Summary:
- Employer branding in science is essential to attract top talent, retain employees, and improve reputation and funding.
- Candidates assess online presence, industry reputation, career progression, inclusiveness, and responsiveness during recruitment.
- Building a strong employer brand requires investment in employee experience, a clear EVP, and alignment between internal culture and external messaging.
- Challenges include authenticity, consistency, and resource limitations. Partnering with a specialist agency like Evolve Scientific can help overcome these.
What Is Employer Branding?
Employer branding is about how your company is seen as a place to work, separate from what the company stands for as a brand. It includes your company culture, values, mission, and how you treat your workforce. Essentially, it's the reputation you create in the job market and how potential applicants view working with you even before they apply.
For industries like science, where jobs tend to be highly specific and driven by clear objectives, the way companies present themselves as employers becomes increasingly important. It can impact how much interest candidates show and whether they stay long-term. Research from LinkedIn shows that 75% of those looking for jobs consider an employer's reputation or brand before applying.
Candidates thoroughly assess whether your company aligns with their professional values, career ambitions, and lifestyle needs. A well-articulated employer brand answers the question, "Why should I choose to work here?”
Why Is Employer Branding Important in Science?
Scientific organisations across fields such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, education, and government research rely heavily on their ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals. These individuals look for more than competitive pay; they’re driven by the chance to engage in meaningful work, collaborate with respected colleagues, and operate in environments that support intellectual rigour and innovation.
The strength of an employer brand plays a central role in shaping how current and potential employees view a company. Establishing a clear differentiation through culture, purpose, and transparency is essential in competitive industries with similar job roles.
Organisations investing in employer branding are better positioned to engage with active and passive candidates, reduce turnover, and build stakeholder trust. This, in turn, can support long-term goals such as securing funding, forming strategic partnerships, and advancing scientific impact.
What Do Scientific Candidates Look For?
At Evolve, we speak to scientific professionals every day, and we’ve noticed consistent patterns in what they value most in an employer. These include:
- Credibility and visibility: Candidates often begin their journey with a quick online search, checking your website, social media, and employee reviews to gauge credibility. Glassdoor states that 83% of job seekers are likely to research company reviews and ratings.
- Peer reputation: Informal networks and word-of-mouth within scientific communities carry weight and can be a powerful driver of interest or hesitation.
- Workplace policies: Support for mental health, flexible working, and professional development are increasingly expected rather than being a benefit.
- Career opportunities: This applies to both temporary and permanent roles. Even short-term or contract positions become more attractive when there is clear evidence of a development pathway and internal mobility.
- Scientific relevance: The work itself must resonate. Scientists want to contribute to projects that push boundaries and make a real-world impact, whether improving patient outcomes or advancing sustainability.
- Recruitment experience: Responsiveness, transparency, and the pace of the recruitment process influence engagement and interest.
- Inclusiveness & diversity: A culture of belonging is essential for attracting a broad spectrum of talent. Learn more about how to create diversity & inclusion in your workplace.
- Work/life balance & team culture: Celebrating achievements, fostering camaraderie, and respecting personal time are key to long-term engagement.
Key Components of a Science Employer Brand
Establishing a strong employer brand in the scientific sector requires more than just promotional messaging. It’s important to align company values with employees' experiences and maintain consistency across recruitment, onboarding, and career development.
Key components include:
- A clearly communicated mission and scientific purpose.
- A culture that fosters collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth.
- Transparent pathways for advancement and recognition.
- Opportunities for employees to share their experiences and achievements.
When these elements are embedded into daily operations and communicated effectively, they help position the organisation as an employer of choice among scientific professionals.
How to Build a Strong Science Employer Brand
1. Start with employee insights
Assess your brand's perception using internal surveys, exit interviews, and feedback sessions. Gathering this data can help pinpoint strengths and areas needing improvement. You might include questions like:
- How was your onboarding process?
- Do you have a clear career path?
- Are there valuable training options available?
- Do you feel supported in your role?
- How would you assess the work-life balance?
By gathering feedback on these topics, you can better position your company as an employer of choice for prospects and enhance your strategy for retaining current employees.
2. Define your EVP (Employee Value Proposition)
Your EVP must clearly communicate what makes your company unique, highlighting aspects such as career development opportunities and the impact of your research. To stay competitive, analyse the experiences of other companies in your industry and compare them to your own. This will help you identify what sets you apart.
3. Align internal culture with external messaging
Attracting the right candidates demands authenticity. Job seekers are very perceptive and can quickly identify any discrepancies between your company's stated values and the actual experiences of your employees. It’s important to ensure your message accurately depicts your team's daily life and culture to build trust. This involves promoting your company's positive qualities while being honest about challenges and expectations. When you match your communication with the actual experiences of your employees, you create a transparent environment that appeals to potential candidates and helps you build a strong, cohesive workforce.
4. Use digital channels
You should ensure that your industry platforms, LinkedIn profile, and careers page all reflect your values, culture, and current opportunities through testimonials, videos, success stories, etc., with personalised messaging from your team. Disconnected communication across departments can weaken your brand. Therefore, invest in cross-functional collaboration between HR, marketing, and leadership to ensure a uniform perception of your brand is communicated across all channels.
5. Improve the candidate experience
Make sure your application and hiring processes are user-friendly and straightforward. Clear and transparent communication is essential at every stage of the hiring journey; provide timely updates and feedback to candidates to keep them informed and engaged. Approach each engagement with an attitude that mirrors your company’s values and culture; every contact with a candidate adds to your brand narrative.
6. Celebrate and share success
Recognising individual accomplishments, be it a well-deserved promotion, a research breakthrough, or a collaborative team milestone, not only celebrates the abilities of those participating but also helps to strengthen your company's vision and principles. It inspires motivation and encourages other employees to aim for greatness when they see their colleagues honoured for their efforts and contributions. Moreover, public recognition can boost employee retention since those who feel appreciated and respected are more prone to stay committed to the company. So, take the time to spotlight these achievements through company newsletters, team meetings, or social media platforms, and build an environment where success is celebrated and shared.
How Evolve Scientific Recruitment Can Help
At Evolve, we specialise in connecting scientific organisations with top-tier talent, and we know that employer branding is central to that success.
Our consultants are degree-qualified scientists with real-world experience. We understand the nuances of the industry and the expectations of scientific candidates. Whether you're hiring for a temporary lab technician or a permanent research lead, we help you position your organisation as an employer of choice.
Contact our team for more insights on employer brand and start hiring today.
