Why Brand Image Matters When Hiring
Publié le 6 December 2021
Businesses who find themselves having a difficult time hiring for open positions need to reevaluate their branding, ask important questions to understand why brand image matters when hiring.
The post-pandemic job market is particularly weighted toward job seekers right now. Some are calling this The Great Resignation. Others, such as LinkedIn, are calling it The Great Reshuffle. Whatever term you opt for, the reality is that skilled workers spent the pandemic era re-examining their priorities. The result? They’re now quitting in droves and seeking work opportunities from companies that have a corporate identity more attuned to the needs and wants of workers.
This has created a reflection point for businesses, and is making companies reflect on their reputation and image in the current job market. Brand image matters. Current employees and potential new hires are doing their research. Companies that don’t spend time ensuring their image is positive and appealing are likely to see higher turnover rates and continue to struggle to attract talented professionals for open positions.
What do workers want from employers?
Any business attempting to fill open positions right now may find that hiring has become more challenging. Workers underwent what some are calling “pandemic epiphanies” over the last two years. Many workers realized that their employer either didn’t care about their work-life balance or that they were only paying lip service to it, without giving them the support and resources needed to maintain a proper balance. In the U.S., upwards of 55% of people plan to look for a new job in the coming months, while 1 in 5 Canadian employees state that they intend to seek out new opportunities
Unfortunately, some companies have taken the wrong approach to this challenging situation. Instead of focusing on brand management strategies that emphasize how they meet the needs and wants of workers, they’ve instead attempted to throw money at the problem by simply boosting salaries. A 2021 LinkedIn post highlighted this perspective as “The Money Myth”. “89% of bosses believe employees quit because they want more money,” the author writes, “while in reality, it’s more like 12% who actually do leave for money.”
That’s a huge disconnect. But it also begs the question: What do workers actually want? The list is not as long as you think. In fact, there are three key reasons people are looking for new jobs:
- Gallup found that 90% of people want to continue having remote work options post-pandemic
- People want an employer who understands their needs and responds to them. Over 40% of workers plan to leave their current employers due to this lack of empathy
- Employees want companies to invest in career pathing and skill-building. One survey found that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company that offers learning opportunities
These all fall, more broadly, under the concepts of benefits, culture, and flexibility. In truth, money isn’t the problem. Companies with the right brand image are those that can show they’re investing in a better work experience, not just better salaries.
Examine your brand image
Businesses that want to hire and retain top talent must focus distinctly on their corporate identity, and understand why brand image matters when hiring. That’s going to take some self-reflection. Your brand image needs to be aligned with what people are looking for. If current and potential workers don’t see that you’re the “flexible, caring” business, they’re likely to look elsewhere.
There’s more to it than that, however. Your business can’t simply pay lip service to these needs. You need to put your money where your mouth is and actually make dynamic changes that meet these needs.
The first step in the process is to know where your corporate identity may not be aligned with workers’ needs.
1. Look at your policies and perks. Do they match what people want?
This is a simple – but important – starting point when trying to understand why brand image matters when hiring. Take a deep look into your current workplace policies and perks. Do you offer the kind of flexibility and culture that potential workers are looking for? We recommend you look at your:
- Remote work policies
- PTO policies (open PTO is exceedingly popular right now)
- Health benefits
- Learning opportunities
- Culture-building strategies
- Mentoring options
Having some restrictions in place is fine. But too many restrictions or lacking these benefits can be a detriment to attracting the right talent for available job roles.
2. Look at your online reviews
See what former and current employees are saying about your company. Doing so could reveal what you need to change about your brand management and corporate identity. Some places to look include:
Each of these sites allows people who currently or previously worked for an employer to leave reviews about their experience. Fair warning: You may not like what you find. If you see bad reviews, avoid the urge to try to uncover the identity of the reviewer or contact them, as this is not professional. Instead, just focus on the content.
If your company has a large number of bad reviews, that’s a sign that your brand identity needs major improvement. Alternatively, if your company gets rave reviews, but you’re still struggling to find workers, it may mean you need to re-evaluate how you market your company to job seekers. It could be that you offer an amazing worker experience, but aren’t doing enough to highlight that more broadly in online spaces.
3. Check the language in your job advertisements
When people are looking for jobs, it’s often recommended that they include certain keywords in their resume. This helps them get past job filters and helps them align well to what employers are looking for.
This is a good brand management strategy for employers as well. Workers are scanning your job advertisements to see if you have the type of benefits and culture that they want from an employer. If your ads lack those keywords, you’re probably losing potential applicants.
Considering what we mentioned workers want most right now, some keywords to consider include:
- Flexible schedules
- Remote work
- Career pathing
- Mentoring
- Upskilling
- Reskilling
- Open PTO
- Unlimited PTO
Note, however, that just as applicants shouldn’t lie on their resume, you should also avoid embellishing in your job advertisements. If your business doesn’t offer flexible work schedules, don’t list that. If you don’t have mentoring and learning opportunities for new hires, don’t list them. Only list what’s true, otherwise, you run the risk of having new hires feel like your ads were a bait-and-switch, which is bad for your brand image.
All of the above advice is true of your company’s “Careers” page. Most “Careers” pages elaborate on the most attractive perks that a company offers employees. You may want to emphasize or add in the keywords that will attract workers to your company. These go a long way toward boosting your brand identity.
It may be time to overhaul your benefits and perks
The most important aspect of brand management is giving people what they need. We touched on this already, but your brand identity needs to be built on a foundation of truth. You can’t advertise job perks and benefits that you don’t actually offer. Adding these to your brand marketing materials may require you to do an internal overhaul so that you offer what job seekers are actually looking for.
Some things are easier to offer than others. For example, most companies can (and already do) provide remote work. However, you may need to change your policies to make remote or hybrid work permanent and less restrictive before you start advertising that as a benefit of working for your company.
Other job benefits, such as career pathing, reskilling and upskilling, mentoring, and building culture, may take time to implement. That’s OK. Focusing on proactive change is itself important to your brand image. as long as you can prove to potential workers you have a plan and not just aspirations.
There’s some indication that The Great Resignation is not a temporary blip. It could be the start of a permanent change in workforce dynamics. If that turns out to be true, businesses need to aggressively reinvent themselves for a job market where worker needs and wants come first by understanding why brand image matters when hiring. Your company’s brand image will make or break your success in attracting and keeping talent in this emerging work environment.
