Companies today struggle to attract top talent because of shifting dynamics in the workplace. To confront these challenges, companies must incite more initiative, provide more attention, and practice more imagination to execute goals, increase productivity, and enable innovation. 

To find the right talent, companies can combine marketing and human resources management. 

Marketing is all about selling and promoting products and services, along with reputation management, advertising, social media management, press releases, and market research, among other things. It focuses on getting customers interested in what you offer (business to customer or B2C) or encouraging other businesses to avail of services you can provide (business to business or B2B).

Meanwhile, human resources management deals with the people aspect of the job – from handling recruitment, onboarding, practising labour policies, and fostering workplace culture to offboarding. It also goes beyond the traditional activity of finding potential candidates for job positions because, today, human resources management is about nurturing talent growth within the company.

The two combined create “employer branding,” says Global Human Resources Leader Anjani Kuumar.

When marketing and HR management departments collaborate, it will become easier for companies to stand out in a saturated labour market. Standing out will become possible by building the company’s brand and increasing awareness. When a company stands out, more job seekers will notice and check to see if there is any position in the company that fits them. It’s a win-win situation.

How you can apply marketing to HR management

Create a consistent brand message. HR can adapt the creative skill of developing a concise brand message that tells a story about what you are as a company. You can apply it to talent recruitment and information dissemination about the benefits of various employee programs. When created with intent and purpose, this brand message will set the direction for an organisation and can consequently lead to good results. 

Centralise all employee programs in one easy-to-use dashboard. HR and marketing should maximise the use of cloud computing to collaborate. Along with this, HR should also use similar tools marketers use when tracking initiatives and campaigns, such as a content management system. It can apply to recruitment and communications about employee benefits programs. Adding all programs into one dashboard makes it accessible for employees to understand the programs they use.

Use your creativity when trying to promote a job position. Write excellent copy that reflects your brand and showcases your creativity. Instead of just saying the typical aspects of the job, tell employees and prospects about “what’s in it for them.” Use different types of media to engage potential applicants. 

Establish employee brand advocates. Among your existing employees, you can invite employee brand advocates who can represent how great your company truly is. They can promote your brand and talk about what a great place your organisation is to work, particularly on their social media accounts.

Experiment with new platforms and channels to reach candidates. Lastly, don't be afraid to use different social platforms to reach potential candidates. Although the most used platform is LinkedIn, you can also use other social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, particularly if you want to reach younger job applicants.

In today’s changing labour market, combining marketing and HR management can help attract top talent for companies. It all depends on a consistent brand message that can reach many audiences.