While corporate giants like Google, Microsoft, and Maybank continue to rank among the most attractive employers in Malaysia, many job seekers are also keeping an eye out for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Since younger generations are passionate to make a mark in their careers, they anticipate career growth through smaller companies. In other words, more job seekers are shifting their interests towards SMEs. This said, now is the perfect time for you to build an engaging employer brand.
SMEs make up over 98% of the businesses powering the Malaysian economy, but they are also heavily affected by the global health crisis. With travel restrictions lifted and many businesses resuming their operations, ramping up hiring activities are among the measures that SMEs can take to restart company productivity.
Attracting the right talent is a challenge for all companies, regardless of size. But, SMEs face the additional task of countering misconceptions and stereotypes about low wages and heavy workloads. It is also difficult for many SMEs to offer the same perks or pay packages that bigger companies do. Even allocating a reasonable budget for employer branding tools might be challenging.
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Still, it is very much possible for SMEs to craft a compelling and engaging employer branding without a hefty budget. Here are five tricks to get you started.
1. Identify your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
In a nutshell, the EVP is a set of offers or packages that an employer provides to compensate for the skills, experiences, and capabilities that an employee contributes to the company.
Take note of what makes your company stand out from the competition. Do you have a unique work culture? Is your company vision passion-driven and inspiring? Do you bring something ground-breaking for the community or industry you belong to? A good way to start with this is to get your employees’ inputs and study their answers.
2. Explore and boost online reviews about your company
Your employees will be your biggest partners in this trick. Encourage them to leave their honest feedback and reviews about your company through company review websites, like JobStreet. It will allow you to get some insights on how your company is doing and what needs improvement so your employees can perform better.
Do not forget to answer all feedback, especially negative reviews. Take it as an opportunity to show your employees—current and prospective—that you really care about them and are passionate about what your company stands for.
3. Take advantage of social media platforms
In the social media age, having Facebook and Instagram presence is paramount for all businesses. If you are having a hard time attracting applicants for your job openings, take advantage of these social media platforms.
Social media works great not only for getting the word out about your company, but also for giving an idea about your brand personality and work culture. These platforms also have paid features for any budget, making them great tools for advertising job postings towards targeted audiences.
4. Empower your employees to become your brand ambassadors
When it comes to letting your employee branding stand out, nothing compares to getting them first-hand from empowered employees. When they talk about your company in a positive light, they increase your chances of getting the right job seekers. They may also share photos and videos of company events that may catch the interest of job seekers who want to know you better.
5. Highlight your work culture in job postings and advertisements
One of the strengths of SMEs is that they are more flexible and open to exploring work cultures that make them more interesting to today’s generations. Take advantage of this to attract talents that are a great fit for your company.
Do you provide free food or birthday treats? Do you organise special events for everyone to take part in? Is your workplace inclusive, or even pet-friendly or mom-friendly? Do you have free tools and resources that your employees can use for personal and professional improvement? Do not forget to include these interesting features in your job postings and employer profiles!
Building and boosting your employer branding may seem to be a daunting and costly task; but with these tricks, you will be a step closer to attracting the right job seekers.
As your organisation grows, keep your employer brand updated. Stay in touch with your traits and strengths—these will allow you to attract and retain the right employees for your company.
Use the Talent Search on JobStreet to find the right job seekers for your company. Visit the Employers Insights page to stay updated on hiring and talent acquisition trends today. Explore the Laws of Attraction to get a better view of Malaysian talents from across different industries, levels, and specialisations. For a limited time only, register with JobStreet for a free job ad to connect with over 5mil candidates.
