Do you really know what your current and past employees think about you as an employer?
Many companies think they know and make assumptions based on limited data. But your reputation as an employer, or your employer brand, isn’t what YOU think it is — it’s what everyone else thinks it is. Understanding your employer brand (for what it is, not for what you want it to be) is essential to your ability to attract the right talent and keep them engaged once they’re hired.
Considering its impact on recruitment and retention, you can’t ignore your employer brand. Many organizations know this is true but don’t know how to build or leverage a powerful employer reputation.
Understanding Your Current Employer Brand
Just like any reputation, your employer brand evolves over time. Maybe you knew what your reputation was a few years ago, or maybe you’ve never researched what people think of you as an employer — either way, the only way to know where you stand right now is to do an employer brand audit.
This process involves extensive research into online reviews, talking to current and past employees, and tapping into how people think and speak about you right now.
How to Audit Your Employer Brand
Here at WSI, we often see that clients either (a) have yet to learn what their employer brand is or (b) are making assumptions based on limited data. If you fall into these categories, don’t worry! We’ll show you how to take the first step toward understanding your reputation as an employer below.
Here’s how an employer brand audit works:
#1 — Data mine online reviews
86% of candidates say they read a company’s online reviews when deciding whether or not to apply for a job. This means your ability to attract the right candidates hinges on what people say about you online.
Are people talking about you on Glassdoor? Indeed? Google Reviews? We discover where the conversations are taking place and organize your reviews into trends and patterns.
#2 — Text your candidates
Texting gives us invaluable access to some of the people closest to your employer brand — your candidates! We ask them to tell us about their perception of you as an employer regarding metrics that matter to today’s employees.
Metrics such as
- Compensation
- Quality of culture
- Long-term employment opportunities
#3 — Assess your online presence
Branding content, such as your website and social media profiles, should authentically reflect your values and workplace culture. In the audit, we’ll review your online presence to assess whether or not it’s aligned with your current employer brand.
Interpret The Data
If you want to make smart decisions about where to put your resources and improve your reputation, you have to start with reliable data.
The data from your employer brand audit helps you:
- Recognize patterns and trends
- Identify areas of strength and areas for improvement
- Assess the gap between how you want to be perceived and your current reputation
In short, auditing your employer brand takes the guesswork out of improving your reputation.
WSI Has the Tools to Help
A strong employer brand will decrease your turnover, increase qualified candidate applications, and reduce the cost per hire by up to 50%. So it’s no surprise that the top employers build their brands strategically. But we also know it’s not always easy to know where to start.
Here at WSI, we have the systems and tools you need to deeply understand your employer brand and what it means for your organization. We can help you make data-informed decisions about prioritizing resources and building a brand that truly reflects the positive experience your employees have.
