When looking to build your company’s brand, you don’t need to look externally to begin — start with your employees, who can be your biggest cheerleaders. According to CareerArc’s Future of Recruitment study, candidates have three times more trust in an organization and its work culture when it provides employee testimonials.
Peer endorsements often bring more trust and credibility to your messaging. Word of mouth creates awareness in a way that traditional communications can’t reach.
Did you know 83% of candidates look at reviews and company ratings as part of their due diligence before applying? A current employee’s perspective will carry more weight and be more relatable to a potential applicant than that of a CEO or HR Representative.
Take control of your company’s perception (and brand) by controlling the narrative – share what makes you stand out and all that you have to offer as an employer. Most prospective employees will review your website to learn more about your company reputation, while 20% look at external sites like Glassdoor. In this age of social media, your LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts will also be used to assess your company.
Studies show that 34% of candidates will learn
about a firm's reputation on LinkedIn,
while 30% will turn to Facebook and 15% explore Twitter.
Testimonials can be used to:
- Increase awareness and employee engagement in your benefit offerings.
- Highlight a new benefit or increase participation in a current benefit program.
- Illustrate the value of using special tools, like a Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), etc.
- Showcase your company culture.
- Promote a special event, like a benefits fair or wellness challenge.
- Attract new talent.
Employees are consumers of your benefits — and testimonials are like customer reviews.
Video testimonials make an even greater impact with viewers retaining 95% of the video message.
So how do you create a culture of sharing?
We know the importance of a transparent company culture to not only retain current employees but also to recruit new talent. Your core values and culture should be illustrated in the materials you share in your Careers section. Employee testimonials provide an inside look as to why prospective employees should join your workforce. This firsthand account will create an emotional connection to your employees and your company before the new hire’s first day!
Here are some tips for successful employee testimonials:
- Decide on your objective. Is your goal to attract new talent, build your brand, show your company culture? Define your goal, make a plan, and build your strategy to move forward.
- Ask for volunteers. Seek out a diverse group from your company’s demographics.
- Be upfront with your expectations. Let employees know your goals and the intent of their testimonials.
- Stay flexible. Interviews don’t have to be in-person. Find what works best for you and your volunteers. Consider questions over the phone, with audio or video conferencing options.
- Focus on what’s important. Remember your objective. Make sure your content reflects what you need. If you’re looking to attract new talent, be sure to show “what’s in it for me”. Emphasize the positives – what are the advantages of working for your company?
- Get approval before posting. Let the employee volunteers review and approve the video/text before you share it.
Employee testimonials are a powerful way to leverage the trust with potential candidates and to celebrate the positives of working for your company. Effective employee testimonials will go a long way toward building your brand and sharing your company culture through their insights.
