The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released numbers showing that more employees voluntarily left their jobs than were laid off in November 2010. While 1.657 million were laid off, 1.849 million people actually quit their jobs. Moreover, these numbers aren’t an anomaly. November was the fourth month in a row to see more people quitting jobs than being laid off, according to the BLS.

What gives?

While salary is important to employees, more important are the intangibles, such as strong leadership and opportunities for advancement. And if your Houston, Texas company doesn’t offer those all-important intangibles, then star performers are quick to jump ship to bigger and better opportunities as soon as the economy starts showing some signs of life.

So how can you avoid this scenario, and recruit and retain top talent?

The answer lies in creating a strong employment brand. A strong employment brand can help you:

• Improve the quality of candidates;
• Lower costs associated with recruiting because candidates are more likely to seek your company out;
• Reduce turnover by delivering on employees’ expectations;
• And produce happier, more engaged employees who become ambassadors of your company’s brand.

What does a strong employment brand consist of?

According to Gallup, which has been studying the psychology of brand relationships for over 60 years, a strong employment brand must be authentic and connect emotionally with your potential hires. And it must follow through on its promises once a person is hired. For instance, if you differentiate yourself from other employers by touting a strong mentoring program that helps new hires hit the ground running and advance their careers, you must deliver on that expectation. Otherwise, you’ll create disappointment and mistrust among your employees.

So where do you begin when creating an employment brand?

Schedule a brainstorming meeting with key staff members and ask the following questions:

• What is our current employment brand? What are the internal and external forces driving it?
• What is our current company culture like?
• What are the most attractive aspects of our company’s culture for existing employees and for potential hires? What are the least attractive?
• Overall, what traits best describe the company?
• Are we consistent in how we communicate and implement our employment brand internally and externally?
• What are the key factors driving our current recruiting and retention efforts? What could we do better?

Hopefully, these questions should allow you and your staff to evaluate your company as an employer and get on the road to building a successful employment brand. And if you need some help recruiting top talent, please contact Murray Resources. As a leading recruitment firm in Houston, Texas, we can ensure the highest quality matches between job seeker and employer, so you will get people who not only have the right qualifications, but who also have the appropriate personality fit for your organization. Contact us today to learn more.