The technology sector (i.e. the internet, software, new technologies, the technology industry, telecommunications, etc.) is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the economy in Poland. The prospects for its development are promising. It is therefore of no surprise that there is an increasing wave of demand for talented employees and experts. With growing competition, technology companies must be able not only to attract them, but also to keep them. Without an effective employer branding strategy, this is almost impossible. What are the most effective tools of Polish employer branding in the technology sector? We suggest!
Table of contents:
- What do potential candidates in the technology sector look out for?
- Internal employer branding
- External employer branding
What do potential candidates in the technology sector look out for?
Let’s start with what attracts candidates in the technology industry to work for a company, i.e. what areas should be considered when planning employer branding activities. What is it that Polish technology employees value? Here are some of the most relevant areas:
- Attractive salary and benefits,
- Opportunity for continuous development of skills in technology and beyond,
- Participation in interesting projects,
- Clear progression path,
- Access to high-end equipment,
- Working with specialists with extensive knowledge and know-how,
- Opportunity to work in a modern infrastructure and be constantly exposed to technological industry innovations,
- High degree of autonomy in decision-making and project management,
- Openness of the company to listen to the solutions and ideas of employees and the possibility to implement them in the life of the company,
- Working in a large and well-known corporation,
- High flexibility (quite a few employees of technology companies in Poland work online or hybrid),
- Good organisational culture,
- Non-wage incentives (sports packages, travel subsidies, etc.).
Internal employer branding
There is no denying it – in this industry more than in any other, the right employer brand image should be built not externally, but mainly internally. After all, at a time when the demand for highly qualified specialists is so great, each and every one of them is at a premium. It is not enough to attract an employee. Above all, you have to keep them by providing them with the best possible working conditions. What are the most effective employer branding tools in the technology industry in Poland?
Employee training and development programmes
The most important tool for effective employer branding in the technology sector is to constantly nurture the competencies of employees. This industry is changing dynamically and usually attracts people who are open to novelties and want to educate themselves. However, it is not only about hard competencies, but also soft skills, especially those related to project or people management. Currently, most companies in the technology sector not only systematically organise internal training for their employees, but also have funding programmes for external training for all those who want to expand their competences.
Statements to trade media
- The Polish technology worker likes to feel that he is not standing still. This is a group that highly values individuality and autonomy. We, as a company, should help them build a strong personal brand in the sector. This is mutually beneficial – the employee creates their personal brand and the company builds the image of a company employing qualified experts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to encourage employees to speak out in the media: from expert contributions on the company’s own social media, to external websites, news portals or the printed press. These most popular technology titles in Poland include, for example:
- Portal Technologiczny,
- Antyweb,
- Techsetter,
- Hightechnews,
- ITwiz.
Expert commentary from specialists in the technology sector is also often requested by titles related to marketing or e-commerce, such as:
- Nowy Marketing,
- Marketing przy kawie,
- Sprawny Marketing,
- Wirtualne Media.
Participation in technology sector conferences
It makes sense to show employees that as an employer we are looking out not only for our interests, but also for theirs. An even more effective solution than making statements to the trade media is to send employees to technology conferences – as participants, but primarily as speakers. Conferences are also a great opportunity to share original solutions, educate and inspire each other. And through this, the whole sector develops. Relevant events and technology conferences in Poland:
- Infoshare (business and new technologies),
- The Hack Summit (IT),
- Pytech Summit (IT),
- Expert Summit (IT),
- WTiUE (energy technology),
- Javeloper (IT),
- 4Developers (IT),
- DevRing (IT),
- PLNOG (Internet and Communications),
- Inventors Day (intelligent technology).
External employer branding
The second area of employer branding activities in Poland should be reaching out to potential candidates. It is they who will be the fuel that will give the company the strength to keep moving forward. The technology sector in Poland is growing all the time, which means that the number of people interested in starting a career in this industry is increasing. As a result, most of them are looking for junior positions. You therefore need to align your EB tools with your company-wide growth strategy. If you want to reach highly qualified professionals, EB tools should be different than if you want to train a new generation of technology industry experts from scratch.
Communicating the Employer Value Proposition
Building an employer brand online must start with establishing an EVP (or Employer Value Proposition). This is nothing more than the unique differentiators with which the company wants to position itself in the market and differentiate itself from the competition. The EVP must take into account elements such as what the candidates expect from the job, but also the language they use, their habits or even the media they use. This gives us clues as to where best to communicate EVP in order to be noticed by them. Examples of tools for communicating the Employer Value Proposition online:
- Sharing knowledge on social media (LinkedIn is particularly relevant here),
- Showcasing know-how (e.g. on the company blog, YouTube or in articles for the media),
- Campaigns involving current employees (a well thought-out campaign conveys a credible message about the company culture). This was brilliantly done, for example, by the technology company Capgemini in its ‘Between Others’ campaign, showcasing a very diverse and open working environment.
- Participation in trade media, specialist forums or news portals.
- Recruitment process: clear job advertisements, career tab on the company website, understandable recruitment process, feedback to candidates.
Education of future employees
When the number of talents on the market is dwindling, it is good to… create them yourself. This is where a number of EB solutions aimed at pupils or students come to the rescue to train the company’s future employees. In this way, such people enter the labour market with the knowledge, know-how or even minimal experience they already have. Examples of this type of action can be:
- Workshops, training courses, conferences and seminars at universities,
- Cooperation with Career Offices and study circles run at universities,
- Appearance at job fairs,
- Organising open days at the company,
- Conducting competitions on technological topics,
- Collaborating with universities: teaching as part of the curriculum or even creating their own specialised courses.
Organising or participating in technology sector events
Regularly appearing at industry events, fielding speakers, running sponsored coffee sessions or even organising your own events for the technology sector is now one of the most effective ways to reach experienced professionals. This doesn’t only build brand awareness among experts in many fields, positions and career levels; showcasing speakers who present the company’s experience based on real-life activities acts as a real magnet. Importantly, companies in the technology sector usually have an international work environment. It is therefore worth participating not only in events organised at home, but also abroad. This increases the prestige and broadens the company’s visibility on the labour market. Many Polish representatives of companies in the technology sector regularly appear on panels of conferences or at trade fairs around the world.
The technology sector is one of the fastest growing branches of business in Poland, attracting new talent every year. At the same time, competition on the market is so fierce that without a proper employer branding strategy (internal and external) it is difficult to attract the right candidates and then keep the best experts on the job. If you are just entering the Polish market or are already there, but need EB support, our specialists can help you. Contact us today!