Continuing to create cut-through with impactful employer branding

When we went into lock-down we wanted to continue to help the employer branding industry keep learning. So, we created an employer branding masterclass series of webinars (watch here, here, here and here) to share our expert knowledge, interesting case studies and best practice.

In our series, we focus on establishing exactly what an employer brand is and, in particular, the fact that every organisation already has one. After all, an employer brand is quite simply, what people think and feel about somewhere as a place to work. So, the challenge is to recognise this, reveal it and communicate it in such a way that it reflects the business, it’s values, and what it offers. At the same time, it should also speak with meaning to the people an organisation has and those that it wants.

An authentic, credible, consistent and compelling employer brand will show the world what an organisation stands for and why it’s unique. It can win hearts by sharing with people the business story that they could be proud to be part of. It can win minds, by giving people powerful and persuasive reasons why they should choose a career with one organisation over another. It can give a company a voice and present a story, proposition and personality in a way that will cut-through, be heard and engaged with. Importantly, it can change things by inspiring people and getting across the part they can play in the future success and culture of an organisation.

It’s fair to say that having a strong employer brand is integral to a business’ success.

According to LinkedIn, 80% of talent leaders agree that an employer brand has a significant impact on hiring great talent. It can decrease cost per hire by 43% and the likelihood that people will leave within the first six months by 40%. Companies that invest in their employer brand are 130% more likely to see an increase in employee engagement too.

With 88% of millennials believing that the right culture is very important, it needs to be front and centre of your brand. In fact, 83% of millennials say they’re engaged at work when they believe the organisation fosters an inclusive culture. It’s reflected at the top too. A Duke University study of executives found that 90% believed culture is important.

An investment in culture can reap huge rewards. McKinsey says, “the most gender diverse quarter of companies were 20% more likely than the least diverse to have above average financial performance, and the most ethically diverse were 33% more likely.”

Focussing on your employer brand, culture – and your people, is vital.

But, just as every business is different, every employer branding project has different requirements, aims and starting points, but we always follow the same six steps. They work for branding projects of all sizes. And together, they deliver a creative, authentic and distinctive brand – based on insight, created with care, and delivered with intelligence:

– Talk: we sit down and work out with you what we’re all trying to achieve, where you are at the moment, and where you need to be.

– Dig: we get under the skin of who you are, what people think of you, who you compete with, and what your plans for the future are.

– Develop: we use our findings to come up with a clear and full picture of what you stand for and what you offer as an employer.

– Express: we create work that says the right things to all your audiences in a distinctive and compelling way.

– Share: we get your message across to the right people – inside and outside your organisation – across the entire employer lifecycle.

– Tune: we monitor and measuring your brand to see how it’s being received, and where it could be improved.

This tried and tested approach has already worked wonders for our clients Kerry Foods, Mencap, and Balfour Beatty.

To talk to us more about your culture and employer branding needs, just get in touch.