In the murky and competitive world of businesses, a business is only as good as its employer brand. The success and failure of any organization are down to the perception of its brand by its stakeholders. Despite its importance, businesses throw caution to the wind when dealing with a crisis; a crisis like that of the coronavirus pandemic.
As COVID-19 continues to rage, businesses are looking only to survive. The suddenness and irregular manner of the situation requires that businesses make decisions that guarantee their survival. In making these decisions, however, businesses must understand that whatever decision they make will affect their brand. Here are three employer branding strategy tips for businesses to consider when making a decision during this period.
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Ensure COVID-19 responses align with business values
COVID-19 is an unprecedented situation, and there’s no hard and fast rule to approach it. Everyone and everything is only reacting to it, including businesses. The lack of reliable information regarding what to expect even makes this more complicated. These uncertainties and challenges surrounding the world of business can cause companies to react in a manner that contradicts their values in a bid to survive.
However, this shouldn’t be. If there’s ever a time to use employer branding tools to boost brand perception, it is now. This is because business responses will be scrutinized and critiqued. And any wrong or ill-conceived move that deviates from employer branding and marketing strategies will negatively affect the brand in the future. Therefore, it is in the best interest of businesses to align their responses by their brand values.
As much as possible, refrain from cutting benefits
In March, when the WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic, it was clear that the global economy was going to suffer massive consequences. As countries were shutting down their borders and implementing lockdown measures, there was a strain on the supply and distribution chain of businesses. And the interdependence of many companies didn’t help the matter. The reality is that companies are seeing a massive drop in sales and revenue.
As a result, many have put cost-cutting measures in place to stay afloat until things return to normal. However, as this is the most logical course of action, businesses should look to cutting employee benefits as a last resort. In as much as the company needs to take steps to ensure their survival, these steps mustn’t be insensitive to the plights of the employees. This is because, in the long-run, every action and inaction will affect the employer brand perception, both internally and externally. Companies can initiate employee wellbeing programs. This can improve an employee’s mental health and make them feel valued.
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Be a resource to your workers
Since countries began to lockdown their borders, remote working has become the new normal. While telecommuting is the dream of every employee, being stuck in one place for weeks is very stressful. The inability to move freely or engage in other activities can increase stress levels and anxiety. This can affect employee productivity. As such, employers must look into providing their employees with support resources and services that’ll ensure the mental wellbeing of their employees. Members of staff shouldn’t feel neglected by the company during this period. Achieving this relies on the strength of employer brand management. This way, staff perception of the company remains positive, which is crucial for employer branding in recruitment.
References:
- Why now is a Great Time to Live your EVP by Jill Cashman
- 3 ways to invest in Employer Brand During a crisis – and why it’s more important than ever to do so by Sarah Greesonbach||April, 2020
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