Honesty and Authenticity are Crucial for Your Employment Brand
How would you describe your company’s culture and what it’s really like to work for your organization?
Now, flip your perspective for a minute.
How would your employees (current and former) describe what it’s like to work at your company?
If you came up with different answers, your employment brand might need a little readjusting.
Job seekers (especially passive candidates who are considering a new job) are more discerning than ever. If you try to present your company, your staff or your jobs as anything other than what they are, people will find out the truth (hello, Glassdoor) – and either never apply to your job openings or quit before their time.
The takeaway here?
To win the war for talent, build an honest and authentic brand.
While it’s true that great people want to work for great companies, it’s equally true that no company – or brand – is perfect. Job seekers realize that every employer and job come with challenges.
While you may be tempted to gild the lily, it’s much smarter in the longrun to build an authentic brand (one that reflects what your company is truly about), while continually striving for improvement.
Here are a few ways to do just that:
Start by ensuring internal alignment.
Make sure everyone in your organization:
- Understands your company mission, vision and branding objectives.
- Knows why your company is special and is a great place to work.
- Understands your communication best-practices and policies.
- Knows your company “elevator pitch”
- Can communicate responsibly especially on social media.
Show what it’s really like to work there.
Creating and sharing facility/office tour videos, employee interviews and “meet the team” content are all great for building an authentic brand. Increasing transparency for job seekers engenders trust that you are what you say you are.
Never fake it.
Don’t gloss-over culture problems or present an idealized image of your organization; it’ll only backfire. Honestly, it’s okay to admit a few negatives (doing so will actually make your message more believable). And if you’re striving to improve in certain areas, say so – and explain exactly how and why you’re making those changes.
Great candidates are real people who want to work for real employers. By building an authentic, honest employment brand, you’ll attract the right candidates who fit, stay and perform.
Staff and Hire Smarter with PrideStaff
When you partner with PrideStaff, we present your organization and roles in ways that build your brand – and get the attention of quality candidates. Whether your needs are short-term or long-term, simple or complex, we make staffing your business faster and easier. Contact your local PrideStaff office today to learn more.
