In a competitive hiring market, farm and ag businesses must utilize every tool available to attract and retain top talent to their organization. From company culture to pay and benefits, several key factors contribute to whether candidates are attracted to or deterred from joining your agriculture company. In this article, we’re diving into employer branding and its role in successful talent acquisition for your farm or agribusiness.
Company branding, not to be confused with employer branding, is the process of creating a business’ distinct identity in the minds of its target audience and the general population. It is how people perceive your company and can help set your organization apart from competitors. While visuals such as logos and design elements play a role in this identity, branding can include anything that contributes to your company’s reputation, such as experiences with products, services, or customer interactions. It also includes messaging components of your business such as your mission statement, tone of voice, and slogan.
Employer branding is a subcategory of corporate branding and serves as your company’s unique identity to current and potential employees, rather than the general public. While company branding focuses on creating a brand image for the company and its products or services, employer branding is focused on creating a positive perception of the organization as a workplace.
Overall, both company and employer branding affect how people perceive your organization. Whether as a product/service provider or as an employer, branding is a way for farms or ag businesses like yours to stand out from competitors.
Your employer brand serves as its identity in the job market, encompassing your culture, mission, values, and reputation. Done well, employer branding will attract motivated job seekers to your agriculture company and those who align with your mission. From communicating these elements across your job descriptions, website, social media profiles and more, your branding can play a large role in successfully recruiting the right individuals.
Prioritizing the enhancement of your brand awareness and reputation among job seekers will create buzz around your company, helping attract top talent and even passive candidates who want to join your organization.
According to the AgHires Job Seeker Survey, 89% of agricultural job seekers found employer branding to be important.
It’s common for candidates to research a company prior to applying or interviewing for a position to discover if it’s a place they want to work. They’re visiting your company’s website, social media profiles, career page, and other advertising components, analyzing the overall look and feel of your ag company. They may also ask people in their network about your company. Candidates want to know if people view your farm or agribusiness in a positive light and if they want to be associated with your organization.
Not to mention, when you hire employees who are excited to work for you and represent your brand, they are likely to broadcast their positive experience to their connections (job seekers, clients, customers, stakeholders, etc.), furthering your brand's positive impact and reach.
An employer value proposition (EVP) is an employee-centered approach to showcasing what your ag company has to offer in exchange for employees’ talent. It encompasses your values, mission, culture, and perks, and what makes you a strong workplace. An employer value proposition is often communicated both internally to current employees and externally to potential candidates, helping you attract and retain the right people for your ag organization. You can begin outlining your EVP by asking your employees their favorite things about working for your company and what enticed them to join the team.
In this digital age, your company’s online presence and branding can make or break job seekers’ interest right out of the gate. To most job seekers, a company with a professional website, content on social media, and strong messaging will be more attractive than a company that has an outdated, inconsistent, or complete lack of online presence. Ensure your online branding accurately represents your company and is consistent throughout your profiles and marketing materials.
While many pieces of an employer brand are materials that can be developed to convey a specific message, others may not be as controllable. You can craft your brand’s logo, advertisements, and messaging, but your reputation and image formed by the public contribute to your branding, too, which can impact your ability to attract talented candidates.
One simple way you can begin to assess your company’s reputation is by analyzing reviews online. Are there specific ways you can improve your products or services? Do employees recommend working for your company? While you can’t control word of mouth and other people’s perceptions, taking steps to improve your agriculture company’s reputation will not only win over more customers but will also attract the right candidates who want to work for you.
To ensure your company is seen as an attractive workplace option for candidates, conduct an internal survey or interview current employees for feedback regarding the hiring process, training and onboarding, and company processes. Seek ways you can continuously improve your candidate experience and internal operations, which will spill over positively into your employer branding and help attract job seekers.
When your agriculture employer branding is overall positive, well-known, and accurately showcases your culture and values, you will find that it is easier to attract the right individuals to your openings and retain those hires who will bring continued success to your ag organization. Working to improve your employer branding is a continuous effort but will pay off in a multitude of ways in terms of your company’s growth and success. Remember, improving your employer brand won’t happen overnight, but small steps will add up to a big impact!
If you’re struggling to improve your employer branding to hire top talent, AgHires is here to help. As the #1 agriculture recruiting firm, we’re not just recruiters - we’re your talent advisor. Whether you are looking to hire top executives, experienced managers, skilled labor, or technical experts, we want to help you move your business forward. Contact us today to learn how we can help you find quality candidates utilizing your unique employer branding.