How do you build an employer brand as big as your presence?

glh have a big presence. Seventeen hotels, under six distinct and well-known brands – Thistle, Thistle Express, Hard Rock London, Amba, Guoman and Every Hotels.

Individually, these are strong brands. But glh, the name behind them all, was nowhere near as well-known. Their recognition just didn’t reflect their size or reach. So we needed to create an employer brand that matched how big they really were.

We took some time to understand the people

We started by reviewing some research glh had recently done into their working culture. This helped us establish ideas we wanted to explore further in the leadership interviews, and staff survey. As we learned more about how people felt, why they’ve stayed, and what working at glh meant to them, a genuine sense of pride for the hotels emerged.

It was the kind of pride that inspired loyalty, and was unique to each individual. glh was a place to stay, to grow a career, to make friends, and to be yourself. We encapsulated all these themes in one idea of Individuality, which became the heart of the employer brand.

Stay wonderful

We developed a central message that linked to hospitality and, more importantly, celebrated their people. The message was positive, warm, and vibrant. It was a reminder and a ‘Thank you’ for doing a fantastic job and being their wonderful selves. It also told potential colleagues that their individuality would be valued here, and they could keep on being themselves if they joined the team.

Creative

Our visual approach was designed to bring out employees’ stories. It featured a grid system – showing a patchwork of great moments they’ve had with glh and the colleagues they work with.

Each image is a mix of studio shots and lifestyle shots in and out of work, to cover every angle of every story. It captures each individual’s personality, journey and experience with glh.

To go with the visuals, we developed headlines that deliver their attributes and values to audiences both inside and outside of glh’s hotels.