How Employer Branding Helps Recruiting
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, attracting top talent doesn’t just depend on compensation and benefits anymore. The modern job seeker looks beyond the basics, searching for a company that aligns with their values, fosters a positive work culture, and provides opportunities for growth. Standing out in the sea of prospective employers is no easy feat, but the companies that succeed in drawing high-caliber candidates have one thing in common: a strong employer brand.
And here’s the kicker: employer branding helps recruiting in ways that traditional methods never could. From reducing hiring costs to fostering loyalty in your workforce, a robust employer brand is the beacon that guides top talent directly to your door.
In this blog, we’ll dive deep into why building your employer brand is essential to attracting top talent, backed up by statistics and research. Additionally, we’ll explore strategies on how to craft a magnetic employer brand that speaks to the best and brightest prospects in your industry.
What is Employer Branding?
Before we dive into how employer branding helps recruiting, let’s first clarify what we mean by “employer branding.” An employer’s brand represents the perception that current, past, and potential employees have of your company as a workplace. This includes your company’s culture, values, management style, employee benefits, opportunities for growth, work-life balance, and how you treat your employees overall.
In other words, it’s the answer to the key question: “What’s it like to work at your company?”
Creating an effective employer brand isn’t just slapping on a tagline or a clever slogan; it’s about developing a genuine and consistent experience that speaks to the needs and desires of your target audience—your future star employees.
The importance of this can’t be understated: especially when considering that 75% of job seekers evaluate a company’s reputation before applying for a job (Glassdoor). That’s right—your potential employees are busy researching your brand before they even hit ‘Apply.’
Key Statistics: How Employer Branding Helps Recruiting
1. Employer Branding Lowers Hiring Costs
Recruitment costs can often skyrocket, especially when you’re struggling to fill positions. However, companies with a well-established and positive employer brand experience significantly lower recruiting costs.
According to LinkedIn, companies with a strong employer brand see a 43% decrease in the cost per hire. Building trust in your company’s reputation streamlines the hiring process because top talent is more likely to seek you out.
2. Candidates Trust Employer Branding
As previously mentioned, a massive 75% of job seekers consider a company’s reputation before even applying (Glassdoor). If you have a poor reputation or lack transparency about your company culture, you could turn away top talent before they even send in their resume.
Research from CareerArc also reveals that 55% of job seekers abandon applications if they read negative reviews about a company’s work culture. Conversely, a positive company reputation translates into a measurable increase in application volume and quality, as high-performing candidates are quick to flock to well-regarded employers.
3. Better Retention with Employer Branding
Not only can employer branding help you attract top talent, but it can also help with retention. Employees are more likely to stay loyal to a company where they feel proud to work.
According to statistics compiled by LinkedIn Talent Solutions, businesses with stronger employer branding see a 28% reduction in employee turnover compared to companies that don’t prioritize their brand.
In short, employer branding isn’t just about filling positions—it’s about keeping them filled with happy, engaged employees who are loyal to your mission.
Why Employer Branding is Essential for Attracting Top Talent
1. Top Talent Doesn’t Just Want a ‘Job’—They Want Purpose
The most qualified and sought-after candidates have choices. While money and benefits are important, they increasingly seek meaningful work in organizations whose values align with theirs.
According to a survey by Deloitte, 65% of employees expect a lot more from their employer in terms of social responsibility and ethics, and personal mission alignment with the company is a huge motivating factor when candidates consider employment opportunities.
By curating a positive and ethical employer brand that highlights your company’s purpose and values, you will naturally attract high performers who care about more than just a paycheck. The result? A team of mission-driven employees motivated by passion, not just obligation.
2. Your Employer Brand Helps Build Relationships Before the Job Posting
A smart employer brand helps candidates form a connection with your company before they even apply for a job. Think of it as the “emotional bond” between you and your potential employees.
In today’s world, most prospective employees will perform some amount of research before applying (Glassdoor estimates 90% of job seekers do this). Building a strong presence through LinkedIn, Glassdoor reviews, and social media helps strengthen your brand, slowly nurturing relationships with potential applicants even if they aren’t looking for a new role just yet.
Moreover, by utilizing storytelling across different social media platforms, your company can share authentic employee experiences and highlight success stories. This personal connection fosters trust, ultimately leading to more inbound applications from highly engaged candidates who already feel like they know and appreciate your company.
3. Employees Are Your Best Advocates
When we think about employer branding, we often focus on one-way communication: what the company puts out into the world. However, the most powerful employer brands are built through the voices of the employees themselves.
A report by Edelman found that employees rank higher than CEOs as trusted spokespersons when it comes to credibility about a company. People trust authenticity, and who better to tell a genuine story than the employees living the experience every day?
Having your employees act as brand ambassadors, sharing their positive experiences, success stories, and workplace culture, is the most powerful form of employer branding you can achieve. Encouraging employees to share their experiences on platforms like Glassdoor or through social media further strengthens your brand’s reach, making top talent more inclined to come knocking at your door.
Added bonus? According to a report by Hootsuite, content shared by employees gets up to 8 times more engagement than branded content from the company itself. Need further proof that your team can be your brand’s biggest cheerleaders?
4. Attracts The Right Fit
One of the core benefits of employer branding is that it allows you to attract candidates who match not just the job requirements but also your company culture. Compatibility in terms of values and culture leads to higher employee satisfaction and ultimately higher productivity.
Glassdoor’s Employer Branding report shows that 88% of millennials believe being part of the right company culture is necessary for success and fulfillment in their job. Employer branding helps you reach candidates who are seeking the lifestyle and culture you provide, rather than those who are just trying to get a paycheck.
In other words, you’re more likely to attract candidates who are fully aligned with your company’s vision and values, leading to a better long-term fit.
How to Improve Your Employer Brand: Strategies for Success
1. Define and Communicate Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is the central message of your employer brand. It sums up what your company offers to employees compared to what you expect in return. This includes compensation, benefits, culture, opportunities for growth, and overall work-life experience.
For example, here are questions to ask when defining your EVP:
- Why should someone want to work for your company over a competitor?
- How does your company support professional growth and development?
- What unique aspects of your culture set you apart?
Once you’ve defined your EVP, it should be a visible part of your recruitment materials. Your careers page, Glassdoor profile, job listings, and social media presence should consistently echo your EVP, underlining reasons why your company is a great place to work.
2. Leverage Storytelling to Showcase Employee Success
Nothing resonates with a potential future employee quite like a compelling story. That’s why employee testimonials and success stories should play a starring role in your employer brand strategy.
Create video content, blog posts, or even social media spotlights featuring current employees who have thrived at your company. These stories should depict real-world examples of top talent finding growth, success, and satisfaction within your organization.
According to LinkedIn, 72% of candidates agree that understanding the work environment and culture is essential before joining a company. An engaging, story-driven content strategy helps showcase this.
3. Create Authentic Employee Experience on Social Media
Your social media presence is often the first impression people get of your company. Build a sense of transparency by sharing authentic snippets of your day-to-day operations on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.
Here’s a positive stat to consider: According to LinkedIn, companies with an active social media employer brand have a 50% higher likelihood of securing top talent than those that don’t.
Behind-the-scenes looks, company culture posts, awards, celebrations, and employee spotlights all help potential hires visualize what their life might be like if they joined your team.
4. Encourage Employee Advocacy
As mentioned earlier, your employees are your strongest branding advocates. Encourage them to post about their experiences, share company culture elements and participate in brand advocacy programs.
Offering them incentives to become brand ambassadors—say, bonuses for referring new hires or rewards for participating in employer branding campaigns—can motivate them to contribute actively.
5. Monitor and Respond to Employee Feedback
Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other similar sites act as digital mirrors of how well you’re managing your employer brand. People often check these platforms to gauge a company’s reputation from the inside.
If you have existing gaps or negative reviews, addressing those through positive actionable steps – rather than dismissing them – can help turn the tide. Regularly monitoring and responding to feedback on these platforms also demonstrates that you value transparency and care about employees’ experiences.
Final Thoughts: Why Building Your Employer Brand is a Must
In a talent-driven market, employer branding helps recruiting in ways that can directly impact your organization’s success. A strong employer brand can drive down hiring costs, attract exceptional individuals, and lower employee turnover over time.
By building a positive and transparent narrative around your culture and values—through tailored content, thoughtful engagement, and employee advocacy—you not only fill immediate roles but create a lasting pipeline of high-quality talent who are eager to become part of your company’s success.
So, ready to attract the best and brightest to your company? Start building your employer brand today, and watch top talent flock your way!