Dive Brief:

• Both employer branding and building a positive organizational reputation can help to support recruitment and retention efforts, writes Richard Mosley for Harvard Business Review.
• Universum surveyed more than 2,500 managers at 1,000 organizations, including 100 Fortune 500 companies.These managers were primarily responsible for employer branding efforts, and were asked for their unique insight, said Mosley. 
• The four key areas for building positive corporate reputations highlighted by survey respondents included; targeting the right talent for each job role; standing out as 'distinctively great' among competing firms; making sure to deliver on promises made and using data analytics to plan and predict outcomes. 

Dive Insight:

Clients, employees and potential hires have more freedom to share their impressions of organizations than ever before; from the first time they encounter them and apply for work, through interviewing to onboarding and even years into employment, these groups are constantly placing organizations under the microscope. Employers have become increasingly transparent about employee experience with corporate brands, and the idea that organizations must do all they can to put forth a positive employer brand is nothing new. 

The tips provided did, however, provide some current methods of improving the employer brand reputation. Keeping the employee experience in mind is a huge part of this process. It's not just about making a good first impression either - companies like Zillow have stood out as example to others for their integration of company values into workplace culture, keeping employee engagement at its peak. There really is no substitute for treating candidates respectfully and transferring this value throughout the entire organization.