Role reversal or how to build an attractive employer brand

Well-qualified specialists are spoiled for choice – and have high expectations. In order to attract sought-after talent, companies must not only question their own values, but also how they are presented. The world of work is changing, „New Work“ is now the credo. This term is not entirely new; the American social philosopher Frithjof Bergmann developed this way of working back in the 1970s. However, it is only in the wake of digitalization and reinforced by the coronavirus pandemic that New Work has become a demand that many employees are making – and employers need to adapt. It’s not just about digital working from home. New work also involves self-realization and a sense of purpose: more and more applicants are choosing their job based on the premise that it fits in with their own values and desires. Work must be fun, so the job must suit the employee, as must the team and the company. Rigid duty rosters and compulsory presence in the office no longer go hand in hand with employees‘ requirements – especially as the pandemic has proven that working can work differently. New Work also includes lifelong learning, because employees want to continue to develop.
Active sourcing and employer branding
Companies that fail to meet the new requirements of their employees risk losing qualified specialists in particular. This is because they are scarce in many areas of the labor market and are therefore more in demand than ever. Traditional application procedures, in which dozens of interested candidates respond to a job advertisement and the employer decides who to hire, are outdated. Instead, companies have to approach specialists in the course of active sourcing, and they choose their new job from a large number of offers. It is therefore essential for companies to stand out from the crowd as good employers. This is where employer branding comes into play. Companies need to open up to the outside world and actively present themselves as employers whose employees are satisfied. The message that recruiters send to specialists via professional networks such as LinkedIn or Xing alone must make companies stand out. After all, good staff are in demand and usually don’t just receive a message. If the first impression is right, candidates research the company before responding to inquiries or advertisements. The obvious thing to do is to take a look at the company’s website or scroll through its social media channels. Please note: at least these things are needed in the competition for good personnel!
Answer key questions in company presentation
In order to convince interested parties to introduce themselves to the potential new employer, candidates must be able to answer the following questions in advance:
- What values does the company represent?
- What does it stand for?
- How satisfied are the employees?
- What is it about working?
- How is the cooperation among employees and with superiors?
- What are the prospects?
- How does the company stand out from the competition?
In descriptive texts on the company website, in social media posts and videos, companies can show exactly that. Important: Employer branding must be authentic! Videos should be shot in everyday working life or during joint activities and with your own employees. Anyone who stages scenes with acting is usually easily exposed – at the latest in the job interview or during the probationary period. The result: skilled workers don’t even sign up or quickly resign and make the lies public in their networks. This also scares off other interested parties.
Employer branding: advantages for companies and applicants
Employer branding offers benefits to both companies and talented individuals:
- Companies achieve a better response and response rate to their advertisements and recruiting requests
- The interest of specialists in the company is increasing
- Talents are given a credible image of the company
- The decision-making process for talents becomes easier
- Job interviews already have a basis: companies have made their requirements clear, talents have already informed themselves about them.
The interview is then about open questions and getting to know each other personally. The more open the exchange between applicants and employers is, the higher the success rate – for both sides. Disappointments due to false expectations are avoided. The time that both sides invest in a job interview and induction is not wasted. Employer branding therefore makes the application process more value-adding.
Targeted specialists for recruiting and employer branding
As employer branding and targeted recruiting are a mixture of marketing and human resources, these tasks cannot necessarily be assigned to one department – also because they are extensive and would overburden employees. It makes sense to assign these tasks to specific employees and create dedicated positions for them. After all, without employer branding and recruiting, companies hardly stand a chance in the competition for talent. Both should therefore not be neglected. Source: https://www.hrtoday.ch/