. Since they are often the first point of contact for potential candidates, their profiles and communications should consistently reflect the employer brand.
By making education a cornerstone of your employer brand strategy, you ensure a long-term payoff for your brand’s reputation, employee engagement, and, ultimately, your bottom line.
Carrie Corcoran
Senior Level Employer Brand Leader / Fractional Consultant, Carrie Cares Employer Branding
Revamp Employee Testimonials
One strategy that worked well was giving our employee testimonials and case studies a makeover. We put real stories from our team members on display, showing how they’ve grown and what it’s like to work here. This gave job seekers an honest look at our workplace culture.
We shared these stories on our careers page and social media, showing how much we care about helping our employees grow and creating a great place to work. Being open like this didn’t just bring in great candidates—it also made our company look better as an employer by showing what we believe in and what it’s like to work with us.
Offer Seasonal Loyalty
We use very different techniques to boost our reputation with our on-the-ground moving teams than we do with our office staff. For our office staff, remote work and flexible working hours do a lot to boost retention and satisfaction. Our movers are often hired seasonally, and we simply can’t afford to keep them on year-round.
One way we’ve worked to boost our success with these employees is to be very loyal to those we’ve laid off. We always ask them back next season, and we always offer strong recommendations and referrals for those who choose to work elsewhere.
Nick Valentino
VP of Market Operations, Bellhop
Implement Strong Referral Program
As a business owner, one successful tactic I have used to improve our employer brand is implementing a strong employee-referral program. By actively encouraging our current employees to refer their friends and family for open positions, we have been able to attract top talent who align with our company values and culture. This not only helps us save time and resources on recruiting, but also creates a positive work environment where employees feel valued and engaged.
We make sure to recognize and reward employees who make successful referrals, which further motivates them to participate in the program. This has also helped in creating a sense of camaraderie among team members as they work together towards achieving common goals.
In addition, having satisfied employees who are willing to vouch for our company as a great place to work has improved our employer brand image and credibility in the job market. This has also led to an increase in retention rates, as employees are more likely to stay with a company they feel proud of and have a personal connection with.
Evan Tunis
President, Florida Healthcare Insurance
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