In today’s competitive job market, attracting top talent from Generation Z has become a critical focus for talent acquisition managers. Born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, Gen Z is entering the workforce with unique expectations and preferences. To effectively engage this digital-native generation, employers must adapt their recruitment strategies, with video content emerging as a powerful tool to showcase their employer brand.
Why video matters for Gen Z
Gen Z has grown up in a world dominated by smartphones, social media, and streaming platforms. They consume information differently from previous generations, with a preference for visual and interactive content. Video allows companies to convey their employer’s brand in a format that resonates with Gen Z’s communication style and attention span.
Key statistics highlight the importance of video in reaching Gen Z:
- 98% of Gen Z own a smartphone.
- 71% of Gen Z spend more than 3 hours a day watching online videos.
- 85% of Gen Z use YouTube to learn new skills or gather information.
By leveraging video in your recruitment strategy, you can capture the attention of Gen Z candidates and effectively communicate your Employee Value Proposition (EVP).
Crafting an Authentic Employer Brand Story
Importance of Employer Branding
Employer branding is the process of promoting a company as an employer of choice to a desired target group, which a company needs and wants to recruit and retain. It involves creating a unique employer brand that reflects the company’s values, culture, and mission, and then communicating this brand to potential employees. For organisations aiming to attract Gen Z talent, employer branding must be genuine, transparent, and aligned with the values and expectations of this digital-native generation.
A strong employer brand can significantly impact a company’s ability to attract and retain top talent. In the context of Gen Z, employer branding is especially crucial because this generation places a high value on authenticity, transparency, and meaningful work. They are not just looking for a job; they are looking for an employer whose values resonate with their own. Therefore, an effective employer branding strategy can differentiate a company from its competitors and position it as a desirable place to work.
Defining Your Employer Brand
The first step in crafting an employer brand is to define what your company stands for. This involves identifying your company’s mission, values, and unique selling points. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is our company’s mission? Clearly articulate the purpose of your organisation and the impact you aim to make in your industry or community.
- What are our core values? Define the principles that guide your company’s actions and decisions. These could include values like innovation, integrity, teamwork, and respect.
- What makes us unique? Identify the aspects of your workplace culture, benefits, and opportunities that set you apart from other employers.
Communicating Your Employer Brand with Video
Once you have defined your employer brand, the next step is to communicate it effectively to potential candidates. Video content is a powerful tool for this purpose, as it allows you to showcase your company’s culture, values, and opportunities in an engaging and authentic manner. Here are some key elements to include in your Employer Brand videos:
- Company Mission and Values: Highlight your company’s mission and core values in a way that resonates with Gen Z. Use storytelling techniques to demonstrate how the day-to-day work and overall company culture embody these values.
- Workplace Culture and Environment: Give potential candidates a glimpse into what it’s like to work at your company. Showcase your office environment, team interactions, and any unique traditions or events that contribute to your workplace culture.
- Career Development Opportunities: Gen Z is highly focused on career growth and development. Highlight the training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement paths available at your organisation.
- Employee Experiences and Testimonials: Employee generated content can be very persuasive. Include diverse employees in discussions about their experiences, what they like about working for you, and their career growth.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives: Gen Z values diversity and inclusivity. Showcase your efforts to promote a diverse and inclusive workplace, including any initiatives or programs you have in place.
- Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts: Highlight your company’s involvement in social and environmental causes. Gen Z is socially conscious and prefers to work for companies that are making a positive impact on society.
Creating Video Content for Employer Branding
When creating video content for employer branding, it’s important to keep a few of these things in mind:
- Authenticity: Gen Z values authenticity, so your videos should reflect the true culture and values of your organisation. Avoid overly scripted content, and instead focus on genuine stories and experiences.
- Engagement: To keep your videos engaging, use dynamic visuals, compelling storytelling, and interactive elements. Remember, attention spans are getting shorter, so aim for concise and impactful videos.
- Consistency: Ensure that your videos are consistent with your overall employer brand and messaging. This helps to reinforce your brand identity and makes it more recognizable to potential candidates.
- Quality: While authenticity is key, the quality of your videos also matters. Consider investing in a microphone to ensure the audio is crisp.
Examples of effective employer branding videos
Here are some examples of effective employer branding videos that can inspire your own content:
- Day-in-the-Life Videos: These videos showcase a typical workday for an employee within your organisation, giving potential candidates insight into the work environment, team dynamics, and daily responsibilities.
- Employee Testimonials: Short, candid interviews where current employees discuss their roles, career growth, and what they enjoy about working for your organisation. To appeal to a broad range of candidates, ensure diversity in representation.
- Company Culture Highlights: Videos that capture the unique aspects of your workplace culture, such as team-building activities, social events, office tours, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of company traditions.
- Recruitment Process Explainers: Video guides that walk candidates through each step of your hiring process, providing transparency and setting clear expectations.
- Skill Development and Learning Opportunities: Videos highlighting the training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement paths available at your organisation.
- Leadership Insights: Interviews with execs discussing their vision for the organisation, industry trends, and how they support employee development.
- Virtual Office Tours: With remote and hybrid work becoming more common, create virtual office tours that showcase your physical workspace and remote work culture.
Distribution Strategies for Maximum Impact
Creating compelling video content is only half the battle. To effectively reach Gen Z candidates, consider the following distribution strategies:
- Optimise for Mobile: Make sure all video content is easily viewed on mobile devices, with clear visuals and captions for sound-off viewing.
- Leverage social media platforms: share your videos across platforms popular with Gen Z, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Tailor content length and style to each platform’s best practices.
- Incorporate Videos into Job Postings: Embed relevant videos directly into job descriptions to give candidates a richer understanding of the role and company culture.
- Create a Dedicated Careers YouTube Channel: Develop a centralised hub for all your employer brand video content, making it easy for candidates to explore multiple aspects of your organisation.
- Utilise Employee Advocacy: Encourage employees to share company videos on their personal social media accounts to expand reach and add credibility.
- Partner with influencers and brand ambassadors. Collaborate with relevant influencers or industry thought leaders to create and share content that resonates with Gen Z audiences.
Measuring success and iterating
To ensure your video strategy effectively attracts Gen Z talent, implement analytics and feedback mechanisms.
- Track Video Metrics: Monitor views, engagement rates, and click-throughs to job applications to gauge the effectiveness of different video types and platforms.
- Conduct Candidate Surveys: To gather qualitative feedback, ask candidates about their experience with your video content during the recruitment process.
- Analyse Application and Hire Quality: Measure the impact of your video strategy on the number and quality of Gen Z applications and hires.
- A/B Test Content: Experiment with different video styles, lengths, and messaging to optimise performance over time.
Overcoming common challenges
As you implement a video-centric employer branding strategy, be prepared to address potential obstacles:
- Budget Constraints: Start small with smartphone-recorded content and gradually invest in higher production value as you demonstrate ROI.
- Maintaining Consistency: Develop clear brand guidelines for video content to ensure a cohesive message across all productions.
- Keeping Content Fresh: Create a content calendar and involve employees in generating ideas to maintain a steady stream of relevant videos.
- Balancing Authenticity and Polish: Strike a balance between professional-quality content and the raw, authentic style that resonates with Gen Z.
Incorporating video into your employer’s branding strategy
Incorporating video into your employer’s branding strategy is no longer optional when it comes to attracting Gen Z talent. By creating authentic, engaging content that showcases your company culture, values, and opportunities, you can effectively capture the attention of this digital-native generation.
Remember to distribute your videos strategically across platforms where Gen Z spends their time, and continuously measure and refine your approach. With a thoughtful video strategy, you can bring your employer brand to life and position your organisation as an employer of choice for the next generation of talent.
FAQs
What is employer branding?
Employer branding is the process of promoting a company as an employer of choice to a desired target group, which a company needs and wants to recruit and retain.
Why is video important for employer branding?
Video is important for employer branding because it allows companies to showcase their culture, values, and opportunities in a format that resonates with digital-native generations like Gen Z, who prefer visual and interactive content.
How can videos improve recruitment?
Videos can improve recruitment by providing a more engaging and authentic view of the company, helping potential candidates better understand the work environment, and making the company stand out in a competitive job market.
What types of videos are effective for employer branding?
Effective types of videos for employer branding include day-in-the-life videos, employee testimonials, company culture highlights, recruitment process explainers, skill development showcases, leadership insights, and virtual office tours.
How can companies distribute employer branding videos?
Companies can distribute employer branding videos by optimising them for mobile viewing, leveraging social media platforms, incorporating them into job postings, creating a dedicated YouTube channel, utilising employee advocacy, and partnering with influencers and brand ambassadors.