For the last post of our employer branding series, we’re breaking down six key areas to elevate your efforts and how to go beyond traditional benefits to improve your employees’ experience. Simply offering a decent salary won’t cut it with today’s workers: Employees across the generational spectrum are drawn to a people-first culture and work-life balance, and with good reason. If workers are going to spend one-third — or more — of their lives on the clock, they want to feel proud of the work they’re doing and the companies they’re working for.
Thinking beyond pay and bonuses means that companies have to nail employer branding to attract and retain top talent. Consider these six success factors of employer branding when assessing your company.
What elements make a strong employer brand?
1. Authentic storytelling
Building a story around real employee feedback helps companies to take their branding to the next level. Glassdoor Reviews and Community Bowls offer a glimpse of life inside an organization. In turn, leaders can use that information to drive change and create a more compelling picture of their company culture.
2. Strong leaders
The honorees on the inaugural Glassdoor Best-Led Companies list span industries, but their employees note that they share common traits that promote a people-first culture:
- Embodying the company’s mission + exemplifying the culture
- Practicing consistent, transparent communication — especially during times of uncertainty
- Being accessible and visible to their teams
- Taking care of their employees
3. Employee well-being
Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person are more productive and more satisfied. Top companies take a system-wide approach to employees' mental health and wellness. That starts with hiring and training leaders to emphasize emotional intelligence and promote psychological safety in the workplace, as well as truly listening and following through on employee feedback. For remote and hybrid teams, in particular, the strongest employer brands emphasize connection and find creative ways to minimize isolation among distributed teams.
4. Employee voice
The best-led companies leverage honest employee perspectives to evaluate their performance and shape new initiatives. Glassdoor feedback is one of the most powerful tools for communicating your employer brand. Employee voices through reviews can help a company’s recruitment efforts. Capitalize on that opportunity by encouraging workers to leave feedback on your company page and participate in Company Bowls.
5. Transparent DEI
Workers want more than just performative allyship. DEI remains important to employees, individually, even if hiring professionals to shape DEI policy is losing steam. According to a survey on Fishbowl:
- 58% of workers say their employers share their DEI goals
- 38% receive progress reports
- 37% believe leadership holds itself accountable
One of the most straightforward ways to engage in transparent DEI is to use the “Diversity” tab on your Glassdoor company page to detail your commitment to inclusion, diversity progress, employee resource groups, and more.
6. Candidate care
Most of the candidates you interview for a position are not going to work for you, but they still play a role in shaping your employer brand. Show prospective employees you care by equipping them with the details they need to navigate your company’s interview process and engage with your company’s “Interview” tab on Glassdoor to gauge how you’re doing.
Perception is important in employer branding
Your employer brand is more than bullet points on a “why work for us” page. You can’t refine it through an annual audit or a single copywriting brainstorm. It is ongoing work that requires constant dialogue with your employees. Get started boosting your employer brand today in our Employer Branding Hub.