For some business owners, Human Resources feels like a corporate term for a file cabinet, form processor and compliance police. But in a local market where word-of-the-mouth is king, your HR function is your most powerful marketing tool.

Think about it. Every interaction a candidate or employee has with your company shapes your reputation. Given the high visibility of this role, that influence can either damage your business or turn it into a local employer of choice. Subsequently, it is important that the person responsible for this function is acutely aware of the consequences their actions can hold.

Pitfalls of High Visibility Actions

In a small community, people talk. Negative experiences with your HR processes can lead to a “don’t work there” reputation that is hard to shake. Remember, people will tell 3 friends if they had a good experience but they will tell the world if they had a bad experience and the internet makes it extremely easy to do.

1. The “Ghosting” Culture: When candidates apply and never hear back, or interview and get zero feedback, they don’t just feel ignored—they feel disrespected. This leads to negative Glassdoor reviews and warnings to friends. An effective and consistent process for communicating with candidates from the first interaction is imperative to a good candidate experience. With automation at our fingertips, staying in touch has never been easier. Remember, EVERYONE is an influencer these days.
2. Inconsistent Policy Application: If one employee gets flexibility and another doesn’t without a clear reason, it creates a “favorites” culture. This erodes trust and signals to the community that your business lacks integrity. Be certain that policies are clear and applied consistently in all areas. This includes management. Having a general counsel available to review complex situations will provide a non-biased third party view and help to ensure that policies are applied fairly and consistently.
3. The Cold Exit: How you treat people on their way out matters as much as how you treat them on their way in. Maybe more so. A cold, purely transactional termination or resignation process turns former employees into brand detractors and will almost certainly ensure negative word of mouth sharing about the downfalls of your company. Firing someone in an email or text or blocking their access without a conversation is never a good idea. They deserve a personal interaction.

Where HR Can Shine as a Brand Ambassador

Conversely, investing in the “Human” side of HR can out-compete larger corporations with deeper pockets.

1. Authentic Values-Based Hiring: When hiring is based on core values rather than just a checklist of skills, it creates a cohesive team. Certainly, skills are extremely important. However, employees that are deeply connected to the mission and vision of the company and understand how they contribute to the success of the organizations will work harder and be more closely aligned to the business. Commitment matters and customers notice when staff is genuinely committed and happy to be there.
2. Proactive Professional Development: A small business that invests in its people’s growth becomes known as a “launchpad.” This reputation is not a detractor to business revenue but instead a very powerful recruitment and retention tool. When you help employees gain skills, they are more likely to stay as they see you investing in their future. Your business becomes known as an employer that values their employees and then stands out as an employer of choice to the best local talent. In addition, early development fills your pipeline with leadership potential for the future.
3. Community Engagement: “Local-first” benefits, such as paid volunteer hours for local non-profits or partnerships with nearby gyms and coffee shops are a great way to support the community and build a positive brand. This signals that your company cares about the local ecosystem. HR needs to be IN the community as often as possible. This ensures they are engaged with other businesses and building a referral network for recruitment.
4. Recruitment Marketing
   1. Recruitment marketing is the bridge between your HR department and the public. It isn’t just a job posting; it’s an advertisement for your company culture.
   2. Move away from dry, legalistic bullet points. Use your job postings to tell the story of your mission. What problem are you solving? Why does the work matter? Make it intriguing and exciting.
   3. Use your social media to show “behind-the-scenes” life at the shop or office. Let your current employees tell their stories.
   4. Your application process should be as user-friendly as your customer checkout process. If your “brand” is supposed to be “innovative and fast,” but your application takes 45 minutes and is mobile-unfriendly, you’ve already failed the brand test. The candidate’s time is valuable and you have to treat it as such.

To the local community, your HR practices are your brand. Treat every candidate like a customer and every employee like an influencer.

This is a contributed blog post written by Myra Quick, founder of Fast Forward Learning and Development. Myra’s extensive HR experience and passion for training was the launch pad for the company. Her goal was to improve the effectiveness of the workforce, by helping people find the role best suited to their strengths and providing the professional development and knowledge they needed to succeed. She knew that to be effective, development programs had to be concise, informative, engaging, and relevant to today’s workplace. So, in 2018 Fast Forward Learning and Development was established.

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