Employee branding

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What is employee branding?

Employee branding is a relatively new concept. Unlike employer branding, which considers the perception outsiders have of your organization, employee branding efforts focus on how your employees view your business.

In effect, it is recognizing your employees as ambassadors for your business. After all, if they love working for your organization, they will tell their contacts. If they do not enjoy working for you… they will also tell their contacts.

With social media and review platforms such as Glassdoor, employees have a larger audience than ever with which to share their experiences. And this makes employee branding strategy all the more important.

What is the difference between employee branding and employer branding?

Employer and employee branding are two sides of the same coin.

Good employer branding strategy focuses on how your company is perceived by outsiders (by job seekers, for example), while employee branding focuses on how your employees perceive your company. And while they are different concepts, they are closely linked.

After all, if your employees are happy and engaged with their work, that will lead to a positive employer brand.

On the other hand, if your employees are unhappy, that will also be reflected in your employer brand. So, while they are different concepts, they are closely linked and impact one another.

Why is employee branding important?

Employee branding has a lot of parallels to employee engagement. So, as you would expect, the benefits of employee branding are similar to the benefits of good employee engagement.

Good employee branding program means:

Easier recruitment :

With good employee branding comes a good reputation as an employer. And that means easier recruitment. Whether through employee referrals or job seekers reading positive reviews or company values on platforms such as Glassdoor, a good employee branding process makes it easier for organizations to attract quality candidates.

Lower turnover :

If current employees love working for you, then they are less likely to leave for competitors. A good employee brand will help you keep top talent in your organization.

That is good for your retention and productivity figures and also means lower recruitment costs.

An overall better business :

Employees who love their jobs do better work. If you are a service-based organization, this means better customer service and, therefore, happier customers.

If you are a product-based organization, this will translate to increased productivity and fewer mistakes. In essence, a good employee brand makes doing business is easier.

How to build an employee branding?

Building a strong employee brand is not easy, but it is possible. Here are some tips on how to do it:

1. Employee value proposition :

The first step is to have a strong and clear employee value proposition (EVP). This is what will attract top talent to your organization in the first place. So, take the time to really think about what it is that makes your organization a great place to work.

What are the benefits and perks that you offer? What is your company culture like? Once you have answers to these questions, you can start to craft your EVP.

2. Employee experience :

The next step is to focus on the employee experience. This includes everything from the onboarding process to day-to-day work life and even exit interviews.

Make sure that every touchpoint is a positive one and that your employees feel valued throughout their time with your organization.

3. Employee communications :

Clear and regular communication is essential for a strong and positive employee brand. Employees need to know what is going on in the organization and how they fit into the bigger picture.

They also need to feel like their voices are being heard. Encourage two-way communication and make sure that employees feel like they can give feedback without fear of reprisal.

4. Employee recognition :

Make sure to recognize and reward employees for their hard work. This can be done in a number of ways, such as through verbal praise, awards, and bonuses. Employee recognition is a key part of making sure that employees feel valued and appreciated.

5. Employee advocacy :

Encourage your employees to be advocates for your brand. This means they should be sharing positive stories about their experiences with your organization on social media and other channels. Employee advocacy can be a powerful way to build a positive reputation and attract top talent.

• Building a strong employee brand takes time and effort, but it is worth it. The benefits of doing so are numerous and will help to make your organization a better place to work.

• This is done through promoting the benefits of working for your organization and highlighting what makes it a great place to work by making a good employer brand. 

How do you increase employee branding?

To increase the effects of positive employee branding, you must consider several factors. Here are some options :

Educate employees about your brand 

Employees can only truly communicate what it is they enjoy about working for you if they have the information they need to do so. By giving employees brand training, it is easier for them to tell others what it is about working for your company that is so good.

This information can cover all sorts of details, from your business purpose and mission to what it is that differentiates your products or service from your competitors.

Listen to employee feedback 

As anyone in the business of people management knows, feedback is a gift. Use the feedback given to you by employees by conducting an employer brand audit. It gives you an opportunity to respond and change the way you are doing things for the benefit of your employees and your company.

This will show employees that you care about their input and will improve the employee experience for current and future employees.

Hire the right people 

You can not expect employees to be enthusiastic about your organization if they are a poor fit for your company culture. By carefully monitoring the recruitment process and ensuring new hires deliver culture-add as well as culture fit, you will build a team of employees who are ready to become company ambassadors.