Why are companies prepared to dedicate so much money and resources into attracting customers, while HR is left with a fraction of the effort to attract talent?
We all know how difficult it is to attract candidates in a tight talent market. And if you’re not one of the companies throwing absurd money at enticing people, then it can be like banging your head against a brick wall.
Leadership keeps piling on the pressure and saying, “talent is a priority”. So why doesn’t your employer brand investment reflect this?!
I understand the overwhelm when you’re not a marketer, yet you’re expected to think and act like a marketer.
This poses a question: does your leadership team actually know the true value of your role?
Same same, but different
The overall driver for both functions is to create an emotional connection with your organisation, so that people buy into your company, vision and products or services.
In marketing, strategies include:
- Research and analysis
- Segmenting the target audience
- Content marketing and targeted messaging
- Content planning across multi-channel communications
- Automation and technology
ALL of which you should also be using in your talent attraction and retention strategies.
These days, we crave exceptional experiences from the brands we buy from, and this applies just as much, if not more, when it comes to choosing our employer. It’s a highly emotive purchasing decision.
Think about it.
In Marketing, there’s usually a Brand Manager for each product or service line.
When it comes to our people, why do we not have one for each talent segment? Now I know this is a stretch, but what’s really annoying is that most organisations struggle to gain investment for ONE employer brand resource. But it’s PEOPLE who are so critical to the organisation’s success.
What’s more important, really?
It comes down to the classic chicken and egg analogy…
Leadership often thinks customers come first to drive revenue, and deprioritises investment into employer branding which is necessary to help scale the team as they grow.
But this is not an effective or sustainable way of working. People must always come first.
If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers – FACT.
So do not doubt yourself. You SHOULD be supported to attract the best talent.
You know you have a great story to tell, but what you need is the investment that reflects the true value of your role.
Lay your foundations for EVP success
So, now let’s look at everything you need to attract talent:
- A marketing mindset
- Budget
- An effective Employer Value Proposition
- Compelling messaging that targets key talent
- A consistent content plan across relevant communication channels
But where the heck do you start?
To get an approved budget, the very FIRST thing you need is buy-in from leadership. Which starts with a frank conversation about why they need to invest in developing your employer branding skills to achieve hiring and retention goals.
You’re the custodian here. And it’s your responsibility to educate them. If you need help with this, get in touch to grab a free copy of my ‘Why EVP?’ deck that offers pointers to help you get senior leaders on board.
When it comes to the Marketing team, in some organisations, partnering with them to build the business case is the most effective way to get buy-in for EVP. If they don’t see the value, then it’s up to you to educate them. Marketing is KPI’d on bringing in the customers – not talent.
The EVP Project is a proven 5 step program that starts by laying the foundations for creating your EVP, starting with how to have those difficult conversations with key stakeholders.
If you’re curious, this is what else you’ll learn from The EVP Project:
- How to develop authentic, compelling messages so you can attract the right fit candidates
- How to create employer brand messaging that builds trust and loyalty
- Learn what drives and motivates your people to join and stay
- Implement your EVP through cross-functional collaboration
The best part is you get to develop your skills and progress your career, while saving your company thousands of dollars on agency fees – win/win!
Without you, there are no people. And without the right people, business growth is impossible.
Share your vision so others can see exactly why HR needs branding budget, just like Marketing.
Are you ready to discover the hidden marketer within you? Schedule a call with us to see how we can help.