A brand is more than a logo, a few colors and a slogan that you print on shirts and caps. It’s a promise to consumers, a shared value set that all your employees rally behind and the mission that drives your dollars. A well-crafted brand is defined by the way it communicates visually, audibly, emotionally.
How do you ensure that your company attracts the best talent? Build a better brand.
A relevant, approachable brand is the key to attracting and retaining top talent for your organization. Investing in your brand is a sign of commitment for your employees, demonstrating that you have long term goals for the organization. Improved branding also leads to stronger brand equity, making your company more attractive to prospective employees and clients.
Today, job seekers will research companies at length by studying their website and social media accounts. If your website looks tired, outdated or clunky, it can convey your unwillingness to adapt and evolve. Candidates may ask themselves, “If this company doesn’t care about their brand, will they care about me?”
Here are four tangible benefits you can gain by improving your brand and strengthening your employee connection:
1. Lower cost-per-hire.
If you create a solid brand, you’ll spend less money getting the right people for the job. According to Glassdoor and LinkedIn, organizations that invest in their brand are three times more likely to hire quality talent and spent 10% less on new-hire salaries.
2. Greater access to talent.
LinkedIn also reported that nearly half of professionals surveyed would rule out joining any organization that exhibits one of following three traits:
1. Low job security
2. Dysfunctional teams
3. Poor management
Only 28% of those participants would accept a position at a poorly-branded company if they were offered a 10% premium over competing jobs. By investing internally, companies attract more motivated candidates without paying premiums.
3. More applicants mean higher quality hires.
Harvard Business Review reports that among the millions of Americans who are struggling with unemployment, great talent is out there, ready and hungry to work. Investing in your brand means you’ll have the pick of the lot when the time comes to fill seats. Build a better brand and they will come.
4. Enhanced engagement.
A refreshed brand fuels team engagement, retaining the talent you worked hard to acquire. Randstad Sourceright’s Talent Trends survey found that 46% of HR, procurement and C-suite leaders say a strong brand leads to stronger engagement and higher productivity. Align your company’s brand and watch your efficiency soar.
Start with the basics
Building a better brand isn’t always easy, but like anything that’s difficult, take it one step at a time.
Start with a keyword exercise. These drills reveal the core emotions and vision of a brand and create alignment among teams and key stakeholders. Rediscover the ideas that make your company what it is in the simplest terms. Then, apply these ideas to your company’s colors, design and internal and external messaging.
Don’t be shy about engaging with branding experts to pilot this process. They will have the experience to unearth your company’s values, realign your team and create updated brand standards. If done well, your company will benefit from a higher quality candidate pool and cross-platform brand consistency for years to come.
Morgan Chan is junior content strategist at The James Agency.
