When is your employer brand ripe for a refresh?

So, you’ve done the hard work of creating an employer brand and implementing it on your career site, social platforms and recruitment marketing campaigns. Congratulations! But that does not mean you’re done forever. Just like marketing brands, employer brands need attention. Depending on circumstances, you may discover a need for an employer brand refresh or rebrand. 

NAS recommends that our clients review employer brand messaging on an annual basis. Of course, if something changes within your organization (a sale or acquisition, new marketing guidelines), a quicker review may be required. Read on for some additional information on when to refresh your employer brand and how to go about it. 

Should you rebrand or refresh?

Let’s start with the basics. Do you need an entirely new approach or more of an update and refresh of your current employer brand messaging? 

You may need a full employer rebrand if…

• Major changes have occurred in your organization, like a name change or revamped business focus 

• Your hiring needs are very different from before, again based on a major change in your business 

• You’ve never actually done the work of developing a credible, authentic employer brand in the first place 

You may need an employer brand refresh if…

• Your hiring needs are largely the same and the marketplace has not changed dramatically 

• Most content on your site is still relevant but might be a few years outdated 

• There have been minor changes in your organization and its branding that do not require a wholesale change in your employer brand 

When is it time for an employer brand refresh?

If you’re still unsure which approach is best for you, here are some reasons you might choose an employer brand refresh over creating a new employer brand. 

You’re outdated 

New logo, marketing guidelines, fonts or colors have put your career site and employer brand out of alignment. 

You’ve changed

Your organization has undergone a shift, or your hiring needs have changed. Does the career site accurately reflect what you offer and who you are? Companies often evolve over time – candidates need to know what you’re about right now. 

You’re inconsistent

The site has evolved in a piecemeal fashion and includes different design elements and color schemes. It needs to be brought back under control. 

Your audience has changed 

Maybe the candidates you’ve targeted have shifted or what they are looking for today is different from when you launched the career site and employer brand. A refresh will help you to focus on targeting the people you need. 

You’re growing 

You have new job families to hire for, new offerings for current job families or new pages that are simply missing (like DEI, students or veterans). A refresh with new content is the answer. 

What are the steps in an employer brand refresh?

We recommend that you partner with the experts at NAS who have experience in refreshing employer brands. Whether you work with us or do the work in house, here are some of the key steps that will need to be taken in the process.  

• Review your current employer brand and determine the appropriateness of the message and any gaps in how it is being communicated 

• Audit your career site through the lens of what has changed within your organization and what new opportunities are available 

• Go through the steps for an employer brand refresh, including discovery, concept updates and any changes in brand guidelines 

• Make appropriate revisions to the employer brand concept and select the best approach 

• Implement across your career site, social platforms and marketing materials 

• Use this opportunity to also refresh photography, testimonials and video content 

Remember that it’s important to keep all interested stakeholders (company leaders, employees, and candidates) informed about the updates and changes once they occur. A communications strategy promoting your revised site is a great way to share your ongoing evolution as an employer of choice. Implement an internal strategy to roll out and announce your employer brand and career site refresh, as well as an external strategy to energize recruitment marketing efforts post-launch. 

Still not sure if you need a refresh or rebrand?

NAS is the recruitment marketing industry’s leader in employer branding. We’d be happy to review your employer brand and create a plan for a refresh. Get in touch today to start the conversation. Want to learn more about employer branding? View our webinar below!

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