Insight
[Employer Branding I] Why is employer branding important?
(Text: Yang Shuyan / General Manager of Process Pro Brand Taiwan)
Build an employer brand to unlock the potential of your organization and turn your employees into brand ambassadors! Why is everyone talking about employer branding?
Why is “now” so important?
The concept of employer branding has been around for decades, it's not a new concept, but it has become more prominent and important in recent years, and is seen as a strategic priority by more and more business leaders for several reasons:
1. Talent shortage:
As the number of children decreases, the workforce is also aging, and without people, there will be no talents. Many industries are experiencing a shortage of skilled labor and competition for talent is fierce. For example, Mr. Poon Sze Leung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Crystal Hotel, which was unable to take up any business in the face of the recovery of the economy last year, said that the shortage of manpower at banquets had led to the cancellation of 1,000 tables of business, and even the General Manager had to help out with the housekeeping work, which showed that there was a serious shortage of manpower.
2. The rise of social media:
Job seekers can get more information about the company and work culture through social media. If these messages are negative, they can easily tarnish the reputation of an employer's brand and discourage potential candidates.
3. Raise staff expectations:
Today's job seekers, especially the younger generation, are not only concerned about salary and benefits, but also about a company's values, job significance and career development opportunities. These expectations can be met through a strong employer brand.
4. Trends in epidemics and telework:
The epidemic has forced many companies to practice remote work, and this trend is likely to continue. A strong employer brand can help companies build and maintain a sense of community and mission among remote workers.
Overall, a strong employer brand helps to attract and retain top talent, increase employee loyalty and productivity, and enhance the reputation of the company brand, which is a long-term successful investment that companies cannot afford to overlook.
Isn't staffing an area of human resources? Why is it relevant to branding?
Hiring isn't just about human resources, it's also about building your company's brand. Why? Because your employees are one of your company's most important brand advocates, and what they do and how they feel about your company has a direct impact on how they present your brand.
So.Employer branding and corporate branding are closely related.The two should be aligned. A good employer brand can help you attract and retain top talent, enhance your overall brand reputation, and differentiate you in the marketplace. On the other hand, a negative employer brand can damage your corporate brand and turn off potential customers and partners.
To build a strong employer brand, it's important to understand what sets your company apart from your competitors and communicate what makes it a great place to work. This will attract top talent and make your company an employer of choice.
In the case of BKW, a Swiss power company that Process worked with, BKW went from being a public company to a private company and needed to make their services known to a wider audience, as well as attract new talent to join their team. So, after rebranding the company, they started to build an employer brand, telling current and future employees what value BKW could offer them.
BKW's corporate brand promise is "Moving safely into the energy future! and the employer brand is "Be a part of this energy future!". BKW also has a dedicated communications platform that provides content such as job fairs, recruitment advertisements and job descriptions to help them better communicate their employer brand message.
In conclusion, employer branding is not only about human resources, but also about branding that affects the overall company image. Building a strong employer brand requires an understanding of how to align with the corporate brand in order to stand out from competitors and attract and retain top talent.
