Employer Branding in Malaysia: What It Is and How to Identify
Here's how you can attract the right candidates from the very beginning by understanding and leveraging employer branding.
By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:11 AM
Updated on 2024-09-09 at 7:23 AM
Understanding Employer Branding in Malaysia: A Complete Guide
Employer branding isn’t a luxury reserved for big corporations. It is the foundation of a winning recruitment strategy to attract and retain the right talent, regardless of the size of your company.
If you’ve ever wondered what your employer brand is, read on to see if it has any of the 7 employer branding pillars that define a strong employer brand in Malaysia.
What is Employer Branding?
In the competitive job market of Malaysia, employer branding has become an essential strategy for companies aiming to attract and retain top talent. Understanding what employer branding is and how to effectively implement it can significantly impact your company's ability to recruit skilled professionals and maintain a positive work environment.
The fundamental question an employer brand must answer is “why would a job seeker want to work here?”
The essence of employer branding lies in defining your company's brand - not just what your company does but who it is as an employer. Your employer brand includes your company’s culture, values, vision and mission, and beliefs. This encompasses everything from the work environment and corporate culture to employee benefits and career development opportunities. A strong employer brand can significantly impact your chances at recruiting skilled professionals and maintaining a positive work environment.
Why You Need An Employer Brand
An exceptional employer brand helps:
- Reduce recruitment costs in the long run
- Set you apart from your competitors
- Increase employee retention rate
- Attract top talent that aligns with your values
- Enhance your company image
Not only that, zeroing on your employer brand gives you a clearer view of your company identity and goals.
Sure, high salaries and extravagant benefits are attractive to any candidate. But you want to recruit those that want to join you for something deeper.
How to Identify Your Employer Brand
The 7 Pillars of Employer Branding in Malaysia
Realistically, companies don’t fall into only one category. You may find that your company identifies with a combination of different pillars.
When identifying your employer brand, keep your company’s culture and corporate identity in mind.
1. Prestige
Prestige applies to companies that have established a reputation. This could be due to their brand status, reputable leadership, or authority in the market.
Prestigious companies are often referred to as the “Big Players”. They could be international market leaders that hold global leadership across countries.
If your company is a household name and offers well-recognised products and services, you fall under this category.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Knowledgeable about what your company offers. They may already be using your products or services.
- Looking to work for a company they can be proud of.
- Ambitious and want to learn from big-name leaders in your company.
2. Entrepreneurism
An entrepreneurial company embraces creative thinking and encourages new ideas.
Companies with this pillar enjoy experimenting and discovering out-of-the-box ways to achieve results.
While companies with the Entrepreneurism pillar encourage innovation and new ideas, ideas that don’t work out are not penalised.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Creative and not afraid to try new things
- Fast learners and always up to date on your industry
- Energetic and excited about the company
3. Altruism
Companies with the Altruism pillar have a purpose that goes beyond making revenue. It’s also about serving others with their best interest in mind.
Being altruistic means you emphasise giving back to the community. Your cause of choice can range from serving marginalised communities to environmental awareness.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Aware of the issues your company is addressing
- Invested in giving back to the community
- Ethical, with solid integrity
4. Progressive Culture
If your company has a Progressive Culture pillar, you pride yourself on being self-expressive and different from the rest.
Companies with a progressive culture often have perks that allow flexibility and trust amongst employees.
In return, the company expects self-sufficient employees that need little supervision.
Progressive culture can also refer to making diversity and inclusion a big part of the company values.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Independent self-starters
- From diverse backgrounds and can offer different inputs to the company
- Trustworthy and honest
5. Career Growth
The career growth pillar applies to companies that promise career progression.
These companies have a merit-based environment. Career progression depends on employee performance, instead of seniority or age.
If your company falls under this pillar, you most likely have a clear career progression plan or learning programs for employees. You also focus on internal promotion when looking to fill higher positions.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Looking for a long-term career in the company
- Always trying to improve their skills and expertise
- Open to learning new things and picking up bigger responsibilities
6. Social Connection
The Social Connection pillar applies to companies that value relationships the most.
If your company has this pillar, you are big on enforcing positive and close-knit relationships in the workplace.
Your company’s strength lies in its healthy collaboration and sense of togetherness. You may encourage this by planning regular employee engagement and team bonding activities.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Great collaborators and get along with a diverse group of people
- Interested in creating meaningful relationships with their team and/or community
- Big team players who bring out the best in their team
7. Wealth
If your company has a Wealth pillar, you use monetary rewards as a way to attract candidates and reward top-performing employees.
It is usually done to boost employee motivation to achieve certain goals.
Besides high salaries, compensation can even include bonuses, commissions, and recognition programs.
You want to attract candidates who are…
- Competitive and have strong perseverance
- Goal-driven individuals
- Dedicated and dependable
Building a Strong Employer Brand
Building a strong employer brand in Malaysia requires consistency and authenticity. It's not enough to simply claim an employer value proposition; you must live it. Implementing practices that support a positive working environment and genuinely reflect the values and promises made in recruitment marketing efforts are crucial. Some tips to improve employer branding are:
a. Employee Involvement
Encourage employees to share their experiences and testimonials. Happy employees are the best brand ambassadors.
b. Social Media Presence
Utilise platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to showcase your company culture and highlight employee stories.
c. Community Engagement
Participate in community activities and projects that reflect your brand values, enhancing your image as a socially responsible employer.
The Wrap Up
Your company is probably a mixture of the above pillars. These combinations are what end up making your company unique!
Remember, there are no right or wrong selections. No particular pillar is better than another, either.
These pillars exist to help you identify your culture and values so you can focus on a consistent employer brand messaging.
Don’t waste time pandering to those that won’t be a good fit for your team. A clear and consistent employer brand will attract candidates that align with your values from the get-go.
Need help discovering your company’s employer brand? Take your Employer Branding into your own hands and see what you can do to recruit like a Marketing expert.
By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:11 AM