Attractiveness of the company, retention of employees, war for talent … There is no shortage of challenges for HR departments today. So how can the annual HR survey be used as a key lever to work on the employer brand?

What is employer branding?

Employer brand is the image that your company projects as an employer. It is what will determine whether candidates will want to apply for a job with you, whether your current employees and contractors will be proud to work for you, and whether your company will be considered an employer of choice. It is the set of perceptions, values, practices and promises that your company conveys to its employees, potential candidates and partners.

So how can the social barometer improve your employer brand?

The answer is simple: if your employees are satisfied with their work, their work environment, their relationship with their colleagues and their hierarchy, they will be more likely to speak positively about your company around them. They can be ambassadors for your company and your employer brand. The social barometer is a tool for analysing the social climate that will enable your company to better understand its human resources and its teams. In particular, it allows you to understand what is working well in your company and what is not. By identifying your company’s strengths and weaknesses, you can put in place HR action plans to improve areas that need improvement. By being proactive, you can make your employees more satisfied and engaged, which will result in a better employer brand. For example, if your social barometer shows that your employees are not satisfied with internal communication, you can put in place tools and processes to improve communication between different departments in the company. If your employees don’t feel valued, you can set up a recognition programme to reward employees who do a good job.

In more practical terms, what can you use HR surveys to work on your employer brand?

✅ Improving QWL

The annual HR survey allows you to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of quality of working life and to implement actions to improve them. By improving the quality of working life (or QWL), your company can strengthen its image as an attractive employer and build employee loyalty.

✅ Enhancing corporate culture

The social barometer allows you to collect employees’ perceptions of your company’s culture. By highlighting the positive aspects of your company culture, you can reinforce your image as a quality employer and attract like-minded talent.

✅ Fostering professional development

The HR questionnaire also allows you to collect your employees’ expectations in terms of professional development, skills and training. By implementing HR actions to meet these expectations, you reinforce your brand image as an employer who promotes the professional development of its employees.

✅ Communicate on the actions implemented

The annual HR survey allows you to identify the actions to be taken to improve the quality of life at work. By communicating these actions to your employees, you will reinforce your image as an employer that listens to its employees and implements concrete actions to improve their daily lives (to go further on this subject, discover our case study). In Zest, you can design, distribute and analyse your HR surveys in a simple and intuitive way. To find out more about the best practices to follow, discover our case. In Zest, you can design, deliver and analyse your HR surveys in a simple and intuitive way. To find out more about the best practices to follow, discover our practical guide.     In summary, the social barometer is a strategic tool to work on your employer brand by allowing you to better understand the expectations and needs of your employees, increase their engagement and take steps to improve their employee experience. By doing so, you can enhance your reputation as an employer, attract and retain top talent, and differentiate yourself in an increasingly competitive job market. The social barometer therefore becomes a real lever to work on your employer brand and strengthen your competitiveness.