How to use your intranet to cultivate an employer brand that really resonates
Without highly skilled employees, even the most innovative concept will fail to thrive. Nearly three quarters of leaders agree that a compelling employer brand is the differentiating factor when it comes to luring best-in-class candidates, but how can enterprises ensure that their unique identity stands out from the pack?
The rise of employer branding
Just as marketing executives aim to carve out unique brand identities to lure consumers, internal teams are shifting significant resources towards cultivating an inner-office brand that resonates.
In recent years, the term employer brand has emerged as a buzzword, but many remain unclear on its exact meaning. In short, it can be described as:
"The way in which organizations differentiate themselves in the labor market, enabling them to recruit, retain, and engage the right people."
Everything from an enterprise’s social media feeds to the copy and content on your website can shape how your employer brand is perceived. To cultivate an enthralling persona for your organization, enterprise-wide values must be prevalent throughout internal platforms as well as public-facing media.
Benefits of top-notch employer branding
A best-in-class employer brand can have a host of pay-offs, which include:
Hire better candidates
The war for top candidates isn’t won by offering better perks or more vacation days; instead, applicants gravitate towards compelling employers. According to Linkedin, candidates who apply for roles are 50% more qualified when the company has a good employer brand. Additionally, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying to a job.
Retain employees
A cohesive workplace identity can also ensure that these top-tier candidates stay with your enterprise for the long run. The same data from Linkedin found that improving employer branding leads to a 28% reduction in turnover. Given that Employee Benefits News priced the cost of replacing an employee at one third of their annual salary, enterprises can save big by improving retention rates.
Give workers a purpose
Employees place a premium on value-driven work. According to the American Psychological Association, job seekers are even willing to take a pay cut for a role that feels meaningful. A compelling employer identity can help employees feel more connected to their responsibilities, in turn inspiring them to reach peak performance.
7 intranet features that drive branding
Below, we pinpoint some intranet components that can lead to extraordinary internal branding:
#1. A homepage with personality
For most employees, the intranet homepage is one of the first things they see during the workday. Instead of a cookie-cutter template, use the homepage to offer a personalized experience from the get-go. Targeted homepage capabilities ensure that every worker sees what is most relevant to their role first, whether that is social media feeds or open tickets.
#2. Content that resonates
Once you’ve nailed targeting, be sure that all content supports your personalization efforts. Intranets give employees the opportunity to choose what types of users and updates they wish to follow, putting every worker in the driver’s seat.
#3. Get everyone on-board with initiatives
Whether it’s corporate wellness or supporting a local non-profit, office-wide initiatives give enterprises an opportunity to demonstrate the tenets of their employer brand. To get everyone involved, promote the initiative on the homepage, create dedicated site content for it, and spotlight employees who are making an impact through bespoke recognition features.
#4. Make a strong first impression
There’s no arguing about it, first impressions really count. 80% of employees experience some issues when starting a new role, but intranets alleviate many common pain points. Training resources, user profile directories, and video how-to’s are a handful of features that can help organizations put their best face forward.
#5. Carve-out growth pathways
Boredom is the most common motivator for employee resignation. Intranets can help make growth culture part of your employer brand by empowering users to identify new learning opportunities and progressions. Leaders can announce continuing education programs, relevant classes, and upcoming trainings to maximize participation and generate buzz on upskilling.
#6. Spotlight ambassadors
Within every enterprise, a subset of employees who embody brand values emerge. Intranets give leaders the opportunity to recognize these internal ambassadors through customizable badges, homepage takeovers, and blogs spotlighting their achievements.
#7. Take it to the next level
Intranets encourage growth culture through in-house feedback mechanisms. Forms capabilities allow leaders to build customizable surveys and disseminate queries efficiently. Built-in analytics provide insight into what’s working, in turn encouraging enterprise-wide progression.
Case study: how Kantar’s intranet contributed to a top-tier employer brand
Kantar, the leading data, insights, and consulting company, was eager to create a centralized hub to unify all 30,000 of its employees. The enterprise decided to do away with more than a dozen segmented intranets and launch The Source, one all-encompassing solution designed to embody the Kantar employer brand.
The organization opted for a shared homepage that features Kantar’s signature colors and enterprise-wide updates to instill a sense of connectivity. However, once a user navigates past this, every component of the solution is tailored to their role and subsidiary.
The Source also serves as a backbone for initiatives that demonstrate Kantar's employer brand, including the Goldstar Achiever Scheme for emerging talent. The results? Nearly 93% of employees utilize the intranet and the platform hosts more than 101,000 unique user sessions each month.
Digital tools breathe life into branding
Without a company intranet, it's impossible to create a unified internal identity that resonates. If you are interested in launching a bespoke solution, get in touch with our digital workplace experts.
