Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question,“what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
When you graduate from solopreneurship and are ready to add an employee or two, make sure you have invested in building an attractive employer brand. Like your corporate brand, your employer brand is going to be at the center of employee recruitment and one of the biggest factors in the range of talent you can attract. There are a few things you can do to add equity to your employer brand no matter the size of your organization.
Always be aware of your reviews, especially about your organization as a whole separate from your products or services. If you’ve ever had to let an employee go or an employee has quit for less than positive reasons, make sure they aren’t bad mouthing you and your business in online reviews. A 2015 study found that workers in the millennial age group are far more sensitive to and vocal about being fired, particularly when sharing online. If this has happened to you, consider hiring an HR consultancy to look at your termination and separation process. While this won’t necessarily mitigate damage that has already occurred, it can help prevent future negative reviews from showing up on Glassdoor or other sites.
While potential employees will look at reviews of the management and organization first, the next thing they will likely consider is product or service reviews. This is particularly true if you have customer-facing employees. No one wants to be associated with a poor product or service. Many job seekers are wanting to specifically work for a brand or organization they can brag about and be proud to put on a resume. As an employer, this may mean even if you offer less monetary compensation than a competitor or a competing offer, the potential employee may still work for you if they feel enough connection to the business, product or service. It is critical to be aware of and try to quickly address negative reviews and publicity.
Even if you are considering hiring your very first employee, you should absolutely create a standard application process and interview process for potential employees. The interview process impacts your employer brand. From filling out the initial application through interviews, the experience your candidates have may make or break their decision to join your company as a full-time employee. If they feel like the application process is cumbersome and wasting their time, a candidate is unlikely to stick with the process or accept an interview offer. A large proportion of jobseekers report that they’re less likely to buy from a company that’s given them a bad application experience, which can impact your future profit margins.