Written by Gareth, Employer Branding Specialist at justDice

I started with justDice in June 2022 and was immediately thrown into the fast-paced mobile consumer tech world. And what a world it is. It’s a rapidly changing landscape with companies relentlessly battling for a slice of the billion-dollar market. And amidst this fierce scrap for the top spot, I was brought on board to face the challenge: how does justDice set itself apart from the rest?

Shaping my Role

The trust and independence I received from day one was amazing. Although I value teamwork and collaboration, I enjoy independent work, and justDice was essentially a blank canvas. I had to shape my role, and I had the freedom to choose how. 

Starting out, we didn’t have an online presence, our standing in the mobile tech community was small, and our achievements hadn’t been properly recognised. This was frustrating because we were the first to successfully launch free-to-play loyalty programme apps, for example. But building something from scratch was an exciting opportunity—I had to develop our narrative.

My Dive Into Employer Branding

My early goal in this position was simple: showcase the real, unfiltered life at justDice. By sharing stories, achievements, and challenges, I aimed to paint an honest picture of our journey in the industry. 

I wanted to have fun with it, too. I didn’t want us to be some dry, faceless machine. I wanted us to show our blend of fun and professionalism. And the core of employer branding isn’t just creating some corporate robot BS that no one relates to but about honestly showcasing how we work, interact, and treat each other daily. With that, three main components of employer branding come to me:

• Employer reputation
• EVP (employer value proposition)
• Employee experience

On top of that comes the responsibility of attracting and retaining the industry’s best talent. Sounds simple. To accurately show this, I had to understand industry challenges, identify what motivates our team, and ensure our branding is genuine and directly aligned with employee needs and goals.  

My Projects and Learnings

One of the most significant challenges in my first year was developing our EVP. An effective EVP outlines mutual expectations and rewards between a company and its employees. The objective behind our revamped effort was clear: to openly and honestly address what our team members value most. Why? To develop something that echoes with current and potential employees and be a differentiator in a highly competitive job market. Easy, right?

From internal surveys to SWOT analysis, audits, interviews and more, I found that our EVP revolves around three main concepts (condensed for this post): 

• Growth and Innovation: Be part of our forward-thinking team, harness your creative freedom, and benefit from continuous mentorship to excel in your mobile consumer tech career.
• Empowering Work Culture: Thrive in our inclusive culture that values every voice, celebrates collective success, and offers competitive benefits with work-life flexibility.
• Pioneering Impact on Gaming: Contribute to never-been-done-before mobile experiences, innovate with new IPs, and utilise cutting-edge technology to redefine the play-and-earn market.

Connecting the Dots

A crucial part of the development also involved conducting an internal survey with the team. One of the questions was, ‘Rank these employer qualities from most to least important.’ The team’s responses, prioritised from 1-7, are:

1. Competitive salary and benefits
2. Positive work culture and employee engagement
3. Flexible work arrangements and work-life balance
4. Open and honest communication
5. Personal growth support (soft skills etc.)
6. Focus on health and wellness
7. Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

As we developed our new EVP, ensuring it resonates with these priorities has been vital. For instance, our emphasis on ‘Empowering Work Culture’ and ‘Pioneering Impact on Gaming’ directly addresses the team’s value on positive work culture, employee engagement, and making an impact in our industry.

I F**ked Up

It ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. I’ve condensed my year and made it look easier than it was, as there was a lot of trial and error. For example, I’ve posted things on our socials that ruffled some feathers (unintentionally, of course). I ran a paid LinkedIn ad campaign hoping to attract more followers—it didn’t. We attended a job fair we weren’t fully prepared for or familiar with and got no leads. 

I won’t continue. I like my job and don’t want to get fired. However, I’ve tried and tested various methods and strategies to reach my goal, but not all worked. However, I’ve learned it’s essential to try new approaches and not become stale and stuck in a routine. And like the ever-changing mobile gaming industry, employer branding priorities shift, too. 

The Real Impact of Employer Branding

Walk the talk, put your money where your mouth is, seeing is believing. I can go all day with these nonsense metaphors, but despite some of the setbacks, the hard work does seem to be paying off. 

Between May and July 2023, justDice recorded a substantial job application increase. It’s the highest in our history. And it isn’t all volume; it’s quality, too. In May 2022, we had a mere 20% of what we’d define as a qualified candidate for every open role. Fast forward to May 2023, and we saw that number increase to 300%, with three qualified candidates applying for each open position. I’m beginning to see the real benefits of creating and implementing a genuine employer brand. 

Moving Forward

My overall goal is clear: to authentically represent life at justDice. And what I’ve worked on in the last year isn’t a highlight reel of perfection; it’s a solid building block for our long-term goal: attracting and retaining the best in the business. With that, our reputation, EVP, and employee experience will shine through, bringing me closer to building a stronger employer brand. I made that sound epic.

Shameless Plug

From now on, I’ll share more of my insights, findings, funny stories, conversations, case studies, and more. So follow me on LinkedIn, drop your thoughts in the comments, check out our open positions, or feel free to reach out to learn more about us. Until then, keep it groovy! 🤙