How to care for small company employer branding?
The fact is that even the most appealing-looking fruit can be spoiled from the inside or simply unpalatable and therefore inedible. Therefore, it is worth starting from the inside when building an employer brand, also in a micro and small company. There is no better recommendation for work in a given organization than the one provided by current and former employees. Therefore, a beautiful facade in the form of a clever website or a career tab, on which the employer informs about private medical care, integration events and a sports card, is not enough. Today, both the candidate and the employee expect more. They also quickly start „checking”.
It is probably not a secret knowledge for owners of micro and small businesses. However, they have many doubts about what they can propose with a limited budget. They emphasize that they are unable to compete with corporations that capture most of the talent in the labour market. Let’s be honest, on the labour market we will find both people who prefer working in large organizations and those who like the intimate nature of small companies. The main thing is to take care of those who consider and choose employment in a small area.
Salary is the most important thing
Let’s face it, people work for ideas. Yes, the idea is important. It is important to have faith in what you are doing. But after a certain number of working hours, each of us returns home, family, friends and our passions. It must be enough for us to take care of our relatives and ourselves. And the fact is that if our friend receives much better money for the same job, but done in a different company, then fancy benefits will not stop us from changing jobs. Therefore, it is worth observing the market, analysing the level of remuneration and adapting the employment policy to the situation. If access to such data is limited, it is worth contacting an employment agency or a personal consultancy that collects, analyses and shares it.
Communication gives a sense of community
And it does not matter whether we assume that we share information during regular meetings with team members, whether we use an e-mail box or a notice board. It is important, however, that the transmission of messages important for the entire company does not take place „in the corridor” and that everyone feels that they are equal recipients. This way you can talk about successes, key projects, significant challenges. What do employees gain? The feeling that they function in the community and that they are important to the employer.
– The solution we practice is an internal newsletter regularly delivered to the e-mail boxes of all employees. In an organization operating in two locations, it turns out to be a binder that allows you to get to know employees better, present and appreciate success, emphasizing the values and principles that guide the company – indicates Katarzyna Opiekulska-Sozańska, managing director of LSJ HR Group.
Company values can attract loyal employees
Each of us has a certain system of values that we follow in our lives. And some of us consciously, and some subconsciously, are attracted by those organizations that represent and proclaim what is dear to us. The situation in which the values proclaimed by the company deviate from the actual actions is inclined to evoke negative emotions and distrust.
Probably at this point some business owners will say that if so, they will not speak out loud about any values. Mistake! An employee presenting values similar to those represented by the company is more motivated, committed and loyal. And that means it works better.
Benefits do not have to be costly to the employer
When it comes to benefits, you don’t need a lot of money to offer your small team something that will be a benefit.
– There are solutions that do not require significant financial outlays. Our employees can decide on the start and end time of the working day. They start between 7:30 and 9:00 and finish between 15:30 and 17:00. The team can also benefit from internal training. Some of them are trainings carried out as part of knowledge exchange between already employed, and some are trainings paid by the employer and dedicated to agency employees. There are also integration meetings. The team has a chance to meet both outdoors, by a fire, in a very informal outfit, and to dress up in festive outfits to celebrate together in a more lavish place – emphasizes Katarzyna Opiekulska-Sozańska.
In the list of low-budget solutions, we can also find a hybrid work model, i.e. enabling employees to perform tasks under the so-called home office on certain days of the week. Another benefit that costs almost nothing is allowing each employee to leave work three hours earlier on their birthday. You can also invest in pre-paid cards that allow employees to purchase, for example, books related to the profession or purchase tickets to the cinema, define the annual development budget for an employee or subsidize network tickets.
Charity actions as a way to act together
Charitable campaigns can be a great carrier of the employer’s brand, as long as there is a will at every level of the organization’s hierarchy to act equally and actively. And of course, no one expects all employees to be participants in a charity run, for example. However, in a situation where at least one representative of the organization takes part in it, the rest of the team cheers him on as much strength as possible in his hands, legs and lungs. The point is for everyone to feel that they contribute to a good which, due to doing it together, is of greater value.
Appreciating employees is extremely important
– It is worth adding appreciation to the list of employer branding solutions that are at the fingertips of micro and small businesses. His strength is tremendous. Research shows that meeting psychological needs, such as being noticed, trusted and appreciated, is almost as important as ensuring safety and a good salary. A simple „thank you”, „you coped with the topic perfectly”, „I appreciate your contribution to the project” or thanking you on the company’s forum will automatically increase motivation and commitment – points out Aleksandra Kowalczykowska, PR Manager at LSJ HR Group.
Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.
