Why Reputation Management Matters for Recruitment

Are you prevailing in “the war for talent”? The term, coined by McKinsey & Company in 1997, reflects the critical role skillful workers play in achieving corporate success and the hardships companies face to recruit those talents.

Ample job opportunities pose a recruitment challenge as a 2021 study revealed that two-thirds of US companies struggle to find – and keep – talented employees.

Yet, according to a study by the leading global jobs website Glassdoor, 56% of workers rank a healthy workplace culture more important than salary. In addition, three out of four employees admit they consider company culture before applying for a job.

Recruiting employees is becoming driven by relationships, culture, and reputation – with the latter mattering the most. 

This article will be helpful to everyone interested in the intricate connection between successful recruitment and the company’s culture. 

Read on to learn expert and actionable brand reputation tips from the most reliable reputation management companies.

Company Culture as Crucial Employment Benefit

In recent years, the pandemic has only accelerated workplace trends that some businesses aren’t yet keen to embrace. 

For example, the opportunity of remote work, employee perks such as profit sharing, private medical insurance and educational budget, paid overtime, and a healthy, supportive working atmosphere all help lower rates of employee turnover and job-hopping. 

Attracting talents is a priority for business leaders, especially today, as we experience a massive shortage of skills and a booming competition market in the form of startups and international companies opening new branch offices.

Creating a company culture that captivates talents implies employer branding executives, HR specialists, and brand managers – and other responsible officials – all working together to answer questions such as:

• How to create a company culture that will attract a larger pool of potential employees?
• How to devise a recruiting process more appealing to job candidates?
• How to strike the perfect balance of job responsibilities and perks? 

Answering these questions will help you develop an attractive, collaborative, and healthy working environment. 

Still, much of your brand identity actually comes from what your employees and clients say and think about you. Therefore, it’s crucial that you frequently tap into the minds of those whose opinion matters the most. 

Here are three ways to conduct an efficient brand reputation management strategy and not miss out on any potential pitfalls.

1. Avoid Embellishing Job Ads & Be Honest

First impressions matter, perhaps even more than some employers would care to admit. A recent study that has found that one in three employees leave their jobs within the first six months begs the question of what goes wrong in the (short) meantime?

Were the responsibilities far greater than initially agreed upon? Perhaps the poor onboarding process left the new employee without proper training. If done properly, sales onboarding engages reps and enables them to reach sales goals. Thereby, it ensures the organization’s success, understanding of company processes, or feeling of belonging. 

Of course, it’s hard to attract talent with the “perks” of overtime, complex projects, or an unhealthy team atmosphere, but it’s better to scare off a candidate than disappoint them.

2. Establish Good Recruitment Practices

Much about your company culture can be seen from the way you handle recruiting. Thus, it’s vital that you take care of the details that may dishearten a candidate from moving forward with their application.

For example, taking too much time to reply to candidates’ applications, not sending feedback to candidates that didn’t make it into the next stage, or conducting job interviews with little value to the candidate can all be a red flag for your brand reputation.

Ensure every candidate receives their detailed feedback, prepare the job interview outline to ensure everything is said and done, and use simple video interview software when hiring remotely.

3. Focus on Social Listening 

Job seekers have become meticulous when sending out their CVs, and the chances are that your candidates are investigating your company way more than you are researching them. 

Besides your company website, job candidates will research your company across employment-dedicated websites, social media, forums, etc. 

It’s essential that you keep a close eye on what people are saying about your brand. Monitoring your brand mentions across the Internet and reacting adequately and promptly can save you from incidents that can tarnish your brand reputation.

To Sum Up

Your company reputation can make or break your chances in your quest to attract and onboard the best talents. 

Throughout your recruitment, be guided by honesty, proactiveness, and respect, and your candidates and clients alike will surely notice and appreciate that.

About the Author

Denise Langenegger is part of the team at Instasize – a content creating tool kit for anyone editing photos and online content on mobile.