EVP or employer brand? Different terms are often used to mean similar things. It can be misleading and unhelpful. The terms are opaque and can be interpreted in different ways.
A simpler way to think about it is about defining life at your company. What is expected of people and what can they expect in return? What defines a career and the opportunity? Why should people join and why they should stay? Framing it this way should make employer branding projects clearer for everyone.
Employees play a significant role in creating the brand experience. They develop new products. They service clients. And for many, they are the business and therefore the brand. Understanding what’s expected of people to create the desired brand experience is essential. In an ideal situation, brand and employer brand would be developed at the same time – one strategy and expression that can flex and work for both employees and clients alike. It’s probably the most cost effective approach, but unlikely to happen unless the chief marketing and chief people officer initiate a joint project. The reality is that an employer brand project is more likely to be commissioned when a brand already exists. However, it still needs to sit comfortably alongside the brand. Messaging and the creative expressions need to work together in harmony, with the employer brand supporting the brand.
Defining what life is like involves talking to a cross section of employees throughout the company. Additionally, talking to recruiters will help provide a more balanced, external perspective. These views and insights need to be synthesised with the brand, the vision and the strategy to form the basis of the employer brand strategy. And this needs to be authentic. It needs to be a true reflection of life today. But it also needs to point to the future, with stretch and aspiration.
Defining what life is like needs to consider the employee contract too – the give and get; what’s expected of people, and what they’ll get in return. This is a more granular articulation of life that will help define the type of person you want to attract, and whether your current or future talent feel your company is ultimately the place they can see themselves staying for the long term.
Build authenticity by substantiating each message with employee stories, and existing facts and support that help reinforce the desired behaviours. For the more aspirational messages, share any planned activity with employees to help reinforce the culture and the ideal state you’re aiming for.
Employer brand projects aren’t one-off initiatives. Focusing on what life is like is a way of being – something that is continually worked at and nurtured. And it needs to come to life throughout the entire employee lifecycle: from attracting talent, the onboarding experience, the working environment and culture, how people are rewarded and recognised, etc. Every employee touchpoint should ideally reflect and support the proposition. It needs to be embedded in policies. And it needs to be communicated to encourage the right behaviours.
Launch the brand by focusing on a few initiatives that will make the biggest impact. Leaders need to be able to talk openly and easily about life at their company and tell the same story throughout their part of the business. Recruiters need to promote the company in a consistent way – simple, practical talking points and guides for both leaders and recruiters will help. Create a recruitment campaign that brings the proposition to life. What about job descriptions? Joining packs? etc. Don’t forget the leaving experience – employees who move on will talk to others about their experiences. Capture positive experiences and stories and establish an alumni network.
And think of simple ideas to maintain the drumbeat of communication that reinforce what life is like, what you have planned to strengthen it further, and to recognise people who are helping shape it – be it awards, further success stories or monthly newsletter updates.
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Our digital and social storytelling campaign helped showcase the human face of the firm.
How do you nail why people should join you and what it means to stay? While being sure you’re attracting and retaining the very best.
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