What is Your Promise? Defining Your Employer Brand
Uncover, define and leverage your employer brand for stronger recruiting and better hiring results.
A brand is a promise. Think about iconic brands like Apple. When I think of Apple, what comes to mind is creativity, innovation, and elegantly designed, easy-to-use technology. That’s because Apple consistently delivers on its promise—building deep, emotional connections with its customers.
When a brand consistently fulfills its promise, it creates powerful relationships that drive loyalty. Apple’s “Are you a Mac or a PC?” campaign is a perfect example. The team at Apple understood that people often identified with the technology they used, creating a community of passionate brand advocates.
But the return on investment (ROI) of a strong brand isn’t limited to consumer giants like Apple. Any organization can—and should—leverage its brand, not only to attract customers but also to create an environment that engages employees and candidates. This is where the concept of employer branding comes into play.
Your employer brand is the promise you make to your employees, just as your corporate brand is the promise you make to your customers. It’s the perception of your organization as a place to work, and it has a direct impact on your ability to attract and retain top talent.
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
— Jeff Bezos
What is employer branding?
Employer branding starts with your people. It’s what employees and candidates experience when interacting with your organization. It encompasses the entire employee experience—from what gets them excited to come to work in the morning to how they feel about growth opportunities and company culture.
Employer branding takes the insights gained from these experiences and uses them to define your employee value proposition (EVP), recruitment marketing strategies, and the way your organization communicates its identity as an employer.
Your employer brand should be an authentic extension of your corporate brand. A strong corporate brand communicates expectations to customers, while an employer brand sets expectations for employees. If a corporate brand is a promise to consumers, an employer brand is a promise to your team.
Why is employer branding important?
A strong employer brand is essential for talent acquisition and employee retention. Organizations that live up to their brand promises attract top talent more easily and build loyalty among employees.
Consider this: 92% of employees would consider leaving their current job for one with a company that has an excellent employer reputation—even without a salary increase. Conversely, more than 80% of candidates won’t consider applying to an organization with a poor reputation. This demonstrates how critical it is for companies to invest in shaping their employer brand.
Beyond attracting talent, a strong employer brand sets clear expectations for candidates and helps them decide if your company is the right fit for their career goals. When you deliver on those promises, employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover and increasing engagement—just as customers stick with brands that deliver on their promises.
How can my organization define our employer brand?
Your employer brand starts with a deep understanding of your people and their experiences. Here are three steps to help you define and strengthen your employer brand:
1. Ask your employees and candidates what matters most to them
To effectively shape your employer brand, listen to your workforce—past, present, and future. Conduct surveys to understand how employees, candidates, and alumni perceive your organization’s promises and how well you deliver on them. Establish regular feedback loops to ensure you maintain a clear picture of your employer brand’s health. Review sites and social media channels can also provide valuable, unfiltered insights into your reputation.
2. Align with your organization’s core values and mission
Your company’s mission and core values should serve as the foundation of your employer brand. This alignment not only strengthens your brand identity but also resonates with employees who feel a sense of purpose in their work. Employees who believe in your organization’s mission are more motivated, engaged, and fulfilled.
3. Gather insights from your customers
Your customers regularly interact with your employees, offering an external perspective on how your corporate and employer brands align. Engaging with customers to understand their interactions with your team can help you gauge whether your employees are motivated and empowered to deliver on your corporate promises. After all, happy employees tend to create happy customers.
Crafting your employer brand promise
Your employer brand promise is the commitment you make to your employees and candidates. It’s what you pledge to deliver in terms of culture, career development, and overall employee experience.
To define your employer brand promise, look inward. What are your greatest strengths as an employer? What sets you apart? Use these insights to create a promise that reflects your organization’s values and consistently deliver on that promise in every employee interaction—from recruitment to onboarding and beyond.
Need help defining or leveraging your employer brand?
A well-defined employer brand is a powerful tool for building a committed workforce. It can reduce hiring time, lower turnover rates, and improve overall recruitment efficiency—all while reinforcing your corporate brand and boosting your bottom line.
At Advanced RPO, we specialize in helping organizations uncover and leverage their employer brand to achieve stronger recruiting results. Explore our RPO solutions to see how we can support your talent acquisition strategy and drive better hiring outcomes.
Not sure how RPO fits into your talent acquisition strategy? Read how RPO works and understand the advantages of outsourced recruiting (beyond simply filling jobs).