Are you finding it hard to recruit ‘the right people’ right now? You’re not alone.
According to a recent report from Job Skills Australia, nearly half of all employers have been experiencing difficulty filling vacancies. Concerningly, recruitment challenges are causing negative business impacts, including demands on existing staff, hits to productivity and revenue, and even instances of reputation damage.
With the recruitment stakes so high, it’s vital to make sure you’ve got a full arsenal when it comes to winning the war on talent.
There are three ways your PR agency can help turn the tide in your favour.
1. Harness your employer brand
Why would someone want to work for your company? If you don’t have a compelling answer to this question, you’ve lost the battle before it’s begun. A strong employer brand and compelling brand story will help you stand out from the crowd.
An employer brand is an extension of your overall brand, but instead of a customer value proposition, it encapsulates your employee value proposition (EVP). This is more than just a focus on pay and perks (though these are part of it). Your EVP will typically encompass what you offer your people in terms of compensation, other benefits, career development, workplace environment and your culture. Drawing from this, your employer brand will aim to differentiate you as an employer, showcasing your culture, values and overall employee experience.
A good PR agency can work with your organisation to bring your EVP and employer branding to life and develop a communications plan to get your brand into market.
A fully integrated communications strategy will leverage paid, earned and owned communications channels, as well as tap into strategic workplace awards and industry events that position your workplace as head-and-shoulders above your competitors.
2. Reach the right audience
Recruitment is a networking game. Guess what? So is PR! This suggests your recruitment team and PR team should be working hand in hand to get your employer brand in front of the right eyeballs.
Good recruiters know their stuff. They’ll already have your job ads placed on the right platforms and your LinkedIn company profile will look pretty sharp. But PR can extend upon this.
A strategic content marketing plan focused on recruitment will build awareness of your employer brand amongst potential candidates so they’re primed to click “apply” when your job ads hit the market. You might also consider seeking earned opportunities for PR in trade media or speaking gigs and attendance sector-specific roundtables or networking events.
3. Retain great people
Let’s face it. Retention is cheaper than recruitment. If you’ve got great people, a compelling employer brand and EVP can give them a reason to stay.
Your PR agency can help you from the inside out with retention. Internal communications campaigns that both inform and communicate your EVP can support greater employee engagement.
While external communications that hero your employees and the impact of your work can build a sense of employee pride in the company they work for, strengthening engagement and retention.
As a bonus, turning your employees into advocates is one of the most powerful ways to enhance your employer brand, and in turn boost your recruitment objectives.
Want to explore how PR can help you attract and retain top talent? Contact us to talk strategy.
