3 Ways Companies Are Ruining Their Employer Brand

Hiring the best talent is often top-of-mind for leadership, but the different strategies used to attract candidates often don’t match what top talent really want. While a lucrative salary and generous bonus structures are great plus points to joining a company, top talent are usually drawn more to the “people” factors. This includes the people they would work with, leadership style of their manager, and traditions found in the company culture.

One of the best ways to show this is through a strong employer brand. Many companies are not effectively promoting their employer value proposition (EVP) and miss out on top talent. Here are three of the most common shortcomings for many organizations.

Failing to create a great place to work

As Richard Branson famously said:

“If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.”

The most important step in building an attractive employer brand is to create a workplace where people want to work. You can pay the highest salaries and install the ping pong tables, but none of it matters if the culture is toxic.

The organizations with the best employer brands put their people first before anything else. These environments lead to happy employees who then share their experience with others. Genuine testimonials from both current and former employees work wonders for an employer brand.

Lacking a strong LinkedIn presence

Content is king and it is here to stay. Many tend to think of Gary Vee, Shay Rowbottom, and other entrepreneurs as LinkedIn influencers, but companies can also implement similar strategies. Consistent, quality content helps brands attract top talent and it shows in the data. According to this LinkedIn report, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job.

To get started, build a team to post content on a set schedule on LinkedIn. Major milestones, company updates, employee profiles, and team outings are all great topics. Shuffling with different forms of content (pictures, blogs, podcasts, videos, etc.) will keep your audience engaged and growing over time. And like everything else in life, good things take time! Don’t get discouraged if you do not see immediate results.

Discouraging personal brands

While updates from the company pages are a great way to get buzz, it sometimes lacks a personal touch. The best talent want to work with other top talent, and it helps when they have a name to put to a face.

Companies benefit when their employees have vibrant personal brands that add to the company image. Regular content from the CEO, veteran team members, or even new interns can attract more positive attention to the organization and connect top candidates to different openings. Strong personal brands can lead to different opportunities and connections down the line for your employees, and will also benefit the employer brand in the process.

Employer brand is a missed opportunity for many companies, and it is quite simple to start. But before investing in high-tech equipment to build up your content portfolio, invest in your people first. Build a great place to work, highlight your employees and culture through LinkedIn, and the rest will take care of itself.