Have you ever wondered why top talent should choose you over the competition? In today's competitive job market, a compelling employer brand isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity. Nearly 75% of job seekers consider employer branding before applying. The question isn't whether you have an employer brand, but whether it's attracting the right candidates. In fact organizations that seriously invest in its branding can reduce their turnover rates by up to 28%. Moreover, 50% of candidates say they wouldn't work for a company with a bad reputation—even for a pay increase. So, how does your company stand out in the eyes of top talent? Is your employer branding a magnet for high-quality candidates or a barrier keeping them away?
In this blog, we'll explore actionable strategies to build and refine your employer branding, ensuring you not only attract but also increase your employee retention rate for the company.
What is employer branding and why is it significant?
The term employer branding refers to the reputation and experience that you gain as an employer for your company. It is the identity of your firm in the eyes of the candidates, employees, and the public. But do you know this image is achieved by your company policies, values, and the privileges that you offer to your members? Only informing the public that you have a great company culture is not enough. It's indeed about showcasing the benefits you offer and following the promises that you make for employees’ well-being.
Why is it important to build a strong employer branding?
Building a strong employer branding is important to show your uniqueness that makes you different from your competitors. In fact it is all about letting candidates know why they should work for you instead of other companies. You can create a solid employer branding strategy by manifesting your distinctiveness, your values, and what makes your organization a great place to work.
Creating a strong employer branding strategy will attract talented candidates to your organization. Moreover, you also remind the existing employees why they love to work in the organization, making them happy and loyal. Employer branding is especially very important while hiring new candidates. This is because most of them gather information about the company culture before even applying to it. When you build a strong branding in the market, you can create appealing job offers and recruitment processes for job seekers. The employees will be excited to be a part of your company.
Building a strong employer branding:
Building a strong employer branding is not a task of a single day. It happens through your consistent efforts. A major part of this effort includes shaping the employee experience right from day one. According to Deloitte, one in three new hires leaves within the first six months, making it clear that onboarding is not just a process—it’s a brand touchpoint. A thoughtful and engaging onboarding experience reinforces the promises made during recruitment, strengthens employee connection, and lays the foundation for long-term retention. When new employees feel valued and supported from the beginning, they’re more likely to become loyal brand ambassadors. Here are some effective steps to help you create a strong brand.
Know your company goal :
Understand what your company values most and prioritizes - innovation, customer service, or work-life balance. It is when you identify your company's core values and mission, you can convey the necessary message to the candidates.
Employee benefits and recognition:
Employees are the backbone of an organisation. Satisfied employees will give long-term commitment to you. Offering them competitive benefits like perks, promotions, and incentives is highly important. However, other ways to keep them happy are by providing opportunities for upskilling themselves, training and development programs. You can also give them access to some online courses offered by platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Alison for skill development. Employee benefits and recognition play an important role in branding yourself.
Employee testimonial :
Do you know 86% of candidates read the company review before applying to the job role? Sharing testimonials and success stories of your existing employees will help you to acquire potential hires. Highlight employee testimonials and their positive feedback on the company culture to your website and social media channels. Moreover, such steps will also be effective in engaging and motivating your internal employees.
Work-life balance :
Most employees want a job that will help them balance their work and life. Especially the females and the women returnees seek it as they have household responsibilities along with their work. Offering remote work options if possible is indeed a great way to provide work-life balance to the employees. You can also offer them flexible working hours and a small vacation time to express your concern for their well-being.
Social Media Engagement:
Social Media is indeed a great tool in modern times to promote and brand yourself. Regularly updating your company environment, policies, mission, behind-the-scenes, etc through powerful visuals will definitely work. Hence, the audience will have a glimpse of your company culture.
Employer branding strategy of top companies:
Let us examine some of the strategies that top companies use for employer branding. These strategies are simple but effective for successful branding.
HCL :
HCL Technologies adopted the strategy, “Employee First, Customer Second” to brand themselves. It showcases how HCL transformed from a gradual decline to a sudden growth. It primarily focuses on employee engagement by taking measures such as open conversation, feedback surveys, and a work-life balance approach.
Google :
Google branded itself by taking initiatives such as highlighting its company culture, values, and the benefits they offer. They use social media and other digital platforms to showcase their work culture. It created a fun and innovative workplace for its employees, providing perks like free meals, games, and flexible working hours.
Salesforce:
Salesforce refers to their employees and clients as “Ohana”, which is a Hawaiian term for family. The company fosters inclusivity and diversity in the workplace, treating them as part of its family.
Zappos:
If you have a look at Zappos’ Instagram account, you will find numerous behind-the-scenes photos and videos that focus on how great it is for employees to work there. Zappos is a brilliant example of high-quality branding.
Starbucks :
What strikes us in its branding strategy is - it refers to its team members and employees as “partners”. The company posts content on Instagram and Twitter that is meant to promote job opportunities, employee work experience, and various benefits it offers to the staff.
Airbnb:
Airbnb attracts top talent through its policy of “work from anywhere” privilege for its employees. Remote work with flexibility is what most of the candidates seek in this digital era.
Microsoft:
Microsoft focuses on bridging the gender gap. It motivates the female workers and celebrates their success.
Why is Employer branding a necessity in the contemporary age?
Building a solid employer brand is not only for the big companies, but for every businessman to stay competitive. Top companies have proven that when you prioritize your employees, they will consider themselves as part of your company. You can definitely build a positive and engaging workforce by investing in their growth and well-being. The benefits, perks, and recognition for members’ hard work will attract potential employees and retain them for longer.
So whether you are a large corporation or a small start-up, invest smartly in your employer branding. However, if you’re looking to simplify and scale your talent acquisition without compromising on quality or culture, platforms like Utkrisht are a game-changer. Utkrisht helps companies globally hire top-tier talent with end-to-end workforce management — from onboarding to mentoring and compliance. Its unique model ensures cost-effective hiring, seamless integration, and long-term retention, thereby, making it an ideal partner in building your employer brand.
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