Consistently committing to growth, new customers, deliverables, locations, competences and products is difficult if you cannot rely on the talent of people. Making your brand a place where people want to work and grow is more than a foundation for your future, it’s one of the most important drivers. There is ample evidence that good communication with employees (not only about what directly concerns the employee) leads to greater engagement with the company, higher efficiency and profitability.
Old school power dynamics lay in the past
Employers used to have all the power. Today the dynamics of power have shifted. Nowadays, more and more research shows that as an employer you enter into a balanced relationship with your employees, a relationship in the true sense of the word. To connect with talented people, you need to fulfil common higher goals flexibly and mutually. Today, you apply for talent, instead of the other way around.
Where does good employer branding arise?
We believe that a good employer branding campaign arises at the intersection of what connects people and brands. We deliberately use connect and not commit. It is essential to discover the roots of a brand, to look for the emotional elements that make current employees experience job happiness and to connect those elements to the brand on a deeper level. The trick is creatively and accessibly combining all the acquired information to connect potential employees with the brand’s unique positioning and goals.
"it's not about the war for talent, it's about the race for engagement"
Employer branding is a constantly evolving process. The sum of all experiences that employees and potential employees have with your brand plays an important role in building your employer brand. Even when someone no longer works for you, the interactions that happened continue to influence the relationship between your brand and all possible observers. People talk to family, friends and others about what they experienced. It never stops and continuously influences the attractiveness of your brand. Over time perception can shift, even in the short term for that matter…. Perhaps this means that “the temporality of communicating as an employer brand” is over. Les Binet and Peter Field, for instance, argue that in commercial branding, tactical campaigns are only as successful as the foundation that is laid by long-term branding efforts. This means regular monitoring, measuring connection and behaviour, and adjusting are just as necessary.
Kevin Grossman
Is employer branding above all else?
Employer branding is not one thing. It’s a whole range of initiatives, and it is perhaps one of the most poignant methods of connecting on a deeper human level. Employer branding tells emotional stories and leaves an everlasting mark. The brand’s mission, values, personality and culture must be crystal clear, and the connection between the brand and the company must be authentic. Employer branding also requires frequency and consistency. It requires repetition, sincerity and vulnerability to create psychological safety that makes room for each other’s wants and needs. All these elements lead to high employee engagement. And yes, you need to allocate time and resources for that. Just like …. close friendships and relationships.
Context matters, as does an integrated approach
The voice of an organisation is still determined by its founders, but also increasingly by its employees. Hitting the right tone is crucial. Knowing who you communicate for, how and where you communicate is important. To reach the target group within their context, it is essential to use the right language, visuals, movement, sound, and channels. As an integrated agency, we have a natural reflex to look at all expressions where an employer branding campaign can be deployed. Being consistent and consequential in and adapting to context without losing brand identity is essential to us. This requires a good understanding of the characteristics of each context and its communication channel.
Jeff Wasiluk
