The great resignation is in full blast. However, your employee brand can help you keep and attract the right employees!  

With over more than 19 million workers in the U.S alone quitting their current jobs, companies have hit a record-breaking high of open positions. People are experiencing grief, burnout, productive pressure, work-life imbalance, and the changes of remote working vs. office working while living in a perpetually uncertain time. Companies everywhere struggle to retain and attract talent but forget to address the prominent employee struggles plaguing today’s workforce. As a business leader, you should take the time to do the research and learn how to attract the right talent better and, just as important, how to keep your team happy. Working on and evolving your employee brand is an excellent place to start.

As many of us are rethinking many aspects of our work lives, business, career, and more, so are our employees. With high anxiety levels caused by the pandemic continuing, many people are reconsidering and becoming more aware of their relationships with their current and future bosses. Many people are starting to ask if certain jobs are worth their time and energy; does the position allow flexibility with remote working, does it provide parent leave, work/life balance, a positive culture, perks, and benefits? What’s more, employees and potential talent are even asking about a company’s social/environmental standpoint and views and whether or not they align with their own. 

What is employer branding?

Employee branding is the perception of your employees or future talent and how they see your company/workplace. According to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, “the organization’s mission and values are the cornerstones of the process: they state the organization’s reason for being and give insight into how the mission is to be accomplished. An organization’s mission and values provide a foundation by which the desired brand image is defined.” The Edelman Trust Barometer also states that the employee’s voice and the external perception of current and future employees on a company’s working conditions are much more important than the CEO’s.

How to build a strong employer brand 

Building an employee brand takes time and consistency. Some ways to help you build an effective employer brand are:

• Strong company values
• Create a positive experience during the interview and onboarding processes.
• Have a long-term internal communications strategy that is aligned with your company values.
• Make sure your team is educated about your brand’s vision and mission and living the brand promise.
• Use social media to increase brand awareness and employee engagement.
• Listen and act on employee feedback

Navigating the Great Resignation

As an employer, you need to understand why employees are leaving. Offering a job is no longer enough; your working conditions, what you provide to your workers, and how you support them are essential. A study by Kane Insights Report shows that when you invest in your team, your employees will feel more connected to you and the workplace! This also helps reduce stress, increase job satisfaction, raise productivity, and foster a sense of belonging. 

You can also build your employer brand by: 

• Offering equal opportunities and flexibility in schedules, competitiveness, hybrid working, and work/life balance. 
• Be consistent and clear when communicating your brand vision.
• Give employee recognition 
• Create agile and tailored job ads
• Be brand and company focused
• Be diverse and inclusive
• Be more human and embrace empathy with grace
• Focus on employee development 

At dpBrands, we build national brands. Under our marketing-focused approach, we can design brands that are appealing to the eye and brands that deliver on your business purpose and speak to the right audiences. Do you need help with your brand strategy, evolution, or management, contact us to learn what our trust advisors can do for you.

*This blog post was written by Pedro Medina-Leandry, Lead Creative Advisor and Managing Partner of dpBrands at DuartePino.