In the past, when it came to an organisation’s brand messaging, marketing and HR strategies were very much independent of each other. By Neil Griffiths, Global Practice Leader of Talent Communications and Employer Brand, Futurestep.

Now, the lines are blurred. Today, with an organisation’s consumer base also very much its talent pool, brand strategies need to be more synchronised than ever before. An employer brand is key to attracting and retaining top talent, it also spans across to how consumers perceive the business, with customers often making the transition into employees. According to a recent survey by Futurestep, nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of respondents believe organisational culture is the most important recruiting advantage for global organisations, followed by a leading employer brand at 26 percent. As a businesses starts to understand its breadth and value, employer branding becomes less about the logo, a set of values, or a rationale that sits next to an Employer Value Proposition (EVP). It is about the tangible brand assets, the reasons to join and the reasons to stay.

Take Burger King for example. The global fast food giant recently rolled out its ‘Bring It’ campaign, targeted at attracting graduate talent. The initiative worked to align the company’s consumer and employment brand and create a consistent profile of Burger King as an innovative, forward thinking business, championing its current fast-paced performance-driven culture, where hard work is rewarded accordingly. This approach resulted in a 50 percent increase of graduate applications. A viewpoint and a truthful attitude resulted in measurable successes.

Yet, it is easy to offer the world to secure talent, only to hide behind false promises and not live up to the expectations set. Organisations cannot afford to do this – their actions are available for all to see, particularly with the rise of social media. In defining the EVP, a methodology must be followed that allows for aspiration, but is steeped in reality. With more than 500 million tweets sent per day, and nearly 700,000 Facebook posts per minute, it is not surprising that social media has made a huge impact on brand perception. Damaging tweets, negative Instagram photos, or harmful Facebook posts can be seen by hundreds – if not thousands – instantly. This can not only affect a brand’s reputation, but impact its chances of attracting top tier talent. 

If used correctly, however, social channels can be the Talent Acquisition function’s best friend. With so much potential visibility online, ensuring candidates are treated well during the recruitment process will reflect positively across these channels, with optimistic feedback able to reach and influence other potential candidates.  As customers and future employees alike require transparency from organisations, social media should also be used as a two-way communication channel, prompting contact and feedback from its potential employee pool. If you are an employer then there is likely to be a conversation happening, or influencing, how you are viewed on social today. Taking part in the discussion and sharing more insight into the brand will be only be additive to the perception of your brand.

It is also clear that mobile and social media go hand-in-hand. Being on top of the mobile trend shows that recruiters are at the forefront of a modern recruitment strategy that puts the candidate’s needs first. This is particularly crucial when targeting the Millennial market or Gen Y, who are often drawn to companies that are tech savvy and forward thinking. Younger candidates are digital natives with high expectations when it comes to technology and an effective social media strategy can expand the talent pool, exposing the brand to a whole new audience. Importantly, the end of the recruitment process shouldn’t be the end of the journey. Once the applicant has turned employee, it is vital company’s deliver on their promises. Whether its culture, rewards or career development, delivering on the promise is key. If an employee is unhappy, it only takes one tweet for a brand’s reputation to be threatened – not to mention a retention issue to arise.

Creating harmony between marketing and HR departments and following an integrated approach to branding – from recruitment to employment and beyond – is a key move in securing top talent. Candidates are attracted to reputable brands, ones which treat employees well across the entire lifecycle, share experiences through their employees, and encourage the attraction cycle to continue by giving more insight than ever before. It is these brands that will succeed by living up to their promise.