In the current job market, especially in manufacturing-heavy regions like Indiana and North Carolina, employers face a tough decision. How do you compete for talent when there simply isn’t enough of it to go around?
The Fork in the Road: Two Ways to Compete
In a candidate-driven market with more open roles than qualified people to fill them, you have two real options.
Unless you're sitting on bottomless budgets, outspending bigger players is not a realistic or sustainable talent attraction strategy. One firm with deep pockets will always be able to outbid you. If your whole strategy is to match salaries, you’ll lose that game every time.
But there’s a powerful alternative. The firms who can outbid you cannot match your Employer Value Propositions (EVPs), the experiences, culture, and core offering you give to your employees. You can win with strong EVPs, a brand and culture that speaks directly to what candidates actually want beyond money: stability, opportunity, belonging, and purpose.
When Pay Isn't Everything, But Culture Is
We’ve seen companies with below-average compensation retain people for decades. Not because of pay, but because they’ve built workplaces where people feel valued. These companies deliver experiences employees talk about, and have genuine care for employees, going above and beyond to support them outside how a usual benefits package would. But they’re not telling that story widely enough.
The problem? These stories stay hidden inside the walls. So when it’s time to hire, there's no compelling narrative pulling new talent in. Great cultures are being lost in the noise because the message hasn’t made it to the market.
If You Don't Tell Your Story, Someone Else Will
Most companies underestimate the power of brand in the talent market. They don’t see employer branding and EVPs as business-critical. But in a tight market, they are.
Marketing isn’t just about customers. It’s about talent too. And right now, if you’re trying to attract engineers, manufacturing professionals, scientists, or any other in-demand skillset, you’re not competing on product. You’re competing on perception.
So, what do people know about you before they hit your careers page? What do they feel? Trust? Stability? Purpose? Or just another job with another paycheck?
Choose Your Strategy, but Choose One
If you’re in a market where hiring is competitive and talent is scarce, and many are, doing nothing is not an option. Standing still means falling behind. Right now, you have two clear paths forward: compete on compensation or build an employer brand that makes people want to join and stay. Either path can work, but trying to do both without intention will stretch your resources and weaken your impact.
Option 1: Invest in Employer Brand
This is the long game. It’s not a quick fix, but for many businesses, it’s the more sustainable one. Building a strong Employee Value Proposition requires clarity, consistency, and a story that resonates both internally and externally. At Harba, we’ve developed a proven process to help companies define who they are, communicate it effectively, and turn their culture into a competitive advantage. If you want to attract talent without racing to the top of the salary ladder, this is where to start.
*Book 20-minute consultation* >
Option 2: Compete on Compensation
If your business is ready to be the highest-paying employer in your space, ask yourself if this is truly achievable and sustainable. If this is still the direction you want to go in, don’t go in blind. We provide real-time compensation data, tailored to your market, industry, and roles, so you know exactly what it takes to lead on pay. Whether you need general benchmarks or a custom report aligned to your business, our talent insights will show you where you stand and what it will cost to win.
*View Talent Insights* >
Ready to choose your path? Let’s help you take a smart one.
Book a consultation to explore your options, understand your market position, and build a hiring strategy that works. Whether that means leading on pay, brand, or both, we can help you move forward with confidence.
