We recently presented a contextualized version of our conference on the authentic employer brand and our approach developed in conjunction with Solertia to effectively address this topic with our clients. Given the great success of this webinar, I offer you a summary and my comments. As a bonus: a summary of the 3 main steps of our method to help you begin your reflections on the subject, or to enhance the efforts already in place.
This approach is primarily intended to help you “mark” your employees, regardless of the scenario, so that their feelings towards your organization remain positive. The goal is also to help you build a toolbox for your employees to be able to help you propel your employer brand. After all, nothing resonates louder in the free-agent market than the voices of your employees.
Whether in a context of pandemic or crisis, or even in a positive context, companies that have an authentic employer brand seem to consistently fare better.
From our experience, the employer brand (or global brand as we often say) is something that belongs to both marketing and human resources. In fact, the hybridization of these fields of competence is the key in order to reap the fruits of the efforts invested in such an approach.
The finding: 4 out of 10 Quebecers ready to change employer
According to a recent article in Les Affaires newspaper, 41% of Quebecers are ready to change employers after the pandemic. With such an observation, we cannot deny the capital importance of having a strong and authentic employer brand.
The main benefits of the authentic employer brand
- Attract the right candidates at a lower cost, those who share your values and your vision.
- Retain your talents for the long term thanks to a strong sense of belonging.
- Motivate your teams with sustainable elements that go far beyond direct compensation.
- Increase the productivity and quality of your deliverables.
- Foster profitable and less risky growth.
- Differentiate yourself from your market.
- Etc.
The goal: to make difficult business decisions in times of crisis without affecting your business
Far beyond direct compensation, an employer brand can certainly help you get through the most difficult times. Interacting authentically strengthens relationships and allows:
- To neutralize the concerns of your employees
- Promote smoother post-crisis reintegration
- Quickly increase the feeling of belonging
- To preserve the loyalty of your employees
- To end a job with no hard feelings, no bitter taste (in a healthy relationship)
- To create win-win relationships in an uncertain context
From my own experience, this gives an organization much more agility in order to be able to embrace the new reality of “perpetual change”. It also helps limit the impact of more difficult decisions. We can’t predict the future, but we can certainly build our ability to adapt quickly and effectively. My biggest finding to date is that an authentic employer brand keeps teams united.
It just goes to show that, with the right people and motivated people, we can go anywhere, we can transform ourselves, pivot our business model, and better deal with uncertainties.
Currently, there is a lot of talk about massive layoffs, but several industries have needed to hire massive new talent to meet demand – grocery stores are a good example. Moreover, the challenge was twofold: how to engage talents without offering a long-term guarantee in the relationship … while making them ambassadors and not detractors.
So that workers can come out of this (however short) experience with a positive long-term view of their employer and a sense of belonging, a well-crafted employer brand will focus on what is true and on a clear message.
The reasons your employees and customers choose you are the same.
It is for this reason that, at Zencommerce, we like to talk about a global brand. The good employee is above all one who shares our values and our vision.
An example of two companies with technically the same product offer, but very different values and positioning. These are Patagonia and The North Face, both of which offer outerwear.
Patagonia: “Being one with nature”
The North Face: “Performance, overtaking”
The long-term happy employee in your organization needs to genuinely share your values and beliefs.
The 3-step game plan to develop your authentic employer brand
In this sense, here is the synthesized approach that we offer to our customers.
Step 1: Be in listen mode
Why: Remember the reasons you are in business.
How: survey founders, leaders, managers, employees, and even your customers to get their perception.
What: take a step back and analyze your practices.
Who: define your audience.
Internally, take a look at your management practices – deploying an employer brand is a great time to diagnose.
- What do you offer your candidates?
- What do you offer your employees?
- How do your employees perceive their employers?
- Do your internal practices reflect the employer you want to be?
Externally, look at your marketing practices.
- How do you demonstrate this positioning to your customers?
- How are you going to talk about yourself?
Step 2: Be in radiation mode
Internal
Policies: the expression of your positioning using your internal policies.
HR tools: the application and measurement of your positioning using your HR tools.
Technology solutions: supporting your efforts with technological solutions
Externally
Branding: visual overhaul and realignment of communications.
Content: the implementation of the content strategy (writing, video, design).
Advertising: targeted optimization of different content.
Step 3: Be in active-standby mode
Bring your positioning to life!
Marketing practices
- Optimize your campaigns (monitoring KPIs )
- Follow the evolution of your strategies
Management practices
- Take thoughtful, adapted, and aligned initiatives
- Use concrete and evocative metrics (survey your employees to validate if it’s really beneficial for the organization)
- Constantly improve your practices to stand out in the market
We must pay attention to communication in the context of a crisis: if initiatives are put in place temporarily, we must ensure that it is communicated well and that expectations are adequately managed.