What Are the Objectives of HR Marketing within a Company?

To attract candidates who wish to apply, retain existing employees and maintain the company’s brand image. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt various departments it presents new challenges, including some for human resources.

So, how should you adapt your HR Marketing strategy?

HR Marketing: Key Challenges for Your Company’s Future

An effective HR marketing strategy is extremely important for a number of reasons:

Strengthening employee retention,
Reducing employee turnover and absenteeism,
Differentiation from the competition by enhancing the company’s image,

In turn, an effective HR marketing strategy will positively impact the entire company, such as:

Increasing productivity and sales,
Improving the company’s reputation, online and offline
Attracting new talent

With working from home and remote management becoming the norm, how should a company adapt its HR marketing strategy?

The Pandemic: What Needs to Change in HR Marketing

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, working standards have changed worldwide, resulting in financial stress, lower productivity, stricter health regulations and a complete shift toward working remote. All of this causing a possible reorientation of products and services. Given all this, how do companies maintain an effective HR strategy?

The Employer Brand: A Company’s Face

Modernizing your employer brand is essential for the company to showcase its innovative and dynamic side; proving that reinvention is possible, even during times of crisis.

In short, even if you are not in a recruitment period, continue to highlight:

Company initiatives (media interviews, product or service releases, event sponsorships)
Health and safety measures (a paramount concern, especially during the pandemic)
The company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives:
- Environmental Commitments (recycling, reduction of paper consumption…).
- Commitments to social issues and employee well-being: a complete shift toward working from home (as well as compensation), job accommodation, improving workspaces, work/life balance, etc.
- Ethical and economic commitments: initiatives in place for equal employment opportunities.

Leveraging social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc) in conjunction with your website will keep potential candidates exposed to your brand.

It’s important to be present. Not only will this improve your image, but you will also be more attractive to candidates and retain your employees.

Trust, Compassion, and Transparency Towards Employees

Strengthen the employer-employee relationship: these trying times have become synonymous with uncertainty and anxiety for many people, the company must reassure its employees maintain full transparency.

How can this be implemented? What measures should be put in place to show that the company supports its employees?

Invite employees to get into the company spirit (via Zoom meetings, internal surveys on product releases, employee spotlights published on social networks, etc.).
Lessen the fear of failure
Exchange regularly with colleagues, allow everyone to share their feelings; be attentive to their well-being.
Be reactive to problems: offer flexible solutions in case there are difficulties meeting deadlines, readjust schedules, etc.
Offer training for professional development: show employees that you are confidant in their capabilities for the future.

Other initiatives are also welcome:

Launch a hotline to support employees.
Offer virtual sports or yoga sessions.

Pay Special Attention to New Employee Onboarding

Emphasis on talent onboarding is also critical. Did the recruitment interviews take place by phone and/or video conference? Reinforce the feeling of closeness with your new employees, even if social interaction is very limited.

In concrete terms, this means personalizing the integration process:

Designating a “steward” (a colleague who will watch over the arrival of the new talent, whether in person or remotely).
In the case of telecommuting, use of applications (Zoom, Teams, Slack…) will allow the new recruit to stay in permanent contact with their manager/colleagues.

Authored by Joelle Cytrynbaum, cegid.com

HR Marketing in Times of Crisis: What Needs to Change?