Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Every company starts with a light-bulb moment, one that captures its purpose and vision and drives it forward. This, I believe, is the foundation for building your employer brand in the hospitality industry — where finding and hiring the right employees is a constant challenge. In fact, it’s this challenge that served as my own light-bulb moment for OysterLink.
I was having lunch with the founder, Gabriel, at a restaurant in Miami, where we conversed with some of the staff members and learned about a recurring problem for most restaurants: getting qualified staff without solely relying on word of mouth. From there, we came up with an idea to start a platform for employers and job seekers within the larger hospitality industry.
This story is something I always share with candidates during interviews. I find that sharing OysterLink’s origin story has significantly helped our company attract people with a long-term mindset and would therefore be dedicated to the job.
That said, here are four interrelated steps for building (or improving) your employer brand, regardless of your industry.
Related: Strong Employer Branding Is How You Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. Where Are You on the Journey?
1. Talk about how and why the company was founded
Going back to what I’ve said earlier, leveraging your company’s origin story is key to growing your employer brand. Share it consistently and across multiple channels — from your company website and social media platforms to interviews, industry conferences and events. In short: Take every opportunity to tell the story so that people (including job seekers) are more likely to remember your brand.
One of my recommendations would be to summarize your entire career journey, especially if you’re one of the founders. Talk about your humble beginnings, how you worked your way up and what inspired you to build the company.
Since many industries have entry-level positions where people start their careers, integrating your company’s history with your professional growth is something that could strongly resonate with job seekers.
Or let’s say your company already has a decades-old history or cultural significance. Similar to how consumers tend to have more trust in companies associated with a legacy, so do potential hires and employees. Moreover, it helps showcase your company’s track record for success and resilience.
Meanwhile, if your company is completely new or has not yet reached heritage brand status, you can use this to your advantage as an employer. Build up its prestige by highlighting what sets it apart from larger competitors. For instance, do you have a unique company vision or business model that could attract applicants looking for an innovative setting? That’s also something worth considering.
2. Communicate your company culture and core values
This involves defining your company culture and connecting it with your origin story. How did your company’s origin story shape its core values as a workplace? Your company culture and core values would help showcase what makes it a great option for potential hires.
Of course, these values should also align with what professionals look for in their workplace. Here are some core values that I’ve been championing throughout my years as an executive, along with examples of how these should be practiced in any company:
- Job stability: Employees can count on having secure and sustained employment, especially if they’re hired full-time.
- Transparent communication: Employees can expect clear feedback from their managers regarding their performance.
- Opportunities for growth and recognition: Not only are employees properly trained, but they also work with top performers and have opportunities to get promoted eventually.
- Safe work environment: There is support for every employee’s physical, mental and emotional well-being, especially in high-stress industries.
- Competitive pay and benefits: Employees are rightfully compensated for their work, especially compared to local standards.
As with your company’s origin story, its core values should also be shared through your online platforms. For example, a careers page on your website could feature visuals showing how potential employees can progress in their careers within the company. You can also include employee testimonials on social media or even posts about your company receiving awards for its workplace culture.
Related: Want to Attract Diverse Talent? You Need to Work on Your Employer Brand — Here’s Why.
3. Invest in your leadership team
Managers and supervisors are a reflection of your company’s culture and core values. How well they help improve their team members’ morale and performance directly affects your employer brand reputation. You wouldn’t want someone who causes high employee turnover because of their ineffective leadership.
Therefore, business leaders should be taking proactive steps to maintain a healthy workplace; not only in terms of work-life balance but also when it comes to treating every employee with respect despite a high-stress environment.
At the same time, these leaders must do their part when screening candidates, whether as a hiring manager or a recruitment head. They should ensure the hiring process is efficient, such that candidates are treated kindly during interviews and are given feedback on their application within a reasonable timeframe.
Overall, positive experiences from both candidates and non-leadership employees lead to better word of mouth that could entice other job seekers. So, ensure that your leadership team consists of people who are highly skilled and are effective leaders. I’ve learned from experience that not everyone has both qualities. However, you can’t have one without the other.
That’s why it’s important to select the right people, whether through hiring or internal promotions. Look for those who can lead by example and uphold the company culture and core values.
4. Promote your job postings on the right platforms
Of course, you’ll also need job postings in order to attract applicants and grow your employer brand. Besides a clear description of the role you’re hiring for, each job posting should provide details about your company, including its origin story, workplace culture and core values — all of which you already have set.
At the same time, you want to increase your chances of getting applicants who are likely to be qualified for the role. This is where choosing the right platforms to post jobs comes into play.
Although you can certainly post on your company website’s careers page and social media accounts, industry-specific job boards or professional networks are key to reaching your target applicants. These platforms are where you can directly connect with professionals looking for opportunities in your field.
Related: 3 Branding Strategies That Will Make Any Brand Stand Out
