In an increasingly competitive higher education landscape, having a strong employer brand is crucial to attract top talent. An attractive employer brand lets an institution put its best foot forward and set itself apart from the rest. Google, Atlassian, Apple and Qantas are all examples of organisationsorganizations with an employer brand that precedes them: so what’s the secret to a great one? For some organisationsorganizations, their employer brand is well-known because of its strong sense of corporate responsibility — for others, it’s because of their great culture and staff perks. An employer brand is unique to every organisationorganization, but a common thread runs through all successful ones: a focus on the things that make an organisationorganization unique; the things that make it a place people love to work.
Demystifying the employer brand
An employer brand doesn’t exist as a static statement on a website or a standalone manifesto: it’s a constantly-evolving ethos that your staff live every day. They do this by delivering on your institution’s brand promise to students, by acting as a champion of your brand to clients, and by representing your organisationorganization in the field. An employer brand is a definitive and deliberate communication of your culture and internal values to the outside world. For higher education institutions that rely on promoting a sense of culture and opportunity to attract hopeful students, putting this image out to jobseekers is equally important.
So how does a strong employer brand help an institution attract top candidates? Today’s job seekers have different priorities to those in the past: no longer is remuneration the primary consideration for prospective applicants. More and more, candidates are looking for a great culture fit when selecting an organisationorganization to work for. In fact, research shows that 78% of candidates will look into a company’s employer brand before applying for a job, and 88% of millennials believe being part of the right company culture is very important.
Frank Ribuot heads up the Australian and SEA arm of HR consultancy firm Randstad, and he notes that today’s candidates aren’t just looking for salary and long-term job security. Instead, he observes that “It is the ability of companies to deliver a genuine, consistent and balanced experience that will prove to be the big winners in a competitive job market.”
Articulating your institution’s employer brand
Companies are increasingly investing in employer branding to attract top talent that want to align themselves with the values, motivations and goals of those who already work there. In a market where candidates can pick and choose from a range of workplaces, it pays to celebrate and communicate the unique cultural characteristics that unite and define your institution.
Your employer brand will be unique to your institution, internal culture and values. There is, however, research to guide you on the offerings that will attract candidates. Take a look at your organisationorganization to see if you provide any of these perks: if so, these should form a core part of your employer brand.
Randstad recently surveyed jobseekers in the US and discovered the Top 5 factors that made an organisationorganization attractive to employees. These were:
- Salary and employee benefits
- Job security
- Work-life balance
- Work atmosphere
- Good training
Consider how your organisationorganization sets itself apart from competitors in these areas: do you offer employee benefits like gym memberships, daily breakfasts or travel opportunities? Do you champion flexible work arrangements or volunteer days off? Do you have a thriving company culture or strong learning and development programs? Discovering what sets your institution apart from your competitors is key to articulating your employer brand.
Once you’ve identified the key pillars of your employer brand, your task is to now cultivate and encourage your brand to flourish. HR teams play an integral role in facilitating this growth: as experts in your organisationorganization’s culture, values and talent, they should be closely linked with an institution’s employer brand. Speak with HR teams to get an understanding of how and where prospective employees encounter your employer brand. Use this information to think outside the box: go beyond the standard job listings to give prospective candidates a sense of what it’s like to work at your organisationorganization.
As the lifeblood of an institution, your faculty and staff are invaluable employer brand champions. Empower them to share the atmosphere and culture of your institution. Salesforce for example encourages its staff to share their working experiences through the #salesforceohana hashtag, which translates to ‘Salesforce Family’. This isn’t just a powerful way to gain organic endorsements for your institution. It’s also a simple, cost-effective way to get authentic content created that can be leveraged in future marketing and promotional initiatives.
Constantly develop your employer brand
An employer brand should be a living thing: constantly adapting based on shifts in your organisationorganization and in the market. Prevent stagnation by empowering your internal audiences to continually engage with and shape your employer brand for external audiences. Regularly seek feedback and have open conversations with employees about your cultural values, corporate responsibilities, and benefit schemes. Not only will this keep employees engaged with your organisationorganization’s vision, it will also ensure you remain fresh and attractive to candidates — no matter how long your institution has been around.
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