The last few years have shown us that there are high levels of movement in the market early in the New Year with more candidates seeking new employment opportunities and more organisations hiring. As each year comes to an end, staff members reflect on the past year and also subconsciously or consciously set their goals for the next 12 months.

So how can you ensure that you attract the best talent for your organisation, whilst also retaining your top performers during the New Year shuffle?

A strong Employer Brand promises to attract, engage and retain talent to your organisation by positioning your organisation as an Employer of Choice. No matter the size of your organisation or your industry, building a compelling Employer Brand starts from the inside.

Ask yourself, how would your people describe their work to friends at a BBQ? It’s so easy for a staff member to be so focused on the details of their job, on the day-to-day grind, that they lose sight of the big picture and take for granted all the great benefits your organisation has to offer.

Building an Employer Brand starts with effective internal communications.

Perhaps you’re having a Christmas party? Or collecting donations for a charity Christmas appeal? Now is the time to remind your people about all the great initiatives that have taken place in the company over the last few months, as well as celebrate the successes and individual achievements for the end of the calendar year. Communication channels like company newsletters, bulletin boards, social media, blogs and morning meetings are a great way to spread the word and instil a sense of pride in your staff members. Reinforcing the good news stories around your organisation in an easy to read and engaging forum is vital for marketing your internal brand.

Measuring your level of engagement with your current brand.

Do you regularly hear the same complaints from your people? Would they recommend their workplace to a friend? Word of mouth is a powerful tool when building your Employer Brand internally and externally. To get an indication about what your people are saying about your workplace, an anonymous survey or poll will help you identify key trends internally. Whether the feedback from staff is positive or negative, sharing the results and addressing the concerns can be very powerful when building trust and credibility with your people.

Taking your internal brand external.

Communicating the strengths of your Employer Brand, including social events, carer progression opportunities, good news stories and more via external channels like advertising will help you to build an external presence within your industry sector. Employer of Choice awards like BRW’s Greatest Places to Work, recruitment publicity, well-written and attractive advertising copy and a varied social media communications strategy will assist you to take your internal brand external. So many candidates research a company before applying for a position, so a strong social and multi-faceted communications strategy is essential for attracting key talent to your organisation and building the value of your Employer Brand to your target market.

Don’t let your organisation fall down in the Holiday Shuffle! Investing in an strong Employer Brand for your organisation will make sure that you start 2014 on the right foot.

For more information about how Employment Office can assist with your Recruitment Marketing communications strategy, from advertising and publicity to a social media strategy, please call 1300 366 573.