Turn the recruitment lens inwards, as there is a hidden power in internal recruitment marketing strategies, writes Employee Branding Africa MD Celeste Sirin.
Many companies, when considering recruitment marketing, solely focus on external efforts such as the activation of their recently launched employer branding communications rollout plan or talent acquisition campaign.
These efforts aim to inform, shape, and attract top talent to their organisation. While this external focus remains crucial, a critical piece often goes overlooked: building and investing in a recruitment marketing strategy within your own organisation.
The vast spread of many companies across units, regions, plants, factories, and remote areas can create a dangerous disconnect between head office and production sites. This disconnect leads to a breakdown in internal communication, leaving employees possibly feeling uninformed and undervalued. In this scenario, it’s easy for employees to lose sight of what is happening within their own organisation, and start looking for greener pastures elsewhere.
Turning your recruitment marketing lens inwards is truly like striking gold, especially when managing such a diverse and geographically dispersed workforce. It’s time to view your internal recruitment strategy with the same importance as your external communications strategy.
By bridging this communication gap, you shape and inform your workplace, fostering greater engagement, retention, and growth.
Benefits of turning your recruitment brand inside out:
1. Stronger employer advocacy
Often, internal communication regarding company news, events, product launches or achievements falls short. Remember, these updates are just as crucial for your internal audience.
Sharing information on product launches, management changes, accolades, promotions, and anything that enhances your employer brand fosters a sense of connection and pride among your employees.
Informed employees become your strongest brand advocates. Their positive word-of-mouth carries far more weight than external marketing efforts, fostering trust and authenticity within the talent pool.
2. Alignment with Employer Value Proposition (EVP)
Don’t make the mistake of assuming everyone in your organisation understands your EVP, especially if it’s new or recently updated. It’s crucial to continuously communicate and remind employees about their purpose, contribution to the organisation, and the value exchange inherent in your employer brand.
Complacency and ignorance can creep in if you fail to internalise your EVP. Regularly communicate and embed the drivers of your employer brand and EVP, over and above your values and purpose. This fosters stronger employee engagement, recognition, appreciation and retention.
3. Skills-first workplace promotion
While circulating job openings internally is standard practice, many organisations overlook the potential within their existing workforce. Have you uncovered the hidden technical and soft skills residing within your employees?
Go beyond simply filling open positions. Actively promote career growth opportunities and succession planning internally. This empowers employees to recognise their potential and develop into unfilled roles.
Conduct skills audits and encourage open communication to understand employees’ hidden skill sets. Foster a skills-first and learning-enabled environment, allowing employees to grow into their potential and contribute in new ways. By mobilising and retaining your existing talent, you minimise the risk of losing valuable assets to external opportunities.
4. Reaching employees through preferred channels
Effective internal employer brand marketing rests on two key pillars: content and channels. First, ensure your content resonates, excites, and delights your employees. It should be emotive and connect with them on a deeper level.
Second, reach your employees through their preferred channels. This might be WhatsApp, the company intranet, or even factory billboards, depending on your workforce demographics and accessibility. Remember, the most compelling content falls flat if it doesn't reach your target audience through the channels they frequent.
Investing time, resources, and energy into continuously communicating and embedding your EVP and employer brand is an investment worth making. Remember, in the age of AI and automation, human (or “durable”) skills remain irreplaceable.
As evidenced by LinkedIns ‘in-demand’ behavioural skills, like adaptability, communication and project management, focusing on your internal talent pool is crucial for building a strong employer brand and securing your organisation’s future success.
After all, employment, as Susan LaMotte, founder and CEO, exaqueo, aptly stated, “is a relationship, not a transaction”. By prioritising your internal recruitment strategy, you cultivate a loyal, engaged, and skilled workforce that fuels your organisation’s long-term growth.
