In March 2020, time stopped still and the future of work was challenged.
Over the next two years we saw a rapid move to remote and hybrid working, challenging companies to focus on internal communications, employee experience, perks and benefits.
Let’s take a walk through what the pandemic has taught us about authenticity in employer branding and how brands are changing their strategies to be agile in uncertain times.
Selling authenticity.
The pandemic has taught people that a work life balance is attainable. With some companies offering unlimited vacation and wellness benefits, employees are making the shift to alleviate stressors they face in their current workplaces.
Job seekers need transparency from companies before they decide to apply! We see the value of transparency on sites such as Glassdoor and Fishbowl, where employees anonymously share a real accounts of the benefits and perks offered. It’s time for organizations to jump on this moving train, or be left behind.
“Companies like employee advocacy programs because it amplifies their brand reach and allows them to leverage the trustworthiness of their workers, which boosts their ability to attract new business and talent.” BuiltIn
This is an opportunity for employee advocacy. Find the storytellers in each department who can give a real account of what it’s like to work at your company. Authenticity is key and creates a buzz within the employees' social networks. Selling authenticity creates referrals and high conversion rates from your popular platforms (Careers page, LinkedIn, Indeed).
Prioritize capturing more stories, developing more content associated with current talent trends, and engagement should follow. A great SEO strategy, if started early in a campaign can move up search ranks quickly.
The Great Resignation or The Great Opportunity?
The Great Resignation has changed the way many people view their lives and work, forcing many companies to think about reinventing themselves. Many employees, through social media and word of mouth, can see peers making a shift to a different company to fit their lives… not the other way around.
Recruiters, with the help of an employer brand strategy can be more transparent in perks and benefits discussed; communicating through sourcing, social media and recruitment platforms to attain higher closing and conversion rates through the talent pipeline. It’s about finding ways to attract job seekers that are looking for more PTO, flexible working hours, family benefits and more.
Standing out when everyone’s showing up.
We’ve talked about the pandemic and the opportunities that have risen in the workplace to enable flexibility in an uncertain world. Workers are more willing to share how certain changes that have enabled a better work life environment.
Everywhere you look on LinkedIn, you see companies showing off their EVPs, and employees advocating for a flexible work environment, encouraging others to take note. This could be interpreted as a gateway to learn more about a company and (potentially) apply. For example, a New York-based media outlet challenged companies to be more transparent about parental leave benefits through the #ShowYourLeave campaign,
“In an effort to increase transparency around parental leave benefits, New York-based media outlet theSkimm shared its paid family leave policy and urged other firms to #ShowUsYourLeave. Canadian tech companies of all sizes joined the trend, highlighting their benefits for new parents.” The Logic
How to become part of the conversation
Follow and engage in hashtags like #ShowYourLeave to learn more about what is going on in the industry, and get ideas for experience strategies at your own company. Make sure all your platform profiles are up to date and consistent. You could even create your own campaign, this is where you can show up - tagging your friendly competition and get the ball rolling on culture, benefits, or growth at your company. Remember, it needs to be bold to stand out and grab attention.
TLDR
Look at your company's competitive advantage when it comes to benefits and perks offered. Highlighting your EVP will ultimately drive traffic to your careers page, social profiles and job descriptions leading to high conversion rates in your talent pipeline.
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