With the year well underway, many companies are looking to get back into the thick of regular business and day-to-day operations. Some are even ready to resume hiring and/or bring back employees who were furloughed. To say things will be the same as they were pre-pandemic, however, is quite an understatement. Employees have come to expect new safety standards and working arrangements, and employers who do not deliver, risk losing out on top talent. This is why your employer brand is more important than ever before.

Your employer brand, in other words, refers to your company’s reputation among current, former, and future employees. It’s what makes you a great place to work and generates buzz and excitement about the prospect of working for your company.

With the workplace changing, now is the time to refresh your employer brand. Here are 4 ways to get started:

Put safety first

It might sound cliche, but building a safe environment is the first step to building a stronger employer brand.  In order to open your business properly, safety protocols need to be established and then followed to a tee. Once you feel confident enough that you can provide a suitable, healthy environment for all your returning employees, make it known. Being transparent about this information on your company website, social media platforms, and employee review sites will help solidify your intentions of providing a safe workplace for your employees—helping you attract new talent.  According to our 2021 Hiring Outlook, over 25% of employees did not agree with how their employer handled the COVID-19 crisis. By learning from their mistakes and openly associating yourself as a company that abides by practical health measures, you’ll be an attractive option for any professional looking for a stable change in scenery.

Don’t be too proud to brag

If your company has won any awards, hit a major milestone, or been positively featured in the news, it should definitely be known. Leverage your social media platforms, company website, and employer branding materials to professionally flaunt your success. Both passive and active job seekers will be attracted to an employer that practices transparency, and this certainly relates to positive company trends. In a landscape where things can change by the day, the stability and growth opportunities company successes can offer can be a major factor in an individual’s decision to go with one employer over another. 

Ask for employee testimonials

If you’re afraid to do the talking yourself, let your employees do it for you. Prospective professionals are always aware when a hiring manager is trying to sell them hard on a role. But in today’s world where there are so many platforms for folks to share their opinions on, being given the option to hear an employee’s personal experience is as good as a recommendation as you can get—especially if that employee works in a similar role or setting. Employee testimonials are an excellent way to lure in new professionals through personability and experience. Whether featuring them on your website and social media pages or having your HR team incorporate them into their new recruitment strategies, hands-on experience is always the best form of review.

Put plans into action

A solid review will do wonders for you, but putting words into actions is even better. Show staff and prospective new hires that you take their expectations seriously by making actionable changes. While these workplace updates will vary by company and industry, this may include more flexible work schedules, a “work from anywhere” policy, bonus vacation days, and more opportunities for remote roles. Promises are easy to make. Change takes commitment, and effort, but when implemented effectively, it can go a long way in showing employees that you care about their needs and overall happiness.