Why employer branding is important for tech companies

How can you differentiate yourself in the highly competitive B2B tech landscape? A foundational step in your marketing plan should be your employer branding.

Your corporate brand and employer brand are intricately linked, even more so in the hybrid working world. By unifying your brand narrative you’ll be able to draw more top talent and customers too.

Why employer branding is crucial in B2B tech marketing

In the age of social media and online platforms, clients and talent have more access to information about your company’s internal workings than ever before. This makes it essential for your B2B tech company to focus on building a positive employer brand to attract new clients. And you need more than a few pics of “work drinks” to stick the landing.

B2B tech companies face unique challenges in the market. They often operate in highly specialised and niche industries, where clients have specific requirements and high expectations. In this environment, a strong employer brand can be a crucial differentiator.

Clients are more likely to trust and choose a company with a positive employer brand, as it reflects a commitment to excellence, innovation, and employee satisfaction. The correlation between a company’s reputation as an employer and its attractiveness to potential clients cannot be understated.

The benefits of successful employer branding

Investing in employer branding can yield the following benefits for B2B tech companies:

Attract top talent

A strong employer brand helps attract high-calibre candidates who are drawn to organisations known for their positive work culture, values, and opportunities for growth. You want the best, then you need to show that you’re the best of the best. Don’t believe me? Just ask the candidates yourself. Most candidates, 9 out of 10 them, would only apply for a job with a company that looks after it’s employer brand.

Reduced recruitment costs

When your company has a positive reputation as an employer of choice, you’ll spend less on recruitment efforts (almost 50% in savings!). Why? Because when you receive more inbound applications from qualified candidates, you’ll end up reducing the need for costly job advertising and recruitment agencies. That’s money that can go elsewhere…even to more employer branding strategies!

Higher employee engagement

Employees who are proud of their organisation and its values are more engaged and motivated. They tend to be more productive, committed, and less likely to leave. Overall, this leads to better business outcomes, increased profitability and lower turnover rates for you. In fact, investing in a successful employer branding strategy can reduce employee turnover by 28%.

Increased referrals

Satisfied employees are more likely to refer their friends and professional contacts to job openings at your company. And you know what that means? A higher quality pool of candidates and a more efficient recruitment process that can reap enormous benefits for your business.

Boosted company reputation

A positive employer brand can have a halo effect on the overall reputation of your organisation. Customers, partners, and investors are likely to view your organisation more favourably if it is known that strong values are echoed at every level. According to statistics, a bad reputation can cost you 10% more per hire.

Competitive advantage

In competitive industries, strong employer branding can be a key differentiator in helping your organisation stand out in the marketplace and attract clients who prefer to do business with socially responsible and ethical companies.

Greater innovation and creativity

A positive work culture and environment can foster innovation and creativity. Employees who feel valued and supported are more likely to share ideas and take calculated risks, driving innovation within the organisation.

Positive customer experience

So, if your employer branding is making your employees happy and engaged, what happens? Well, they tend to give their all which means that they provide better customer service. Increases in customer satisfaction and loyalty will have long-term advantages, including repeat customers.

Examples of good B2B employer branding

To illustrate the power of employer branding in the B2B tech sector, let’s take a look at a few companies that have successfully leveraged it.

Google

Know what a ‘Noogler’ is? No, it’s not a rare dog breed. It’s what Google’s new recruits go by during their initial onboarding. They even get a snazzy hat (check out LinkedIn if you don’t believe me). And that’s only part of their employer branding. You’ve probably seen many LinkedIn updates with the sentence “I’m happy to share that I’ve started a new position at Google…” There’s a reason so many are delighted to join the company – because its employer branding is spot on.

Google is renowned for its innovative and fun workplace culture. Employees have access to perks like free gourmet meals, on-site fitness facilities, and opportunities to work on cutting-edge technology projects. Their global reputation as leading innovators and a great place to work attracts top tech talent from around the world. The company places a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion in its workforce.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)

The multinational IT company dominates the landscape not just because of their innovative mindset but due to their strong values in building an environment where diversity, inclusion and growth go hand in hand. With the launch of their recent brand narrative “Greater Futures” and the consistent adoption of “Building on Belief” values, they have put the needs of their talent and clients centre stage. All across their social media posts, pics and events they launch throughout the year, they show their deep-rooted dedication to their employees and crafting an environment where everyone can contribute to a better, more sustainable world.

Here at Fifty Five and Five, we have played prominent roles in both of these ongoing campaigns. Our team has helped to ensure that the inclusive and innovative workplace that TCS initiates across the globe communicated correctly to all interested stakeholders.

Salesforce

Salesforce is known for its commitment to corporate social responsibility and values like trust, equality, and innovation. Their “Ohana” culture promotes inclusivity and a sense of family among employees.

They offers numerous employee benefits, including flexible work arrangements, wellness programs, and opportunities for personal and professional development. The company consistently ranks high on lists of the best places to work, both nationally and globally.

Here’s how you can create a good employer branding strategy?

Here’s a few employer branding strategies that you can implement to build a strong employer brand:

Content creation

Creating content that showcases company culture, values, and mission is key. This can be done through blog posts, videos, and social media campaigns. Highlighting employee achievements, testimonials, and success stories can also be effective in attracting potential clients and humanising your brand. Furthermore, leveraging thought leadership through employee webinars and podcasts can position your company as an industry expert and a trusted advisor.

Here at Fifty Five and Five, we showcase the inner workings and thinking of the company through a range of channels. We want candidates to know that when they join us, they’re working with leaders in the B2B tech field. Our blogs offer the trendy and vital insights that demonstrate thought leadership, and a company that has its fingers on the B2B pulse. Plus, our Instagram account is there to record our group activities (drinks, summer parties and more) we do outside of Fifty Five and Five.

Employee advocacy

Encouraging employees to become brand ambassadors is crucial. They can promote the company’s values and culture on social media and other platforms. Employee-driven social media takeovers, where employees share their experiences and insights, can be a powerful way to showcase the company’s work environment.

On our own Instagram channel, we’re not shy from showing the office and those that make our company great. Every one of our employees exudes our values (more on those soon), so why not show them off?

Investing in employee development

Continuous learning and development opportunities for employees not only benefit them personally but also lead to better products and services for clients. You need to invest in training programs, certifications, and professional development to attract and retain top talent.

As part of our employer branding, we provide all of our employees the best environment to grow at Fifty Five and Five. For each employee, we have devised a Personal Development Plan that provides them with short and long term goals that fit alongside their desired growth. Take my own plan, for example. I want to go further up the ladder by improving my leadership and communication skills. At the centre of my plan are tasks and courses for me to complete to attain my goals.

Promoting a positive company culture

A positive company culture is a magnet for both employees and clients. It’s the secret glue that keeps everything together. Strategies for fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity should be implemented. This can include team-building activities, mentorship programs, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

We create our own positive culture through the following 5 ‘behaviours’:

• Ambition
• Intelligence
• Transparency
• Adding value
• Responsibility

Every task we do, every interaction we make, these behaviours enable us to put our best selves on the pitch every day. From working collaboratively internally to getting client work over the finish line, we ensure that the behaviours are the driving force that make our company a great place to work.

A marketing partner who knows what your clients want

By investing in employer branding, you can enhance your reputation, attract top talent, and build trust with potential clients.

At Fifty Five and Five, we can help you leverage the power of employer branding to supercharge your success in the B2B tech market. We have the values and the strategies to make it happen.

Contact us today to get started.