Most Indian companies have fuzzy implications from the term "employer branding" WHERE DO YOU REALLY BEGIN ?

EMPLOYER BRANDING:

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF AN ORGANIZATION

Employer brand is about capturing the spirit of an organization in a way that engages talent across its worklife cycle (be it 36 months or 36 years) within the organization. It articulates an organization’s ‘value proposition’—the entirety of its ethos, processes, values and employee relationships, providing a new focal point for the organization.

Over the last one year, there have been several high impact changes happening due to the global economic slowdown. This is also impacted the talent market. Several organizations have done job cuts and layoffs during this period. The rules of the game are changing completely. It is no longer enough for us to continue to do more of the same, but to look at things with a completely different perspective.

Simply put, how you communicate your company's brand is just as important as what you say. At the heart of the Employer Branding philosophy is the strategy of applying the same marketing and branding practices to your recruitment and retention practices as you do your consumer-targeted marketing and branding efforts. Like customers who will leave when a promise is unfulfilled, your workforce will also leave if you fail to live up to your Employer Brand promise.

Strong support of your brand promise will make believers out of  your staff associates and build a sense of loyalty and well-being in them. This support is exhibited through the EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE - an environment that's a community of common interests, where communication and feedback are encouraged, creativity is rewarded and mentoring a way of life. Once you've established your Brand and the programs and methods to maintain it, you'll be on the path to becoming an EMPLOYER-OF-CHOICE. So every CEO should call his HR chief and ask “…Is our organization doing the right things to become an employer of choice?

PRE-REQUISITES FOR SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYER BRANDING

1. CORE BRAND DEFINITION –

it starts with a clear statement of the brand essence for a company which reflects the corporate vision and values. At the same time, a careful evaluation of what matters most to employees, their perception of what the core brand stands for, the values associated with it, and their expectations will help create an employer brand description that is relevant and inspirational.

2 IDENTIFY YOUR TRUE CORPORATE CHARACTER.

Creating an Employer Brand requires rigorously examining all facets of the work experience your organization delivers and making sure you create an experience that leads to an employer of choice reputation. To address all the various facets and factors that impact your employer brand, you need to involve people who represent these varied perspectives

3. SENIOR MANAGEMENT INVOLVEMENT –

Employer Branding simply won’t work without the genuine, visible support of the CEO. They should "live the brand" as well, and become credible role models for the same values.

WHAT CAN EMPLOYER BRANDING DO FOR AN ORGANIZATION?

·           When properly planned and executed, an employer branding initiative can generate lively dialogue between an employer and its employees, build a rationale for a `mutual working arrangement', and establish compelling reasons to commit to the arrangement.

·           A successful employer branding initiative articulates a reason why a potential employee should consider a particular employer.

·           Employer branding isolates the competitive advantages that one employer has over others in its marketplace in times of employment consideration.

·           Employer branding also creates meaningful and lasting reasons for employees to remain loyal to their employer.

·       HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN EMPLOYER BRANDING STRATEGY :

·           Develop a series of measurable and attainable business objectives for your employer branding campaign

·           Enlist the services of a recruitment advertising agency to focus on employer branding strategies and execution

·           Launch an information gathering process that will identify and prioritize the needs and expectations of the target groups you wish to reach.

·           Create an employer brand strategy built on a foundation of vital information and data.

·           Execute the employer branding strategy, following the creative and media guidelines

·       Monitor the progress of your employer branding strategy through a well-defined response management program. 

With Best Compliments

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

www.synergymanager.net