A Five-Step Guide to Improving Your Employer Brand

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Strategy & Business Model Section | 4

A Five-Step Guide to Improving Your Employer Brand

By Kimberly A. Whitler and Richard Mosley | MIT Sloan Management Review | March 25, 2024

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A consistent priority issue for boards of directors and CEOs is the acquisition and retention of talent. In a 2023 Manpower study of more than 30,000 employers in 41 countries, 75% of employers indicated that they were struggling to acquire the talent they needed. Many companies view the hiring process as the need to search for and find the right person — it is about “acquiring talent,” after all. But talent acquisition involves more than matching the right person to the right role. It also involves positioning your company as the best choice among the employers you are competing against — which highlights the importance of developing an employer brand that candidates believe will fulfill their needs and aspirations better than any other option in the marketplace.

Employer branding, or the perceptions held by internal and external constituents regarding the attractiveness of working for a company, is similar to that of consumer branding — but without the equivalent depth of interest and research. Although companies invest significant resources developing consumer brands, few focus as rigorously or commit the resources required to develop their employer brand, even though attracting talent is a top priority for CEOs. Employer branding requires a more extensive value proposition and communication plan than many traditional, lower-involvement consumer brand efforts.

The emphasis in employer branding has been on selling the company — essentially, presenting it in the best possible light. However, this element should be near the end of a multistep process. 

Like great consumer marketing, effective employer branding requires deeper insight on candidate and employer needs alike, combining market segmentation, target identification, talent research, and proposition development, as well as a well-crafted brand narrative and consistent experience. Based on the winning practices of many of the world’s leading employers, 5 steps on how to develop a superior employer brand. 

1. Identify the Talent You Need to Succeed ( identify critical talent, identify key talent challenges, allocate the right resources), 
2. Tune In to Talent Perceptions and Preferences ( measure internal perceptions and preferences, measure external perceptions and preferences, and evaluate your key talent competitors), 
3. Define Your Employer Proposition ( identify your key selling points and differentiators, identify employee stories, align employer brand with corporate brand), 
4. Communicate Your Employer Brand (develop a consistent look and feel, bring employee stories to life, measure your external impact), 
5. Keep Your Promises ( ensure your promises are achievable, align your employee experience, identify and address expectation gaps).

3 key takeaways from the article

1. A consistent priority issue for boards of directors and CEOs is the acquisition and retention of talent. In a 2023 Manpower study of more than 30,000 employers in 41 countries, 75% of employers indicated that they were struggling to acquire the talent they needed. 
2. Many companies view the hiring process as the need to search for and find the right person — it is about “acquiring talent,” after all. But talent acquisition involves more than matching the right person to the right role. It also involves positioning your company as the best choice among the employers you are competing against — which highlights the importance of developing an employer brand that candidates believe will fulfill their needs and aspirations better than any other option in the marketplace.
3. 5 steps on how to develop a superior employer brand: Identify the Talent You Need to Succeed, Tune In to Talent Perceptions and Preferences, Define Your Employer Proposition, Communicate Your Employer Brand, and Keep Your Promises.

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Topics:  Marketing, Branding, Organizational Branding