Employer branding – essential in the war for talent
Undeniably: There is a shortage of skilled workers in Germany – today and in the future. More and more companies are having to invest heavily to attract qualified employees in the war for talent. According to the Bertelsmann Stiftung, 54 percent of decision-makers in companies expect a shortage of qualified specialists. Sectors that are currently particularly hard hit include nursing, medicine, skilled trades and technical professions. But what is crucial in the competition for talent?
The key lies in a strong, differentiating and identity-creating employer brand. Internally, it ensures identification and retention of existing employees; externally, it provides differentiation from competitors. Holistic employer branding is needed to establish an employer brand. In this process, requirements from brand management, human resources management and communication are brought together in the context of the individual company.
But it is not only internal company factors that play a role in the process. External factors must also not be disregarded. Of course, special importance is attached here to the requirements of employees, which can vary greatly depending on the industry, area or level and are not rigid, but change dynamically with societal trends.
The top 5 job criteria that matter to employees
Naturally, there are a variety of factors that are important to employees in their jobs. The job portal StepStone has evaluated the five most important requirements:
1. Meaningful activity
Employees want to work in a job where they can see that they are making a contribution to the overall success of the company.
2. Positive corporate culture
A good corporate culture is still among the factors that matter most to employees: Those who can influence the corporate culture and, among other things, influence internal communication, employee leadership and
are involved in decision-making processes tend to be more satisfied.
3. flexibility
Flexible working has become more important, not least because of the pandemic. What is meant here is, above all, the daily organization of work in terms of working hours and location.
4. Continuing education
opportunities.In addition to job flexibility, workers want career and professional development opportunities to help them achieve their career goals.
5. Payment
As before, salary represents one of the decisive factors. This can vary depending on the industry and becomes a very important criterion especially when different industries are vying for the same employee profiles.
These five factors should be included in employer branding to build an employer brand. And thus to be able to attract and retain employees for one’s own company. It is essential to respond to the needs and desires of the defined target group in order to prevail against competitors in the war for talent.