The new era of work has opened up many opportunities for tech talent which weren’t there before. Talent is no longer restricted by geography, as developers, engineers and other tech professionals can work from almost anywhere with an internet connection, meaning big players in tech could essentially attract talent from across the globe. There are an increasing number of opportunities open to tech candidates. Hiring managers once restricted to the talent who would fit the local compensation and commuting requirements, now have an even playing field.

For scaling tech businesses, it can be hard to compete with some larger corporations – however, your workforce personality and employer brand could be the deciding factor. When all elements are equal in terms of salary, opportunities for progression and benefits, it is your company culture that will win over candidates, and scaling businesses often have the advantage in this area. Authentic employer brand communications are vital to showcase your personality as an employer.

If your employer brand is not communicated clearly, it is likely that top tech talent will slip through the cracks, and fall into the hands of larger, more established organizations like Google, Amazon or other big players leaning towards reputation and status rather than finding a culture in which they can thrive. To make sure you aren’t missing out on top tech talent, companies will have to creatively promote, adapt and develop their authentic employer brand quickly, and have answers for the critical questions being asked.

Deconstructing your employer brand
Your employer brand can be broken down into the tangible and intangible elements; the quantifiable factors and the emotional drivers which form the basis of your employee value proposition or EVP. As with any branding, your employer brand needs elements which make tech candidates buy-in and choose you as an employer. When all things are equal between you and the competition, your employer brand will tip the scales in your favor.

The first step is to identify the factors that set you apart from the competition in the tech market and identify aspects that candidates will be looking for. Once these have been determined, you can then begin promoting your employer brand.

The non-existent office
Previously, the office was a visible artifact of company culture. Its physical presence makes employer brand communications easier and gives a visual identity to the company, acting as a backdrop for all goings-on. Culture was tied to free food, game rooms and other physical benefits…but no more.

As we’ve all been forced into working remotely, promoting a company culture to external parties has changed. We no longer have this visual identity at our disposal or all of the teams in one place, so how do we present a tech business’s culture? Culture isn’t about the appearance of the office but the people within it. And, as these people are now working remotely, companies must find a way to translate the office space’s stories, conversations, and atmosphere into digital communications.

During last year’s lockdowns, there was a rise in social media usage, which saw more than half the world’s population using various platforms. Now more than ever, a company’s social media presence is crucial to its employer branding. It’s not just a space for advertising new jobs, but creating a brand personality, standing out to top talent and drawing comparison with competitors. Use it to help candidates envision life working at your company.

The Questions You Should Ask
Maintaining and promoting your company culture while working remotely is not easy when you don’t have employees’ physical enthusiasm to help guide it. Below are a few questions you should be asking about your employer brand and how to leverage it towards tech talent in the era of remote working:

Are your people at the center of your company culture?
Before hiring further tech talent, it’s essential that your current team feel valued and are happy to be working for you. Identify what your employees like about working for the brand through in-depth market research, and use this to form the basis of your EVP. Free fruit, snacks, and drinks in the fridge are lovely, but ultimately, it’s putting your people first and creating a culture in which they feel comfortable and can thrive, which drives ongoing satisfaction.

How do you address tech talent’s expectations around remote working?
Businesses have no choice but to offer flexibility right now, but it’s time to think about whether this will continue after the pandemic. Traditionally developers and tech talent are seen as being stuck in their desk, but the past 12 months have proven they can work from (almost) anywhere with an Internet connection. As these employees have continually proven that they can work effectively from anywhere businesses must understand that this is becoming an expectation. Now is the time to communicate whether this flexibility will remain a part of your employer brand post-pandemic and weave it into your communication strategies. If it isn’t part of your future plan, be honest and bold about that decision. Yes, you may lose out on talent but the talent who want to be back in an in person collaborative environment will gravitate toward you.

Does your employer brand promote a proper work-life balance?
While we would expect that working from home creates more work-life balance, the truth is more and more employees are suffering from burnout than ever before. The very definition of work-life balance has changed, it’s no longer enough to be at home with our families but instead providing real-time to switch off and step away from our laptops. As we continue to work in the confines of our own home, companies must first define their views on work-life balance in a world of remote work and then actively show how they’re promoting it among their workforce.

Promoting your virtual workforce personality and employer brand is vital as we continue to work remotely. As employers, we must also recognize the shift in priorities that comes with this. Without a quirky office to appeal to tech talent, we need to tap into the core values of your organization and show that you are much more than bricks, mortar and bold interior design choices.