An employer brand, according to Universum Global, is “the process of promoting a company, or an organisation, as the employer of choice to the desired target group, one which a company needs and wants to recruit and retain.” All employers have an employer brand, whether they’re aware of it or not, which makes it a fundamental element of your strategy. In this article, we’ll show you how to build and breathe an employer brand that appeals to freelancers, providing you with a durable advantage over the competition.
To start, it’s helpful to understand exactly what qualities freelancers are looking for in an employer brand. Here are some of the most important criteria from the perspective of the freelancer:
- Great employer reputation
- Challenging, meaningful work
- Opportunities to build and demonstrate expertise
- Collaborative, cooperative workplace
- Flexibility; ability to manage work-life balance
- Fair, respectful administrative treatment (contract, payment, reasonable administrative requirements)
- Benefits that go beyond financial compensation
Defining an employer brand that highlights these qualities can help companies increase their chance of attracting the best contractors /freelancers. However, it’s not enough to simply define your employer brand, you have to live and breathe it. It’s important to point out that not all of these areas are under the control of an Umbrella company, but specifically your brand reputation, administration process and additional benefits certainly are.
When looking at employer brands the single most important factor for freelancers is authenticity. False promises never serve companies well, no matter if it’s to their consumer or their employees. Research by Towers Watson found that companies that invest in their employer brand were five times more likely to report highly engaged employees, and tended to perform above the competition that invested less in their employer brand. This suggests that by showing your freelancers you are willing to invest in them, they are more likely to engage with you further, stay with you longer and advocate your employer brand.
In summary, as organisations turn towards freelancers and contractors to achieve their business goals, umbrella companies will need to focus on their workers more and more. At Perkbox, we help companies acquire, engage and retain contractors by offering a range of financial, emotional and physical benefits for them and their families. Visit www.perkbox.co.uk to find out more!
Written by former FCSA Business Partner, Perkbox.
