In the ever-evolving landscape of Attraction, Recruitment, Selection and Retention, the criteria that defines an exceptional employer has undergone a transformative shift. Depending on what platform, publication, or influencer you are listening to, the options for small businesses can seem overwhelming, unattainable, or unrelatable. Sorting through trends and best practices can leave a leader spinning. What are employees looking for? What can your organization offer that makes it stand out from your competitors? With limited resources, small businesses can feel like they can’t possibly compete with larger, more sophisticated, higher spending employers. Eyes on HR believes that each business – regardless of size or budget – has an opportunity to craft a unique and authentic story about why the right person would fit with their company; ideally the right person who fits their culture. Offering potential employees an honest, well defined, clear and authentic picture of what it is like to be an employee at your workplace can make the greatest impact.
Exploring what it is like to be an employee in your company, and having open, honest, and transparent feedback conversations with employees is what shapes your understanding of your Employee Value Proposition (EVP). It’s important that your leadership team removes the “rose coloured glasses” and determines if there is alignment between what the leadership team “wants” the employee experience and culture to be, and what the culture and employee experience “actually is”. It’s the misalignments between desire and reality that leads to a poor employer reputation, leading to poor attraction and retention.
Employees are seeking more than just a higher salary and more benefits; they are seeking a profound alignment with an employer that authentically shares their values. As an employer – through your employer branding – you are the storyteller and can create the narrative for current and future employees. When you fail to articulate the unique qualities of your company culture – others will define it for you – often, those with the loudest voices are the least satisfied.
In today’s market, a robust employer brand isn’t just a luxury, but rather a critical strategic investment. According to LinkedIn reports, a robust employer brand not only facilitates recruitment but also has a multifaceted impact on a business’s financial performance. A strong employer brand can significantly cut down the cost per hire by 50% and decrease turnover by 28%, demonstrating the tangible benefits of clearly articulating your company culture. Conversely, a negative employer reputation can inflate hiring costs by at least 10%, as reported by the Harvard Business Review.
Your employer brand isn’t built on glossy promotional materials either; it’s shaped by your employees lived experience within the business. Exploring the emotional fabric of your organizational culture is crucial in understanding the lived reality during the employee lifecycle. It informs not just what you’ve done well, but also where improvements are needed. According to Glassdoor, a staggering 92% of employees would consider changing jobs with no salary increase if the opportunity was with a company boasting an excellent reputation.
Eyes on HR offers a curated step-by-step approach in supporting clients in developing their employee value proposition and brand culture. We can help you create a cohesive voice that explains what its like to work at your company, including the unique combination of benefits, culture, experiences, and other item that employees can expect when working for a company. We then curate the findings and begin to weave them into every facet of your brand story, employee lifecycle; tying it all together to boost retention and overall employee happiness. Do you know your employee value proposition; would your employee’s agree?
