Employer Branding for Small Companies

Most of the employers around the world are small businesses, employing 500 or (many) fewer workers. And while a small business owner or HR department may not be able to offer the same salary, perks and benefits as a larger company, that doesn’t mean small companies can’t build viable, desirable employer brands. In fact, that’s all the more reason to build a strong employer brand — small companies with powerful employer brands can compete for the same highly desirable candidates as large companies. If you are a small business owner or recruiter, here are three things you need to know about employer branding: Know your people. True employer branding isn’t just about creating a persona of your workplace to bring in top employees. It’s also very much about knowing what kinds of people excel in your company so that when you need to hire, you can hire more people who fit the culture. Without spending any money, you can take some time to talk with your current employees — find out what they like about working there, why they choose to stay, and what would make them stay longer. Determine what characteristics your most successful, content employees have in common and how those characteristics fit your company culture. For instance, maybe they value work-life balance, and your policies make it easier for them to achieve. Or maybe they value fun, and your company is a place where work and fun can mix. If you have a true understanding of the type of people who succeed at your workplace, you’ll do a better job of hiring those types of people next time. Technology — especially social media — is a great equalizer. In the age of social networking, you don’t have to be a large company to get in on the action. The same tools that large companies are using to build and promote their employer brands — Twitter, Facebook, blogs and Google+ — are readily available to small companies. In most cases, they cost nothing. Use these same social media tools to build your employer brand, sharing stories and photos about goings on in your office and with employees. Launch a blog and allow current employees to take turns posting, sharing what they enjoy about their workplace. Encourage employees to post photos from company events on Facebook and other social media and to share the story of your workplace with their networks. Creative perks can be as valuable as cash. An important component of employer branding is creating an employer experience that makes current employees want to stay and makes prospective employees want to join the fun. Large companies may tempt job candidates with upper-tier salaries and expensive benefits, but smaller companies can make employees just as happy without spending the big bucks. Once you understand what makes your employees tick, you can develop creative perks that suit them and their needs without breaking the bank. For instance, if work-life balance is important to them, offer telecommuting or flexible scheduling options. If they just want to have a good time, host company-sponsored happy hours or other social events. Or if your employees love to learn and want to progress in their careers, offer more training or opportunities to work on different types of projects that aren’t part of their normal jobs.