The development of a company brand to create trust between the business and consumers has consistently been a high priority, not only for the companies themselves but for the marketers and agencies charged with the responsibility of conveying such a message. A well-known and respected brand can create a loyal customer following who is dedicated to the company and the products that it offers. Just look how Apple has dominated the mobile market with a strong marketing focus on the dual goals of the brand and product development.
The benefits of branding have simply not stopped here. Businesses now realize that the value, quality, and trust associated with a company influence the demand for employment opportunities within the firm, creating a direct correlation to the quality and quantity of prospective employees striving to gain employment within that particular company. Being a recent extension of the marketing paradigm, employer branding is the latest buzzword that describes the perceptions that the general public has of an organization as an employer. These perceptions have been acknowledged as one of the key strategies for firms in attracting and retaining suitably qualified and experienced staff in an increasingly competitive environment. With the expansion of the global marketplace and the advances in communication technology, some industries are battling for talent far and wide. As businesses continue to drive value-added policies and increase productive capacities, the skills and management of the human resource base are becoming the key competitive advantage itself.
So why develop employer branding? In today’s competitive marketplace that is associated with rising costs of sourcing and hiring qualified staff, wouldn’t it be great if the public perception of your business, its personality, and culture, were conducive for potential employees seeking you out? This is what employer branding can achieve for your business. Utilizing your employees as your strongest brand advocates and ambassadors requires the involvement of the entire organization in adopting and communicating the message that your business is where prospective employees’ future careers lie. However, shaping or reinforcing an employer brand does not happen overnight, or the result of a single action…but the results are certainly worth it.
The benefits of engaging in such a program are innumerable. With a growing shortage and increasing competition for skilled workers, those companies that are well respected within the business community will have no problem attracting and retaining quality staff. Those staff, through their experience and expertise, will be able to produce tangible results for the company through increased productivity and bottom-line results. Furthermore, smaller organizations can also benefit from engaging in employer branding by becoming an ’employer of choice, where individuals will sacrifice short-term gains and higher wages offered by larger competitors, for a rewarding career path.