Julie Norquist Roy's article, Your Brand Here: Why Employer Brand Is Critical to Retention and Engagement, in the May issue of Talent Management makes the point that the degree of employee engagement is both cause and effect of successful branding. (And successful branding means successful marketing, successful revenue production, successful goal achievement...)
But I most loved this statement, early in the article:
The employee's...first impression may extend far beyond company offerings in position, salary and benefits. Today's workforce is equally concerned with opportunities for career advancement, rewards and recognition, management style, and company culture. Together these blend to make up the employer value proposition and employer brand, that impact the employee experience and, ultimately, the hire's decision to join and remain with an organization.
(If you read my posting from Monday, 6/16, The Difference Difference Makes (all the way to the end!), you probably recognize shades of Frederick Herzberg's 40-year-old research in Ms. Roy's statements.
I especially enjoy that her phrase "today's workforce" stretches across generations: from Boomers to Millenials, and back.
Roy distinguishes between consumer branding that draws customers and employer branding that draws employees. She makes the point that a thorough and formal on-boarding program can provide "a perfect opportunity to reinforce the employer brand and generate a positive employee experience." Roy cites successful on-boarding examples that include company mission, culture, history, products, values, mentors, expectations, behavior guidelines...and more.
I know too many companies who feel a one-time exposure to the on-boarding information is sufficient. Even though it presents information critical to continuous employee engagement (the "employer brand"). Consequently, I salute Roy's statement:
A company's strategic objectives and mission should be clearly communicated early and on a continual basis throughout the employee life cycle because they make up the core components that drive the employer brand.
I would extend Roy's idea(l) communication content to include
- Expectations
- Values
- Company moves, adds, and changes
Roy's makes the case for employer branding to stimulate employee satisfaction >> engagement >> retention. She stresses the connection between employer branding and successful customer attraction and satisfaction.
I would dovetail my emphasis on communication. No employer, no manager, no leader, no supervisor can communicate too much with employees. This means
- Communication in formal and informal settings,
- Communication that is business and non-business,
- Communication that recognizes, reinforces and rewards engagement,
- Communication that introduces, informs, explains, clarifies, and supports.
Such communication contributes to your employer brand and so to the resulting engagement by employees.
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