Employee gifts as part of your employer branding strategy
Original corporate gifts are not only nice for clients and business associates. They also play an important role as part of employer branding.
What is employer branding?
Employer branding is the way in which a company presents itself as an employer to (potential) employees.
So it is not so much about how customers see your brand, but about how people experience your company as a workplace.
In short: employer branding = your reputation as an employer.
This reputation is more important than you think. With a strong image…
- Attract better candidates
- Lower your recruitment costs
- Do employees stay longer in your company?
What does it consist of?
A strong employer brand is formed by things such as:
- Corporate culture: what is the atmosphere like internally?
- Working conditions: flexible hours, work pressure, fringe benefits…
- Values and mission: what does the company stand for?
- Growth and development opportunities
- Leadership and management style
- How employees talk about the company: reviews, social media…
For example: companies such as Google and Netflix are known for their strong employer branding because they distinguish themselves with an innovative culture, playful offices, good employment conditions, and a lot of autonomy for employees.
Setting up an employer branding strategy
An employer branding strategy is a concrete plan with which an organization consciously builds its image as an employer. It consists of the following components:
- Employer Value Proposition (EVP): Your core promise as an employer. Why would someone want to work here? What do you get here that you don't get elsewhere?
- Target audience: Focus your strategy on specific profiles, such as entry-level/senior professionals, technical/creative roles, local/international candidates, etc.
- Positioning: How do you want to be known as an employer? Innovative, people-oriented, impactful, sustainable…?
- Communication channels: How do you promote your employer brand? Think about vacancies and job pages, social media, events, campus recruitment…
- Employee experience: Everything a potential employee experiences must be right, from the application process to onboarding.
Employee gifts as part of employer branding
Employee gifts may seem small, but they surprisingly often play a strategic role in employer branding. They are a tangible way to make your values as an employer visible.
What you give says something about who you are as an employer.:
- Sustainable gift → you emphasize social responsibility
- Personal gift → you show appreciation and a people-oriented approach
- Practical gift → you show that you have an eye for the daily lives of employees
In addition, employer branding is not only about attracting staff, but also about the TaoTherefore, give gifts on moments when they have an impact: onboarding, birthdays, holidays, after a major project… That ensures greater engagement and a sense of recognition.
Employees often share fun or original staff gifts on social media with friends and family. This turns them into ambassadors of your employer brand.
But beware: sometimes things go wrong. Employee gifts only work if they are authentic. (no standard, thoughtless gifts), be relevant to your target audience and be consistent with your brand. A cheap or uninspired gift can even have the opposite effect. Therefore, choose a custom corporate gift from Betty & Albert!
