The strategic importance of employer branding increases with each passing day. With a global talent shortage, not-so-booming economy, and continued uncertainty, it’s never been more critical to cultivate a strong company reputation with firm values and an important mission for potential employees to align with.
In recruitment, whether locally or abroad, creating a great employer brand can mean the difference between whether or not a candidate joins your company – especially when relocation is involved. This article explores why employer branding matters and how employee relocation is an important part of your employer branding strategy.
What is an employer brand, and why does it matter?
A few years ago, searching “employer branding” in Google would have garnered a few million results. Nowadays, that number is well above 100 million.
Clearly, employer branding is important. But what is it exactly?
Employer branding is the way your company is perceived by potential employees and is the act of defining and managing your company’s reputation as an employer. Cultivating a strong employer brand is like marketing a product, and doing it well sets your company apart from the others, making your organization a more attractive option for talent.
And we don’t have to tell you how vital employer branding is; the stats prove it:
- 84% of job seekers say a company’s reputation is important when applying for jobs
- Companies with positive employer brands get twice as many applications as those with negative brands
- A strong employer brand can reduce cost per hire by 50%
- 92% of people would consider changing jobs if offered a role in a company with an excellent reputation and brand
In a nutshell, potential employees want to know their experience working for your company will be positive and showcasing that is at the heart of employer branding. Can your employees expect a competitive salary and paid time off? Access to professional learning and development? Or a generous relocation package? Whatever they are, potential employees want to know before they apply.
Why employee relocation is an important part of your employer branding strategy
The relocation experience is fundamental to an employer brand since your employees move about as powerful brand agents, reflecting their company’s actions and values. Offering a seamless and positive relocation experience ensures your employees speak highly of their experiences – but what might they say, exactly?
1. Opens a world of potential for professional growth and development
Relocating for work allows your employees new experiences and opportunities for professional growth and development. Relocation ensures they cultivate new skills, work with a diverse group of people and expand perspectives – which all look great on a CV, too.
2. Enables companies to have a more diverse workforce
Companies that value diversity are more attractive to potential talent. Having a more diverse workforce allows you to explore alternative perspectives that offer creative solutions to your company’s challenges.
3. If you have multiple locations worldwide, it gives employees more freedom to choose where they work from
With Covid-19, the way we approach work has completely changed. We’re now seeing more remote work options and distributed teams than ever before, and global talent seem to favor companies that allow them the choice to work from a variety of locations.
4. Increases access to economic opportunity & security for more people across the world
While many global regions experience talent shortages, others are experiencing a surplus – particularly in emerging markets. Once overlooked, companies set their sights on these markets, realizing that they can find great talent anywhere. And not only do they gain access to a much wider pool of talent, but they can engage in meaningful work, which, in this case, is giving people access to opportunities they may otherwise not have had.
Whatever the reason for relocating employees, the most important thing to highlight is that their experience should be positive. As long as you keep their experience at the heart of your relocation strategy, you can’t go wrong.
That’s why it’s essential to tailor the relocation to the employee. Since every employee is unique, their relocation experience will be, too. Ensure communication is open and transparent and keep their responsibilities, goals, and challenges in mind when assisting them.
How to use employee relocation in your employer branding communication
Providing positive and seamless employee relocation experiences is one thing; letting the world know you do it well is another. Potential candidates want to know that traveling halfway across the world for a job opportunity will be a stress-free experience – well, as stress-free as moving across the world can be. In that case, it’s crucial to enhance your employer brand with communication about your employee relocation strategy. Here are a few ways to get started:
1. Gather feedback from employees who have relocated
Find out what went well for them and what can be improved. Even if you discover some shortcomings, having the conversation shows your employees that you’re committed to growth, which becomes a strong talking point when they're out advocating for your organization.
2. Ensure that you implement any improvement points in an ongoing employer branding strategy
Talent are attracted to companies who are authentic and transparent and would likely appreciate seeing a “What we learned” blog article or LinkedIn post. Just like your current employees want to know their voices matter in the workplace, as do potential employees.
3. Communicate publicly about your positive employee relocation experiences
Some companies will post something on LinkedIn describing the experience of a recently hired employee, and others have a whole section on their blog dedicated to employee experiences. Whatever you do, get the word out there.
4. Encourage your employees to become advocates
Employee voice matters three times as much as the CEOs, so enlist their help in communicating about your company's successful relocation stories, whether that's on their own social media, an interview for the blog, or leaving a positive review on Glassdoor.
The bottom line
There are so many elements that complete a successful employer brand, and it can be overwhelming knowing what to focus on. But with many companies expanding their hiring efforts globally, relocation and how you communicate about it becomes a crucial part of your employer branding strategy. As your employees move about the world as ambassadors for your organization and communicate with others about their experiences, companies need to ensure their relocation strategy provides a positive experience for their future employees.
Looking for more ways to strengthen your global employer brand? Check out our ebook on how to design a custom employee benefits scheme that your team members will love.
