The battle for talent is fierce in today’s market and employers have to use as many tools as possible to attract and retain great people. One of the most important tools – but often the most neglected – is employer branding.
Your employer brand is the perception that people have about working at your company. Are you competitive like Amazon? Supportive like Zappos? Your employer brand impacts whether someone would want to work for your organization, so it is important to project a brand that attracts people who will thrive in your culture. Here are five tips you can use to improve your employer branding.
Define and Cultivate a Healthy Culture
Your employer brand is tied directly to your corporate culture. People do not want to work for a company that has a bad reputation. Define and cultivate a positive culture that supports employees, rewards hard work and reflects who you are as an organization.
Incorporate Culture Into Your Website
Applicants and candidates will spend time on your website to get a feel for your culture. Your website should include a section on company culture, showcasing what it’s like to work for you. It should also be modern, easy to read, fast-loading and mobile-friendly.
Get Active on Social Media
Social media is another place potential candidates will look to see what it might be like to work for you. Make culture-related posts a priority. Show people working, highlight fun events, incorporate video testimonials from happy employees, and of course, post your open jobs.
Build an Employee Referral Program
Your best source of talent is your current workforce. Talented people know talented people, so give employees an incentive for making referrals. Referrals are often better hires because employees tend to only recommend people who are aligned with your culture, and those employees do a lot of the hard work of “selling” your business to the candidate. Provide a referral bonus if a recommended candidate is hired and a second bonus when the new employee hits a milestone like six months, nine months or one year.
Reject Applicants With Grace
Candidate experience matters since it’s very simple to hop on to Glassdoor and Indeed and leave a scathing review. The experience you provide rejected employees especially matters because angry people are far more likely to leave a negative review than happy people are to leave a positive review. Send candidates a polite email explaining your decision and encouraging them to reapply later. You could also mention in the letter that you will contact them should another opportunity arise. Rejection is never easy, but showing respect can help protect your reputation.
Are You Looking To Improve Your Recruiting Process?
If you are looking to improve the recruiting and hiring experience at your ag business, contact the agricultural industry staffing experts at Morris Bixby Group. Our proven strategies for success can help you achieve your goals quickly and cost-effectively.