Are you familiar with the saying "It takes two to tango?" The same principle applies to companies and their employees. While it might seem like a good idea to hire people who are similar to the existing staff, it's important to note that having a diverse and complementary workforce is essential for a successful employment brand. Why? Well, variety is the spice of life and having too much of the same can get monotonous. That's why companies need to think about their corporate and employment brands to ensure they're fresh and flexible, especially if their target audiences and competition aren't the same across the board.
Unfortunately, most companies only consider their corporate brand and overlook their employment brand. But, here's the thing, these brands are different but related. The employment brand tells a different story, one about what it's like to work for the company and all that entails, including the culture. That's why it's essential to identify the core values and distinguishing characteristics that differentiate the company from the competition and resonate with target audiences. While it's easy to conduct workshops, exercises, games, and surveys to develop a brand, it's important to keep in mind that those audiences the brand experts identified rarely include the talented, fun, intelligent, personality-filled people that the company is trying to recruit.
In today's job market, companies need to pay attention to the employment brand because corporate culture is a big deal when it comes to recruiting. People want to work with like-minded individuals, enjoy a work/life balance, have opportunities for growth and training, and align with the organization's values. Salary is no longer the only consideration for new hires, which is why companies need to depict their employment brand honestly and authentically to their target audience. It's also important to note that the competition for new business is not the same as the competition for employment. A company may be competing against Amazon, Google, Apple, and others, which offer salary, options, and benefit packages that are hard to beat.
The employment brand tells a story about the kind of organizational culture that people can expect and respect. Few companies have one single culture; they have cultures and subcultures formed by leaders, departments, and employees. By identifying these cultures and subcultures, companies can use archetypes to develop their brands. For example, an infrastructure construction firm may have a very masculine corporate brand that comes across as a "Hero" to business prospects but a very "Caregiver" employment brand, offering great benefits, family programs, career path development, and employee care funds.
Having a strong employment brand is essential for companies to attract top talent. By identifying their cultures, subcultures, and archetypes, companies can differentiate themselves from the competition and attract the right people. So, it's called branding, not blanding, and companies need to ensure they have a fresh and flexible employment brand that resonates with their target audience, showcasing their unique culture and values.