“Success follows those who champion a cause greater than themselves”

“Talent is our biggest asset” the buzzline of all top companies but also reflected in the lengths companies are going to attract and retain employees, particularly those who can make a difference to the success of their companies.

It is an increasingly competitive talent market and thus it is becoming a business essential to create and mould a strong employer brand in order to attract an increasingly discerning candidate. Your employer brand is your reputation as an employer, it is the perception of an employee experience while in a company.

As it is a reputation and a perception it is impossible to control but companies can try to manage and guide it.

For years, there has been a focus on material benefits and salaries but as companies have become increasingly aligned in these candidates are looking to discover the personality and path of a company on top of what they will take home at the end of a month. (This doesn’t mean ping pong tables and free muffins though these can be nice)

This is where a strong Employee value proposition and a strong employer brand comes to the fore. One tactic that can help your company stand out and develop a good employer brand is engaging with a cause aligned to your company values and one which holds importance to your talent community.

 

Becoming a champion of a cause:

This has to be a natural connection with your company and something in which you can truly invest and believe. People will quickly recognise and figure out if you are utilising a cause for purely selfish reasons rather than having an interest in it and caring about it. By having this natural connection with the cause, you can be more confident that the cause will be meaningful to your community.

Placing a cause at the centre of your employer brand can connect with potential employees who are equally invested in it and who will therefore automatically have a point of similarity when it comes to personality and culture. The relationship between employee and employer has grown increasingly important as both parties look for a cultural fit. This is often defined by attitudes to work and innovation, social groups and common ambitions but a connection to a cause can be another feature and could connect your company with a group of previously passive people.

It can also become a point of difference for you and can show that the company more than a faceless money-making machine. In doing this, you are already ahead of some of the competition. In recent times, people have looked to increasingly leave a lasting and broader impact on the world and if their employer can facilitate this then they may be more attracted to their proposition. With the growth in the number of millennials in the workplace and their increased focus on CSR and the wider impact of their work, it is more important than ever to align yourself with a cause.

Employees also feel an increased sense of loyalty when they are aware and in support of the cause promoted by their employer. By feeling that they are part of something greater employees can feel a loyalty to the company, their colleagues and managers and the cause which they have helped through the course of their employment.

 

Engaging with your talent community through other avenues is increasingly essential for companies in a competitive candidate-driven market. Social cause initiatives can have a real impact on your hiring cost and quality of hire as part of a strong employer brand. The idea of aligning your company with a cause is one manner through which employers can look to achieve this achievement and can bring immense benefits in talent attraction, conversion and retention.

 

You can read my previous blog on utilising Podcasts as a medium for employer branding and candidate engagement here: http://www.verifyrecruitment.com/blog/index.php/podcasting-recruitment/