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    How to Address Hiring Tension After Public Layoffs

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    Over 1,000 tech companies cut upward of 260,000 jobs in 2023 alone. Thousands of layoffs in the past few years have meant companies faced uphill battles with public and candidate perception. This is especially true for the layoffs that were handled poorly. 

    Employees today want companies that bring more than just job satisfaction through pay. Candidates seek value-driven companies that affirm their values. According to Gartner, 82% of employees surveyed say it’s important for their company to view them as a person – not just a worker. However, only 45% of employees believe their organization actually sees them as such. 

    Especially during layoffs, companies need to uphold their values and be empathetic to what employees are experiencing. Data shows that transparency during layoffs builds trust. A PwC survey found that 58% of employees say encouraging managers to increase communications with remaining team members fosters trust during reorganization. 

    Related: Why You Should be Recruiting Laid Off Talent (+ 3 Key Strategies) 

    The key to creating trust and building a positive image of the company is employer branding. According to a recent Hired survey, 41% of employers plan on increasing employer branding in their 2024 hiring strategy.

    Employer branding helps talent pros attract and retain top. A positive and well-defined employer brand enhances reputation, boosts employee engagement, and leads to higher productivity and lower turnover rates. Strong employer branding becomes more important than ever when companies implement layoffs. 

    Hired predicts TA will feel the heat as companies that handled layoffs poorly struggle with recruiting and feel tension with managers over the cost of vacancy.

    “Companies that were quick to downsize are beginning to realize the negative ramifications, as evidenced by recent headlines about hiring boomerangs. Organizations that laid off staff empathetically, offered severance packages, and helped workers land on their feet will have an easier time hiring and winning back talent, compared to those that face reputational issues.” Samantha Friedman, Hired SVP People Strategy.

    Biggest change to hiring strategies for 2024? Surveyed employers say it’s a greater emphasis on employer branding. When asked if their company’s growth has been hurt more by layoffs than the economy, 41% of employers said yes, while respondents at medium-sized companies (300-9999 employees) were most likely to agree.

    If their company experienced layoffs and made headlines in the news or chatter on social media for poor execution, companies will need to repair the damage through employer branding. If response rates or acceptance rates were low before, imagine what they’re like after negative publicity from a poorly executed reduction in force.

    Efforts to repair reputations and employer brands will be especially valuable to technical sourcers, recruiters, and TA teams, who are on the front lines and often the first point of contact with a candidate.

    Hired’s CEO on companies mishandling layoffs

    In a recent Talk Talent to Me episode, Hired CEO Josh Brenner discussed layoffs and how companies choosing to handle them would affect their success in rehiring. 

    A Hired survey revealed 68% of tech employers would feel confident rehiring employees they laid off. However, only 15% of unemployed workers would definitely accept a job from an employer who laid them off. 

    Reflecting on these stats, Josh explained, “One of the key pieces of that connection talent has to companies when looking at the values is trust. They want to feel like they can trust their employer… The companies that handled those layoffs poorly will have a very small chance of getting any of those employees back. They have their challenge cut out for them. Not only are they not going to be able to get the boomerang employees back, but they really need to focus on their recruiting efforts. 

    Those companies now have employer branding issues. People talk, use social media, and check company review sites like Glassdoor and Blind. Talent teams now have a hard job within those companies to rebuild trust with jobseekers.” 

    What can companies do to address that? Josh suggests they be transparent in the recruiting process. They should share why things happened the way they did, what they learned, and how they will adhere to their values going forward.

    Related: Transparency is one of Hired’s vision values, so each year Hired recognizes companies who demonstrate it (and equity and efficiency) in their hiring processes and activity. Check out the 2023 List of Top Employers Winning Tech Talent.

    How companies are strengthening employer branding

    Whether companies are rehiring post-reorganization or looking to build general brand awareness, investing in employer branding is a strategic move. Bark, Chase, and Wayfair turned to Hired as a solution to strengthen their brands in tech and increase awareness among highly qualified software engineering talent. 

    Bark wanted greater brand recognition among experienced Front-end, Back-end, and Full Stack Engineers. Hired Events hosted a virtual candidate event (VCE) for Bark featuring their CEO, Tech Leadership, and Talent team sharing how they navigated through adverse times and exceeded business goals.

    Offering the opportunity to directly connect with the tech team and showcase the company’s ability to adapt and excel through diversity boosted Bark’s appeal to engineers. Nearly 90% of attendees opted in to learn more about life at Bark!

    See how Hired helped Chase and Wayfair through similar Virtual Candidate Events hosted by Hired.

    The cost of vacancy as a key concern

    As companies struggle with rehiring after layoffs, we found that 63% of employers say the cost of vacancy (CoV) is a key cause of concern. 

    Our survey also revealed that 70% of mid-market or scale-ups (vs 61% SMBs, 58% ENTs) expressed this concern. Data also showed that 76% of hiring managers have this concern as CoV affects their teams and project deadlines the most. This is compared to 63% of executives and 49% of TA/recruiters.

    What is the cost of vacancy?

    The cost of vacancy is a figure expressing the dollars lost due to leaving a job position unfilled. The costs may be hidden in inefficiency, training hours, knowledge loss, and further attrition from team members taking on more work. Especially concerning is the lost opportunity for research and development along with potentially hindering the ability to capture growth or market share.

    Related: Less Competition, More Talent: Here’s How to Recruit in an Economic Downturn 

    In the longer-term view, an open position may lead to:

    loss of productivity and revenue,

    the slowdown of goals and projects’ roadmaps,

    the negative impact on deadlines and employee morale,

    retention issues, and

    even a loss of market share.

    The ripple effect of vacancies is damaging to business. Here’s what organizations can do to calculate the costs of vacancy reboot hiring.

    Related: Restart Recruitment Guide: How To Reboot Tech Hiring Post-Freeze  More

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      From Data to Success: Experian’s ROI Journey with the Employer Brand Index

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      At Link Humans, we’re always eager to delve into anything data-related. In this context, we had the privilege of chatting with Doug Kelsall, Global Recruitment Marketer and Branding Director at Experian, about the pivotal role the Employer Brand Index (EBI) plays in helping them gauge Return on Investment (ROI).
      In this edition of the Employer Branding Podcast, Kelsall sheds light on why Experian’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP) activation is an ongoing project and how the EBI serves as the cornerstone for their ROI assessment.
      EVP Tailored for Employee Engagement
      As the world’s foremost global information services company, Experian navigates diverse markets. It is known as a B2C entity in North America for consumer credit reporting and a B2B specialist in data analytics across Asia. The challenge lies in crafting an EVP that bridges these disparate perceptions while positioning Experian as an attractive destination for top tech talent.
      Kelsall emphasizes, “Our employer brand is designed to carry the load in talent attraction and brand awareness,” focusing on real employee stories and moments. Their EVP concentrates on employee engagement and the values crucial to their workforce.
      Evolving EVP Activation
      Experian’s EVP centers around four pillars: People first, Force for good, Innovate, and Together we win. Kelsall identifies “People first” and “Force for good” as the most popular among employees, reflecting the company’s genuine commitment to culture. He highlights the latter, “Force for good,” as a testament to Experian’s impactful work driving financial inclusion.
      Mapping the EVP across 16 employee lifecycle stages, from attraction to development, poses a substantial challenge. EVP activation is an ongoing process of refinement, aligning various materials, such as job postings and training materials, to ensure consistency.
      ROI Measurement through the EBI
      The tangible results are evident, with Experian reporting a record number of applications last year. Now, the focus is on elevating candidate quality and passive talent attraction. Kelsall relies on various accreditations and awards, including Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and the CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark. Additionally, Experian turns to Link Humans’ Employer Brand Index, a data-driven external evaluation, to measure success and prove the ROI on employer brand.
      These metrics form the foundation of a comprehensive monthly employer branding newsletter, reaching all of HR and beyond. Experian’s CEO has discussed their successful Glassdoor strategy with investors, indicating the increasing importance of employer brand in the company’s future.
      Insights and Tips from Kelsall
      For a deeper dive into Experian’s employer brand strategy, listeners are encouraged to explore the podcast. Kelsall offers valuable advice for employer brand professionals, emphasizing the power of collaboration and diversity within the team. He underscores the importance of consistency, stating that it outperforms sporadic moments of brilliance. Maintaining a candidate-centric approach consistently across platforms is key to success.

      Given the awards and metrics, it’s evident that Experian is making significant strides in the realm of employer branding. For those interested in Doug Kelsall’s work, connecting with him on LinkedIn is recommended. To measure your employer brand’s effectiveness, the Employer Brand Index, with its 16 key attributes, provides valuable insights for industry comparison.
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      The Science of Attraction: Thermo Fisher’s Data-Powered Employer Branding

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      In the ever-evolving world of talent acquisition, employer branding reigns supreme. It’s the alchemy of company culture, employee experience, and reputation distilled into a potent elixir that attracts and retains the best minds. But how do we know if this potent brew is actually working? For many, measuring the impact of employer branding remains an elusive quest.
      Enter Thermo Fisher Scientific, a global behemoth straddling the realms of pharma, life sciences, and chemical research. With a million products, from electron microscopes to cancer treatments and specialized roles spanning the globe, filling their talent pool is no small feat. Yet, amidst this scientific labyrinth, Thermo Fisher has cracked the code of employer branding measurement, not through guesswork, but through cold, complex data.
      Their secret weapon? A multi-pronged approach that delves beyond superficial metrics like website visits and applications. Here, we dissect Thermo Fisher’s strategies, revealing the science behind their employer branding success:
      The Triple Helix of Engagement:
      Thermo Fisher’s framework is built on three key pillars:

      Website: Beyond the Clickbait: They don’t get fooled by vanity metrics. Instead, they dissect their careers site with laser precision. Kenty Brumant, their Senior Manager of Talent Attraction and Employer Brand, advocates for splitting visitors into new and returning. This exposes how effectively they attract fresh talent, while also gauging their site’s ability to retain and engage existing candidates. But Brumant doesn’t stop there. He tracks time spent on non-application pages, understanding that the longer candidates explore, the higher the chance of them signing up for job alerts, applying, or simply absorbing the company’s essence.

      Social Media: The Conversation Amplifier: Thermo Fisher leverages the Employer Brand Index (EBI) to gauge public perception. However, they’re not passive listeners. They actively seek out conversations happening across platforms, not just on job boards or the usual social media suspects. A prime example? When recruiting data scientists, they discovered the relevant buzz happening not on LinkedIn, but on Stack Overflow, a programmer’s haven. This led to the creation of a dedicated Thermo Fisher page on the platform, attracting the niche talent they craved.

      Internal Advocacy: The Employee Pulse: Thermo Fisher knows their greatest brand ambassadors aren’t external influencers but their own employees. They conduct regular internal surveys not to gather dust but to generate actionable insights and quick wins for each business group. These range from encouraging employee storytelling to soliciting reviews and boosting engagement. But it doesn’t stop there. They partner with HR to track crucial metrics like internal mobility, diversity and inclusion, and corporate social responsibility. This data adds context to survey results and helps tailor their employer branding efforts for maximum impact.

      The External Seal of Approval:
      Their data-driven approach isn’t just self-congratulatory. Thermo Fisher’s #7 ranking on the prestigious Fortune 500 Candidate Experience Report speaks volumes. It’s external validation that their meticulous measurement translates to tangible results, attracting top talent and creating a desirable employer brand.
      Unveiling the Blueprint:
      So, what can we learn from Thermo Fisher’s scientific approach to employer branding?

      Go Beyond the Superficial: Don’t get caught up in vanity metrics. Dig deeper into engagement, conversion, and internal feedback to paint a holistic picture.

      Embrace the Conversation: Listen actively to what people are saying about you on social media and beyond. Adapt your strategy to meet them where they are, not just on the usual platforms.

      Empower Your Employees: They are your biggest advocates. Leverage their insights and enthusiasm to build an authentic brand from within.

      Quantify and Validate: Track key metrics and use HR data to add context. External recognition like industry awards serves as valuable validation for your efforts.

      Remember, measuring employer branding isn’t about finding a single magic number. It’s about understanding what matters to your audience and using that knowledge to build a strong, authentic brand that resonates with the talent you seek. Thermo Fisher Scientific has shown us that through a data-driven approach, we can not only measure the impact of employer branding, but also harness its power to attract and retain the best minds in the game. Now, it’s your turn to write your own scientific success story.

      To follow Kenty Brumant’s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help gathering data and insights you can act on to improve your own company, get in touch.
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      Activision Blizzard’s Talent Attraction Strategy: Three Brands, Three EVPs

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      Activision Blizzard is a well-known name in the video game industry, with three distinct brands: King, Blizzard Entertainment, and Activision. Each brand has its own unique identity and EVP (employee value proposition), which helps the company attract and retain top talent. In this episode of our Employer Branding Podcast, we talk to Alex Horner, the Global Head of Talent Attraction at Activision Blizzard, about how they manage three separate brands for three unique game studios.

      The Unique Talent Challenges of the Video Game Industry
      Making video games is a complex process that requires a wide range of skills, from game design and engineering to art and animation. “There are so many incredibly niche roles and skillsets needed to make games,” says Horner, “and we need to articulate why someone with such an in-demand skillset might want to join us and what the benefit they would get from coming here might be.”
      One of the challenges of attracting talent to the video game industry is that it is a very competitive field. There are many different companies vying for the same talent, so it is important to have a strong EVP that will resonate with potential hires.
      Activision Blizzard’s Three Distinct EVPs
      Activision Blizzard has developed three distinct EVPs for its three brands:

      Activision: “Great games start with great people.” This EVP is focused on attracting talent who is passionate about creating blockbusters for the largest audience possible.

      Blizzard Entertainment: “Entertain the universe.” This EVP is focused on attracting talent who is passionate about creating genre-defining titles that are known for their fantasy and immersion.

      King: “Make the world playful.” This EVP is focused on attracting talent who is passionate about creating inclusive games that are accessible to a wide audience.

      Why Employee Advocacy Is Key to Activision Blizzard’s EVP Activation
      Activision Blizzard has found that employee advocacy is a key to activating its EVPs. “We really wanted to put our people at the heart of the storytelling and to have them tell the story on our behalf,” says Horner. The company has an employee advocacy program that identifies employees who are a good fit and takes them through a structured learning and development program to help them build their personal brand.
      The employee advocacy program has been very successful in helping Activision Blizzard attract top talent. With 55 people in the program, they collectively have 500,000 followers on LinkedIn and generate 2-4 million impressions on a monthly basis.
      The Benefits of Activision Blizzard’s EVP Strategy
      Activision Blizzard’s EVP strategy has a number of benefits for the company:

      It helps the company attract top talent in a competitive field.
      It helps the company differentiate its brands and attract talent to the right studio.
      It helps the company create a strong employer brand that is known for its passion for creating great games.

      Activision Blizzard’s EVP strategy is a great example of how companies can use employer branding to attract and retain top talent. By developing distinct EVPs for its brands, the company is able to attract talent with the skills and experience it needs to be successful. The company’s employee advocacy program is also a key part of its EVP strategy, and it has been very successful in helping the company attract top talent.
      Conclusion
      Activision Blizzard’s EVP strategy is a complex and multifaceted approach to employer branding. However, it is a strategy that is working well for the company, and it is one that other companies can learn from.

      To follow Alex Horner’s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help with your own EVP, get in touch. We help you identify the values and culture you want to create in your company.
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      Navigating Employer Branding in APAC’s Diverse Talent Landscape

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      The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with its rapid digital transformation and vast internet user base, presents a dynamic and challenging environment for employer branding. Glynnis Quek, APAC Online Marketing Lead at Google, shares insights on navigating this diverse landscape and effectively attracting top talent.
      Understanding APAC’s Nuances
      APAC’s linguistic diversity, evident in over 2,000 languages and dialects, demands localized content. Chinese, for instance, has unique variations in each country, necessitating customized messaging for Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China.
      Platform preferences vary across markets. LinkedIn is favored in India and Australia, but less prominent in Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. China has its own platforms, necessitating a shift from global channels.
      Cultural preferences also play a role. Stories highlighting a fun workplace culture resonate well in Korea, while professional development and career growth are key drivers in Singapore.
      Addressing Misconceptions about Western Companies
      Western companies often face misconceptions in APAC, such as the need for strong English language skills, rigid Western workplace cultures, and incompatibility with traditional values.
      Google’s #GoogleRamadan campaign effectively challenged these perceptions by showcasing Muslim employees, resonating deeply with APAC’s sizeable Muslim population and prompting the global expansion of the campaign.
      Balancing Global Strategy with Local Resonance
      Google maintains a global employer brand strategy while ensuring local relevance. Quek assembles cross-functional teams with local subject matter experts and traditional employer branding partners, empowering them to work within the global framework while adapting it for their specific markets.
      Partnerships for Success
      Partnerships are crucial for effective employer branding in APAC. Google’s Women Techmakers initiative in India and the Google Aboriginal and Indigenous Network in Australia are examples of localized partnerships that resonate with diverse talent pools.

      Empowering Local Teams to Create Resonant Content
      The key to success lies in empowering local teams to create content that resonates with their markets. Quek emphasizes the importance of combining a robust global employer brand strategy with innovative local teams capable of adapting content for their specific audiences.
      Bottom Line
      APAC’s growing tech talent and burgeoning middle class make it an increasingly important region for global brands. By understanding local nuances, addressing misconceptions, balancing global strategy with local resonance, and forging strategic partnerships, companies can effectively attract top talent in this dynamic region.
      To follow Glynnis Quek’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn. For more on Google’s global employer brand strategy, listen to our episode with Mary Streetzel. For help identifying the values and culture you want to create in your company, get in touch.
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      Netflix: An Employer Brand Built on Freedom and Responsibility

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      When it comes to company culture, Netflix is a force to be reckoned with. Its famous “Freedom & Responsibility Culture” presentation has made waves and introduced ideas that are now commonplace, like unlimited paid time off and a radical approach to employee empowerment.
      But what’s really behind Netflix’s unique approach to company culture? And how do they attract and recruit top talent in both tech and entertainment?
      We sat down with Sergio Ezama, Chief Human Resources Officer at Netflix, to find out.
      Simplicity is Key
      At Netflix, everything is based on five simple principles:

      Encourage decision-making by employees
      Share information openly, broadly, and deliberately
      Communicate candidly and directly
      Keep only your highly effective people
      Avoid rules

      These guidelines inform all sorts of management policies at Netflix, from their unlimited vacation policy to their five-word expense policy: “Act in Netflix’s best interest.”
      This management structure, which Netflix sums up as “highly aligned and loosely coupled,” enables them to grow while still retaining the ability to make big pivots quickly. In short, it’s how they were able to transition from mailing DVDs directly to customers into becoming a video streaming platform, and then make the jump into producing their own high-quality content.
      Working with the Best
      Ezama quickly points out that the Netflix culture memo is an external document, not an internal one. They want it to be the first thing a candidate reads about the company and the first document you receive if you’re applying for a job.
      “We want to strike a balance between being a bit different, being credible, and being aspirational,” Ezama says. That means putting what they stand for front and center and being OK with the fact that it’s not going to appeal to everyone. The work is challenging, and excellence is expected because that’s what it takes to be the best at what you do.
      For Ezama and the candidates he’s looking for, the chance to be on a dream team that comes together to solve very challenging problems makes working at Netflix so rewarding. It’s the central Employer Value Proposition that drives all of their employer branding work.
      “Industries will change over time, and cultures will change over time,” he says, “but working with the best people is something that will remain constant.”
      Measuring Success
      As the CHRO of a large organization, Ezama is passionate about measuring the success of employer branding efforts. When someone comes to him with an idea, the first thing he’s looking for is conviction. Are you passionate about this? Are you really, truly behind this? And secondly, what is the evidence? What output can we measure?
      At Netflix, they rely on the Employer Brand Index to give them the data they need to measure their employer branding efforts. “The work that we do with Link Humans helps us understand if we’re being competitive or not, not only with Netflix but also relative to those we compete against,” Ezama says.
      So, what’s the takeaway?
      Netflix is a company that is committed to simplicity, excellence, and working with the best people. If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding work environment where you can be part of a dream team that solves big problems, then Netflix might be the place for you.
      But be warned: Netflix is not for everyone. The work is challenging and excellence is expected. If a candidate is not up for the challenge, then it’s probably best to look elsewhere.
      But if they are ready to join a team of the best and brightest minds in the world, then Netflix is the place to be.

      To follow Sergio Ezama’s work, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help gathering data and insights you can act on to improve your own company, get in touch.
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      How Mars Used the Employer Brand Index to Refresh Their EVP

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      Developing an employer value proposition (EVP) is essential for any organization that wants to attract and retain top talent.
      The EVP is a statement that summarizes the unique value that a company offers to its employees. It is a promise to employees about what they can expect in terms of compensation, benefits, development opportunities, and overall work experience.
      An EVP is essential for any organization that wants to attract and retain top talent. It helps communicate the company’s culture and values and shows potential employees why they should choose to work there.
      But how do you know if your EVP is working? And how do you know when it’s time for a refresh?
      That’s where Link Humans’ Employer Brand Index (EBI) comes in. The EBI is a comprehensive analysis of your employer brand that tells you what candidates, employees, and alumni are saying about your company online.
      Mars, Inc. is a global company with over 140,000 employees in 80 countries. They recently used the EBI to guide an EVP refresh for their organization.

      Refreshing an EVP on a Global Scale
      Mars is a complex organization with a wide range of businesses. Their EVP needed to be something that could resonate with employees and candidates all over the world.
      The first step in the refresh process was to conduct an EBI survey. The survey asked respondents about their perceptions of Mars on a variety of factors, including career development, culture and values, and work-life balance.
      The results of the survey showed that Mars had a strong reputation among its employees and candidates. However, there were a few areas where the company could improve. For example, respondents felt that Mars could do more to promote its mission and purpose.
      Using the EBI to Supplement Internal Surveys and Focus Groups
      In addition to the EBI report, Mars also conducted internal surveys and focus groups. These surveys and focus groups provided additional insights into the company’s culture and employee satisfaction.
      However, the EBI data had some advantages over the internal surveys and focus groups. First, the EBI survey was anonymous, which allowed respondents to be more honest. Second, the EBI survey reached a wider audience, including candidates and alumni.
      How Mars Uses the EBI
      Mars now uses the EBI to measure the effectiveness of its EVP on a regular basis. The company also uses the EBI to inform its decision-making on a variety of topics, such as talent acquisition, employee engagement, and corporate communications.
      Establishing Your EBI Baseline
      The EBI is a valuable tool for any organization that wants to attract and retain top talent. By using the EBI, you can get a clear understanding of how your employer brand is perceived by candidates, employees, and alumni. This information can help you to identify areas where you can improve your EVP and make your organization a more attractive place to work.
      To follow Marie Codet’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn. For help gathering data and insights you can act on to improve your own company, get in touch.
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      HelloFresh: Solving a Global Talent Challenge with Upskilled Talent Engagement

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      HelloFresh is a global meal kit delivery company that operates in 18 countries. This gives them a unique challenge when it comes to talent acquisition: they need to find local talent with niche skills to support their complex distribution and logistics.
      In this article, we’ll explore how HelloFresh has solved this challenge by upskilling their talent engagement team. We’ll also share five actionable tips from Carolina Guillen, Head of Global Talent Marketing and Engagement at HelloFresh, on how you can engage your own talent team in employer branding.
      The Talent Challenge of Global Logistics
      HelloFresh is headquartered in Berlin and New York, but they operate in eighteen countries worldwide. The core business model of delivering meal kits remains the same from country to country. However, the logistical problem of storing, packaging, and shipping ingredients so that they arrive fresh at a customer’s door in all of these different markets creates a unique hiring challenge for Guillen and her team.
      Different countries have different regulations governing food safety, food storage, shipping, and so on. This means that HelloFresh needs to fill roles locally in supply chain, fulfillment, and technical specialist areas to meet these requirements in each market.
      “We often need to find local talent that comes with a very specific skill or certification,” says Guillen.
      In short, there’s a lot of work to be done in talent acquisition and talent engagement. And that got Guillen thinking: could we engage this team to activate our employer brand?
      How HelloFresh Upskills Their Talent Engagement Team
      The talent engagement team at HelloFresh comes from a background in traditional sourcing and recruiting. However, Guillen has started to upskill them with marketing and project management skillsets.
      “Our main goal is for them to be delivering 360 solutions for top-of-funnel needs,” she says. This means that they’re responsible for developing event, talent community, and referral strategies. They’re also involved in developing strategies for reputation management and social media marketing.
      This approach creates alignment between Guillen’s employer branding team and the people who put it into action throughout the recruitment and hiring process. Talent acquisition has a say in what they’re being asked to do and also participates in developing strategies for employer branding.
      Moreover, upskilling these employees into comb-shaped experts with new skill sets gives them more flexibility to grow into the career they want at HelloFresh.
      In the episode, we asked Guillen for some actionable tips you can use to engage your recruitment team in employer branding work.
      Here are her 5 Ideas for Recruitment Team Engagement:

      Create a content strategy with talent acquisition in mind. Your talent acquisition team members have very direct control and influence on the candidate journey, so they can help you build pieces that are aligned with your employer brand.
      Fall in love with your candidate, not your brand. We put a lot of energy into developing an employer brand, but sometimes that makes it difficult to take a step back and see what’s working. “From my point of view, it’s much more beneficial to be a critic of your brand,” says Guillen. Instead, fall in love with your audience and build content that is made just for them.
      Don’t be afraid to reuse content. Developing quality content takes energy and focus. But when you’ve got something that works, how can you be sure it’s getting in front of the right people? And how can you get the most ROI for your efforts? Guillen recommends rehashing and recycling your campaigns and the pieces of content you create. You can get a lot of extra value by changing formats or platforms. One thing they’re doing at HelloFresh, for example, is transcribing videos they made earlier to use as the basis for new series of blog posts.
      Every good story needs a hero. Use stories about real people to tell the story of your company and to connect with candidates on a personal level. “When you can tell a story that is authentic and relatable, it really resonates with people,” says Guillen.
      Build for scale by making “recipes.” This will help you document your processes and make it easier to replicate them in the future. “We’ve created a lot of playbooks and templates that we can share with our team,” says Guillen. “This helps us to scale our efforts and make sure that everyone is on the same page.”

      To follow Carolina Guillen’s work on employer brand, follow her on LinkedIn. For help creating data-driven, actionable strategies you can use to make real change in your company, talk to us.
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      How to Use Your Employer Brand to Reduce Hiring Costs

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      The success of every company hinges on its people. But attracting the best talent isn’t always an easy feat. Companies often invest significant amounts of money into the bottom of the recruitment process — job boards and recruiters. But at Flexa, we’ve found that a great employer brand can reduce hiring costs whilst attracting the high-quality candidates your company needs to grow.
      At its simplest, employer branding is a combination of:

      Your employee value proposition (EVP), which will probably centre around your working environment and flexible working policies

      Your company culture

      Your employees’ voices.

      And then, importantly, knowing exactly how and where to shout about all this hard work!
      Here’s how it’s done.
      1. Identify your Employee Value Proposition
      A strong employer brand is built on authenticity, transparency, and a positive reputation. Start by working out what you want to be known for, what you represent, and what you can offer employees that other companies can’t (this is your EVP). This is the perfect time to identify any areas for improvement that don’t reflect positively on your brand. It’s never too late to shake up company culture to attract and retain a happy team.
      When setting out your EVP, make sure to be authentic. There’s no point in making promises you can’t keep, as this only leads to disgruntled new hires later on.
      Once you’ve identified your EVP and what makes you unique, you can start shouting about it.
      2. Leverage social media
      Social media is an indispensable tool for employer branding. Create a strong presence on relevant platforms (at Flexa we love LinkedIn) and consistently share content that reflects your company’s culture, values, and employee achievements. Engage with potential candidates through relevant hashtags and participate in industry discussions (hosting your webinars can be a great way to draw people in). By utilizing these platforms effectively, you can reach a broader talent pool and reduce reliance on expensive recruitment agencies or job boards by having talent excited to be part of your company when you are ready to hire.
      3. Encourage employee advocacy
      There are no better advocates for your company than those who already work for you. They’re your biggest ambassadors and the most authentic marketing tool. Encourage employees to share their positive experiences and wins on social media; and amplify their stories through company channels and website testimonials. At Flexa, our team often posts about how they’re making the most of flexible work.
      By leveraging employee voices, you can tap into the networks of trusted employees whilst giving potential candidates an invaluable window into your world, so they can make an educated decision about whether you’re the right fit for them.
      Remember though, this needs to be authentic: people are smart; they can tell when someone has been told to post something nice about a company. The real stories from real employees will have a much more significant impact!
      4. Shake up your success metrics
      Many companies will measure their employer brand’s success using applications and hires alone. But your employer brand is far more extensive than that, so you need to evolve the marketing metrics you use to measure it.
      Employer brand is a strategic marketing effort. Therefore, when starting out, consider measuring the success of your efforts using metrics like reach (impressions/profile views on company and employee pages), engagement (company saves/likes/subscribes/ speculative interest), and audience relevance (diversity/geography/ skills of candidates coming through the pipeline).
      Lower down the funnel, you need to measure applications and hires, as well as things like alignment and diversity. If you focus on getting maximum relevant reach to start with, you will drive down your ultimate cost to hire.
      5. Foster positive candidate experiences
      Treating candidates with respect and providing them with a positive experience during the hiring process can significantly impact your employer brand. Maintain clear communication throughout the process, provide timely feedback, and offer a smooth and efficient application process. Even if a candidate is not selected, leaving them with a positive impression can lead to recommendations or future applications. This approach helps build a strong employer brand and reduces the need for extensive and costly recruitment efforts in the future.
      6. Don’t just focus on employer brand when you’re hiring
      An employer brand doesn’t just need your attention when you’ve got roles to fill. If you want to build a strong talent pipeline, you need to have a true focus on your employer brand all year round.
      Rather than forcing applications reactively when you have vacancies, focus on proactively nurturing relationships with potential candidates and engaging with passive candidates online, on platforms like Flexa, and at networking events and conferences all year round. Maintain regular communication with these individuals using the free channels at your disposal. Being consistent in these efforts will pay dividends when it comes to bringing great talent through the pipeline and reducing your cost to hire.
      Employer branding should be an essential part of your talent attraction and marketing strategy. If you’re not doing it, take a few steps to get started. It’s easy once you know how.
      By Beth Carter, Head of Growth at Flexa.
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