What’s the next chapter for Employer Branding?

Picture this: 27-year-old Aanya stands at a crossroads, her career path branching into two distinct directions. She has to choose between two potential employers.

On one side, there’s the allure of a renowned 100-year-old corporate enterprise, steeped in tradition and prestige. On the other, a fledgling tech startup, barely five years old, promising innovation and agility.

Both offer comparable salaries, leaving Aanya with a pivotal decision to make. It’s not just about the pay; it’s about the values, the culture, and the impact she can make.

Aanya, like many of her peers, craves the work-life balance that the legacy enterprise offers. However, the tech startup attracts her for its culture of individual autonomy, flexibility, and hybrid-work.  The startup woos Aanya with cutting-edge tech tools, giving her a virtual tour of the office,  sharing videos from employees, and impressing her with their social savvy Instagram feed.  On the other hand, the big corporate’s Social Responsibility initiatives resonate with Aanya’s values.

What does Aanya decide?

This may be a hypothetical scenario. But there are millions of Aanyas out there, considering their next career move.

This is precisely why companies are undergoing an Employer Branding revolution.  Where enterprises are forging genuine connections, embracing emerging trends and technologies to redefine what it means to be an employer of choice.

So what does it mean for communicators? Here are 7 essential tips and best practices that we at Red Bangle have learned and leveraged, in our journey as a brand content partner for global enterprises.

Celebrate empowerment

Highlight the empowering stories of employees to showcase your commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. By shining a spotlight on the remarkable journeys of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, you stand apart as an industry leader that’s making a difference. Watch Red Bangle’s video for  Tata AutoComp Systems that celebrates women from remote backgrounds in rural India.

Embrace virtuality

Increasingly, enterprises are attracting potential recruits with immersive VR office tours. Like this General Mills 360-degree campus tour video. It gives candidates the ins and outs of their workplace in stunning detail, allowing them to virtually explore various areas of the company.

Showcase vision

Use storytelling to communicate your company’s vision and mission, while also addressing industry challenges and presenting innovative solutions. By sharing personal stories of founders and employees, you can humanize your brand and also showcase your inclusive organizational culture. This video for Treebo by Red Bangle is a good example.

Express emotion

Sometimes, emotions can touch a chord far deeper than any corporate motto can. For instance, this Volvo’s employer branding video. It adopts a serious yet emotional tone, humanizing the brand through genuine employee testimonials. Unlike conventional employer brand videos, Volvo focuses on personal employee anecdotes, cultivating a sense of empathy and authenticity, thereby revealing the brand’s human dimension.

Have fun with it

Avoid using hackneyed jargon and clichéd buzzwords in your stories. Add a dash of humor to break through the clutter. And for good measure, showcase the people who work for you. Because when your people have fun, it shows! For instance, watch this quirky Employer Branding video Red Bangle crafted for DarwinBox, one of the fastest growing enterprises in human capital management. Unlike cookie-cutter storylines, what makes this video’s narrative tick – and stick – is its irreverent, witty tonality featuring employees themselves, showcasing the brand’s innovative DNA.

Encourage authenticity

Modern GenZ employees are looking for more than just pay-cheques and perks. They’re looking for a vibe. That’s why modern workplaces need to showcase an inclusive culture where employees are empowered to share their authentic experiences. For example, Red Bangle worked closely with Zyeta to create an Employer Branding film featuring the growth journeys of their team members.

Make it personal

Finally, enterprises need to clearly communicate their higher purpose. Showcase how your people are making a meaningful impact through their  work. By sharing the stories of employees who are passionate about their mission and the positive outcomes they achieve, you attract like-minded individuals who are driven to make a difference. In their careers and the world. Watch this video for Colearn, one of Indonesia’s top edtech startups.

And that’s a wrap

Whether it’s big-budget productions or simple, minimalist approaches, the key is to keep it real and relatable, celebrate authenticity and inclusivity, and of course, stand out from the crowd through creative storytelling. Get the mix right, and you can go a long way in shaping perceptions of people like Aanya, and becoming her employer of choice!