Every company has its own identity—in marketing terms, this is known as a “brand.” It helps enhance a company’s image, convey its values, and reinforce its positioning—both internally and externally. In a constantly evolving world where recruitment is becoming increasingly difficult in certain sectors, while others struggle to retain talent, employer branding has become a truly strategic issue. Positioned at the intersection of marketing, HR, and communication, what is often referred to as “inbound recruiting” involves applying attraction and engagement techniques aimed at both internal and external audiences. But how do you build a strong employer brand? Here’s a look at the key elements not to overlook.
Why develop your employer brand?
The reasons for creating an attractive employer brand are straightforward:
- Attract the best candidates
- Retain top talent
The following figures illustrate what’s at stake:
- 95% of candidates research their potential employer online. If the company’s e-reputation is poor, only 10.5% of them will apply [1].
- According to LinkedIn [2], candidates trust employees three times more than corporate messaging.
- 1 in 3 candidates has shared at least one negative opinion about a past or potential employer [3].
Given these statistics, it’s clear that every company should pay close attention to its employer brand.
Onboarding and team retention
A candidate is just like a client—you need to convince them that they belong in your company. How? By communicating your company’s values, showcasing completed projects, highlighting references, and introducing the team (at the very least, management, depending on your company’s size). Putting a face to the business is always reassuring—just like customer testimonials. If you have a recruitment section, don’t hesitate to include input from employees, whether written or in video form.
Social media and your website go hand in hand. Across all these channels, it’s important to project the image of a dynamic company where every employee matters and contributes to its strength and unity. Even more importantly, put yourself in the shoes of current and future recruits and speak their language.
Nurturing internal communication
Internally, it’s essential to maintain contact with your employees—especially in a time when remote work remains the norm. Valued employees who feel involved in the company’s strategy are more likely to stay than those who simply carry out daily tasks with no real purpose. Whether you’re a team of three or three thousand, it’s important to build strong relationships through communication. A variety of tools are available depending on your company’s structure, objectives, and messages—these can range from simple emails to a user-friendly intranet, as well as formal or informal meetings. At the same time, creating opportunities for connection and relaxation is vital. After more than a year of physical distancing and remote work, many teams are struggling. There is a real need for cohesion and renewed team spirit—and that can only happen in person!
The pandemic and the widespread adoption of remote work have shown that only companies with a strong employer brand—those that knew how to communicate with their teams and make good use of modern tools like video and social media—managed to stand out. These are the businesses that successfully retained their talent while continuing to attract new candidates. In contrast, companies that had previously neglected their employer branding now face significant recruitment challenges, which can only be addressed by implementing a strong inbound recruiting strategy.
Netty Thines
Communication Consultant
Mediation SA
[1] Employer Branding Communication Survey – Stepstone
[2] https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/business/talent-solutions/global/en_us/c/pdfs/ultimate-list-of-employer-brand-stats.pdf
[3] https://www.careerarc.com/blog/future-of-recruiting-study-infographic/