As an HR leader in 2021, you need to see yourself – and by extension, your department and your team – as more than just another ho-hum cog in the corporate business wheel. Instead, HR is – or needs to become – a key player at the business strategy table as your company continues to adapt to new products or services and handle change and crises. If 2020 taught nothing else, this was the business lesson to be mastered. And marketing plays a leading role.
Be Candidate and Employee Centered
Marketing isn’t just for that sparkly new or time-tested product or service that your company offers. If anything, attracting and retaining the best talent to create and innovate that product or service is the most important thing your business can do.
So, with that in mind, what should your HR marketing strategy look like and accomplish in the New Year?
At the heart of it all, you need to stay focused on your people – the current and prospective superstars that make the magic happen at your company day in and day out.
• The candidate experience is the bedrock of your employer brand image. A strong brand is essential to stand out from the competition as you recruit and retain talent. And if an applicant’s journey through your hiring process is negative, the bad news will quickly go viral.
• Put both candidates and current employees at the center of your marketing plans. You can’t afford bad reviews. Laser focus on applicants and current team members, so they make only positive comments, both on and offline, and recommend your company to others.
Showcase the People Behind the Brand
Use messages communicated by your people to further build your brand in 2021. Provide ample opportunities for your current superstar employees to share good news about your company online and via word of mouth. And if you don’t already have an employee referral program, start one. Now.
• Lead by example. Take steps to promote your company and recommend jobs, using your personal and professional networks to be a matchmaker.
• Embrace the new normal. It’s been a tough year. In times of uncertainty, a successful employer brand and the marketing efforts that support it need, above all else, honesty, trust, and authenticity. This is even more reason to identify your most valuable brand ambassadors. Artificial intelligence and related HR technology are among the tools to assist you as you move in this direction.
It’s a New Year marked by new challenges that will likely continue to challenge HR and business leaders like never before. If you need a trusted partner as you move forward with your HR business and marketing strategy, turn to the experienced pros at PrideStaff Modesto. We pride ourselves on a philosophy of building trust and rapport with each of our clients and becoming a core part of their team and their short and long-term talent management objectives. Read our related posts or contact us today to learn more.
