It's almost impossible to ignore: employer branding, employee branding, employee journey, employer this, employee that. The key is to position your brand in the market in such a way that you are also attractive to potential employees. Organizations struggle to attract and retain talent, and also spend a lot of time training new employees. They want to turn employees into ambassadors, connect employees with the organization both online and offline, and are eager to transform from a static to a dynamic organization. One thing is clear: in 2018, the employee will take center stage.
As a marketer, I know better than anyone that customer experience has been paramount for years. An experience that is created by the company, through the brand and the product. But what has sometimes been forgotten in recent years is that the employees behind this company, brand, and product are the ones who bring it all to life. You can shout from the rooftops that you are transparent to customers, but if your employees don't act accordingly, it will ultimately come to nothing. Your human capital is worth its weight in gold.
Many organizations struggle to attract talent. Companies such as H&M, Hunkemöller, and Unilever are good examples of active employer branders. Fortunately, this is not just reserved for multinationals. But how can you, as a 'small player', win the battle against the big boys? Because every organization wants to attract the very best talent in 'the war for talent', regardless of how big or well-known you are. This is evident from the fact that 62% of Dutch SMEs are working on their Employer Brand. Employee branding is not only about attracting talent but also about retaining talent. This is an important part of the employee journey, so I will come back to that later. First, I will tell you more about the common thread: culture.
Culture
Culture is the beating heart of your organization. It is a set of standards, values, and attitudes that your (potential) employees subscribe to. It is the DNA that connects people to your organization. Can you, as an organization, put your finger on this? Then you are well on your way! Why do your employees enjoy going to work every day? What do they like about their work? Why do they work for you and not for another organization? What is our culture and what values do we work from? Think about this. What makes your organization your organization? It all starts with understanding your own company and the culture that goes with it. That is the basis of your Employer Brand!
‘ Don’t sell the job, sell the culture.’‘If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood, sweat and tears.’
– Simon Sinek
From culture to brand experience
Do you have a clear picture of your culture? Then it's time for the next step: sufficient support, capacity, and a lot of patience. Employee Branding is not a one-off project but something that continues on an ongoing basis. It requires perseverance not only from HR and Marketing, but from every employee in your organization. As I said earlier, Employer Branding is not just about attracting talent. That's where it starts, of course, but the entire Employee Journey usually consists of four different moments:
- 1. Getting acquainted and making a choice: From the first contact to signing the contract.
- 2. Anticipatory phase: From signing the contract to the first day of work.
- 3. Collaboration: From the first day of work until the moment the employee leaves.
- 4. Farewell: The last month as an employee of the company.
1. Getting acquainted and choosing
Somehow, your future employee will come into contact with you, whether through social media or a paid advertisement. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make it count! Talk about your culture and let your employees speak. Show what employees add to your organization and how you work together toward a higher ambition, with the goal of connecting with the target group, inspiring them, getting them excited, and ultimately making them want to work for you.
2. Expectant phase
In this phase, you ensure that your new employee starts work full of energy. Prior to this first big day, there are many practical matters that need to be arranged. Do you want to ensure the optimal Employee Experience? Involve the new employee in the company before they officially start work. A good example of employer branding in this phase is Hunkemöller. New employees can download a Welcome App, which provides them with a checklist for their first day at work and allows them to easily get a feel for the brand.
3. Collaborate
In this phase, you deliver on your promises as an employer. You look at the period from this employee's first day at work until they are fully integrated into the organization, and then beyond. At the beginning, a warm welcome is key, after which someone can start to fulfill their role properly. Over time, it may be relevant to let someone take a step forward. You are consciously focused on the employee's experience until the moment they leave your organization. And that experience is sometimes found in small things, such as sending a card on their birthday or having a cup of coffee and a good conversation. Pay attention to their well-being, just as you would for a customer. The first three months are the most important. Give the employee a warm welcome, celebrate your successes together, and give each other feedback throughout the year .
Hunkemöller is also a good example of employer branding in this phase. At Hunkemöller, female employees are called sheros: a combination of 'she' and 'hero'. And they sell their lingerie with the mission: 'Sexy comes in all shapes.' On Hunkemöller's online platform, every employee is assigned a real-life buddy and a digital coach who regularly sends motivational messages. Have you been working at Hunkemöller for a while? Then you will be challenged to do assignments together, which is a great team-building initiative!
4. Farewell
“One day you’ll just be a memory for some people. Try your best to make it a good one.” There is a time to come and a time to go. And that's really not a bad thing! In recent years, people have been changing jobs more and more. It is important to maintain good relationships with former employees so that they leave on good terms . Have you treated them well all these years? Have you successfully completed all three of the previous phases? Then they are true ambassadors for your organization.
Examples of employer branding
Earlier in this article, we mentioned Hunkemöller as a good example, but we would like to share a few more good examples of employer branding with you:
- Sodastream: At Sodastream, they prove that employer branding doesn't always have to be serious. With their video "SodaStream's Join the Revolution," they made many employer branding hearts beat faster. The goal of the video was to attract outstanding talent. To do so, they used none other than actor Daniel Birnbaum (real Game of Thrones fans will recognize him) for the lead role. A clever piece of employer branding!
- Royal Schiphol Group ( owner of Schiphol, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Lelystad Airport, and Eindhoven Airport): mobility has been high on their agenda for a number of years. To keep people moving, they want 15% of their employees to work in a different location every year. This means that, on average, every employee does different work every 5 to 7 years.
- Defense: Another example of employer branding is the "Working for Defense" page on Facebook. Through social media, the Defense Department provides a glimpse into the work of the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Military Police. In this way, they try to encourage young people to pursue these careers. The Facebook page now has more than 45,000 followers. In addition to this Facebook page, they also have a website where you can check whether you are suitable for the Ministry of Defense. How cool is that?
Are you already familiar with Employee Branding? Or are you already using it and want to share more about it? Leave a comment and inspire each other!