Imagine you have two job offers: one that pays more than you anticipated but at a company where the reputation is long hours and high stress, and another that pays less than you asked for but offers incredible benefits and is well-known for its inclusive work environment.
As a candidate, which job offer would you choose? Is salary the most important factor? Or would you put more value on corporate culture? It’s a tough and highly personal decision — and one that jobseekers today are taking very seriously.
In a recent Jobstreet by SEEK report on global talent trends, 60% of respondents said their ideal career offers stability and a healthy work-life balance and that a company’s brand has a major impact on a candidate’s decision to join. That’s why attracting top talent in today’s competitive job market requires more than just offering appealing salaries or benefits — although those are significant pulling factors. To truly stand out, companies need to understand how to build an employer brand that highlights their values, work culture, and what employees experience on the job.
Some of the world’s most well-known companies, like Google, Salesforce, and Unilever, have built strong employer brands that attract top talent across industries. Google is renowned for its innovative workplace culture, offering employees flexibility, professional growth, and a vibrant environment. Salesforce emphasises its commitment to social responsibility, employee well-being, and inclusion, while Unilever focuses on sustainability and personal development opportunities for employees.
Although these companies have set a high standard, you don’t need to be a global giant to create a meaningful and attractive employer brand. Whether you’re a small business or a growing enterprise, building a purposeful employer brand that reflects your values and culture is entirely achievable — and essential for attracting and retaining great talent.
What is Employer Branding?
So, what is employer branding? It refers to a company’s reputation as perceived by both current employees and potential candidates. This includes everything from the company’s mission and values to the workplace culture and the typical employee experience. A well-established employer brand attracts talent, keeps employees engaged, and promotes a positive work environment.
Why Employer Branding Matters
Building a strong employer brand has become more essential than ever. The shift toward remote and hybrid work, along with changing candidate expectations, means companies must present themselves in a way that resonates with job seekers. Therefore, it is important to understand the reasons why is employer branding important in today’s market.
According to a survey by LinkedIn, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. However, this branding only works if a healthy employee experience backs it up. Research by Deloitte has shown that an empowered workforce directly translates to higher employee engagement, increasing productivity by up to 21%.
Companies that invest in their employer brand while encouraging a positive employee experience are not only more attractive to talent but also likely to see improved business outcomes.
Key Elements of a Strong Employer Brand
Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the foundation of a company’s employer brand. It outlines the unique benefits, opportunities, and experiences employees can expect from working there. A strong EVP highlights more than just pay; it includes work-life balance, career development, and workplace culture.
Corporate Culture and Values
A company’s culture plays a significant role in its overall appeal. Prospective employees look for workplaces where they feel aligned with the company’s values and mission. Organisations that clearly communicate and live by these values will find it easier to attract and retain employees who share those beliefs.
Employer Branding vs. Recruitment Marketing
It’s common to mix up employer branding and recruitment marketing, but they are different. Employer branding focuses on building the company’s long-term reputation as an employer, while recruitment marketing involves tactics aimed at filling specific job openings.
How to Build an Authentic Employer Brand
Identifying Company Strengths
One of the first steps in developing an authentic employer brand is understanding what sets your company apart. This involves gathering employee feedback and reviewing company values to get a clear picture of what’s working well and where there’s room for improvement.
Aligning Brand with Culture
To build trust, a company’s external messaging must match what’s happening internally. Employees should feel that the values and culture being promoted to the outside world are the same ones they experience within the organisation.
Internal and External Branding Efforts
Employer branding is as much about keeping current employees engaged as attracting new talent. Internal efforts can include recognition programmes, clear communication channels, and opportunities for career development. Externally, companies should highlight their workplace culture on social media, blogs, and through employee-generated content.
Five Steps to Building an Employer Brand Strategy
Creating a successful employer brand strategy requires a thoughtful, structured approach. By following these five steps, companies can build a compelling employer brand that resonates with both current and prospective employees.
- Define Your EVP: Identify what makes your company unique.
- Assess Your Current Brand: Conduct research or surveys to understand how employees and candidates perceive your company.
- Ensure Consistency: Align your external messaging with what employees actually experience.
- Leverage Employee Stories: Use real stories from employees to communicate your company’s culture.
- Monitor Progress: Use key metrics to evaluate your employer branding efforts and make adjustments as needed.
Effective Strategies for Employer Branding
Candidates often scroll through social media to see what a company does — beyond culture and values. Glimpses into an employee’s typical workday, like a blog post about their journey from intern to leader or a video featuring what employees do during team outings, would make candidates more informed and perhaps more eager to be part of the company.
Using Social Media and Content
Social media is a powerful tool for showcasing company culture. Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and even TikTok allow businesses to give potential candidates an inside look at what it’s like to work there. Understanding how to use social media for employer branding can make a big impact — think about sharing real employee stories, behind-the-scenes content, and day-to-day activities or company events to paint a picture of what it’s really like to work at the organisation. This could include office tours, snapshots of team-building activities, or highlights from company retreats.
On the Mutant social media accounts, we often share about new employees, case studies of the projects we’ve worked on, and our achievements and awards. Occasionally, we may jump on trends — like this series of photos featuring trendy icon Labubu ‘working’ in our Singapore office.
Employee-Generated Content
Your employees are your best advocates. Encourage them to share their experiences and stories about working at your company through social media channels like LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs. Content created by employees, from leaders to associates and even interns, is seen as more genuine and can help attract like-minded candidates.
Sharing Employee Experiences
Storytelling is a key part of employer branding, adding a human touch often lacking in certain industries, like tech. For instance, Samsung Southeast Asia and Oceania launched a “Beyond Work” series on LinkedIn, where employees were encouraged to share about their lives after work hours, including their hobbies and interests. This initiative sparked engagement and curiosity from the page’s followers, of which a significant percentage were potential candidates.
Addressing “Tough Topics” About Respective Industries
Companies need to tackle some issues around their industry head-on by discussing its challenges and highlighting efforts and solutions.
In high-stress sectors like healthcare, addressing industry challenges publicly can build trust and enhance employee well-being. Healthcare providers regularly face issues like staff shortages, burnout, and patient care demands.
On the bright side, organisations stand to benefit by publicly acknowledging these challenges and actively implementing solutions. In Singapore, the National University Hospital began implementing flexible scheduling for its nurses, an initiative demonstrating how the hospital supports the well-being of its staff. This makes the hospital more attractive to talent looking for sustainable career paths.
Three Strategies To Improve Employer Branding
A compelling employer brand can transform your appeal and position you as a top choice — even a “best place to work.” Once you have a solid foundation for your employer brand strategy, knowing how to improve employer branding can take your efforts even further. Here are three actionable steps that can enhance your brand’s appeal to the best candidates out there.
1. Authenticity and Openness
In today’s job market, candidates are looking for more than just a paycheck — they want to work for companies that align with their values and offer an authentic experience. Authenticity in employer branding means showing the true face of the organisation, including its culture, values, and even the challenges it faces. Being transparent about these elements creates trust with potential candidates. Companies that share genuine employee experiences, day-to-day workplace realities, and open discussions about company growth or hurdles are seen as more relatable and trustworthy.
Check out Buffer — a social media management company known for its transparency. They openly share their salary ranges on a salary transparency page, highlighting and benchmarking their employees’ salaries against the market rate.
Meanwhile, during the pandemic, Airbnb faced mass layoffs. However, the company managed to communicate openly with their employees and the public — going as far as to share stories of employees who found new opportunities. This would resonate with candidates looking for a company that values integrity.
2. Remote and Hybrid Work
As we move into 2025, offering remote or hybrid options is no longer a perk but an expectation for many candidates. Businesses that embrace these work styles show adaptability and care for their employees’ work-life balance, which makes them more appealing in a competitive talent market.
Beyond flexibility, companies need to show they have a strong and supportive remote work culture. This includes having clear communication practices, remote collaboration tools, and initiatives to maintain employee engagement and well-being, no matter where they work.
3. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Companies that embrace DEI in their employer branding send a clear message that they value different perspectives and experiences. Highlighting efforts to promote diversity within leadership, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, and ensuring equity in opportunities can make your brand more attractive to underrepresented groups.
Organisations with diverse leadership teams are 33% more likely to outperform their competitors. Highlighting initiatives like promoting diverse leaders, cultivating an inclusive workplace culture, and ensuring equitable opportunities can significantly enhance your brand’s appeal to underrepresented groups. Salesforce, for example, actively showcases its commitment to diversity through transparent reporting on workforce demographics and fair pay initiatives.
To be effective, DEI initiatives must be more than a box-checking exercise. Companies should communicate their specific goals and actions toward creating a more inclusive workplace, such as mentorship programmes, diverse hiring panels, or support for employee resource groups (ERGs).
Measuring Success
Just like any marketing or PR campaign, it’s important to measure the success of your employer brand strategy. Key metrics like employee engagement, retention rates, and candidate experience can be used to monitor the success of employer branding efforts. These reveal just how well the employer brand hits home with your current team and potential talent.
Engagement and Retention
Employee engagement is a strong indicator of a company’s employer branding. When employees are engaged and satisfied with their work environment, they are more likely to stay, which reduces turnover and creates a positive culture. To effectively measure employee engagement, consider implementing the following strategies:
- Employee Surveys: Regularly conduct anonymous surveys to gauge employee satisfaction, motivation, and overall engagement.
- 360-Degree Feedback: Gather feedback from a variety of sources, including peers, managers, and direct reports, to help identify areas where individuals can thrive.
- Industry Awards: Consider applying for awards that recognise outstanding workplace culture, which can serve as external validation of your engagement efforts. To potential candidates, these are tangible proof that your organisation values employee satisfaction.
Candidate Feedback
The experience candidates have during the hiring process is another important factor. Tracking feedback from candidates through surveys or calls, whether they are hired or not, can help companies refine their employer branding and improve how they present themselves to potential hires.
Create a Winning Employer Brand Today
As we move into 2025, developing a strong employer brand is no longer optional. Companies that focus on creating an authentic, positive work environment will find attracting and retaining talent easier. Start today by assessing your current employer brand, ensuring your strategies reflect your company’s values, and tapping into trends like remote work and DEI.
Want to make your employer brand shine like a diamond and crush the competition? Write to us at [email protected], your go-to employer branding agency in Singapore, to learn how we can help your business stand out, whether through social media content services or tailored branding strategies that attract top talent.