What =
is your=20
definition of an "employer =
brand?"
Lee:=20
The perception that people have of your =
organization as=20
an employer. Another way of saying it is that =
your=20
employer brand is the sum total of the =
thoughts=20
and feelings created in people when they think =
about you=20
as an employer.
Asch:=20
It's the reputation your company has for the =
employment=20
experience you offer. It is the answer to the =
question:=20
"What is it like to work =
here?"
McKain: I don't think =
it can be=20
expressed better than [Libby] Sartain and [Mark] =
Schuman=20
wrote [in Brand for Talent] that it's =
'how a=20
business builds and packages its identity, from =
its=20
origins and values, what it promises to deliver =
to=20
emotionally connect employees so that they in =
turn=20
deliver what a business promises to=20
customers."
Sartain and Schuman, =
authors of=20
Brand for Talent make a distinction =
between=20
employer brand and talent brand. What's your =
idea of the=20
distinction?
Lee:=20
Smart employers get it that you really have =
"sub-brands"=20
when it comes to your employer brand. For =
instance, a=20
hospital might have a great reputation as a =
place to=20
work for physicians, but a horrible reputation =
as a=20
place to work for nurses. It's important to =
recognize=20
that each department or division in your company =
can=20
have its own distinct employer =
brand.
Asch:=20
A good employer brand is crafted to =
appeal to=20
qualified candidates and includes the "DNA" of =
the=20
specific applicants you want to=20
attract.
McKain: When leaders =
attempt to=20
develop one brand that is general and another =
that is=20
specific to certain individuals, many times you =
don't=20
end up with a congruency between the two =96 =
which, of=20
course, when it comes to prospective employees =
and=20
specific talents is a result that is detrimental =
to the=20
organization. Sometimes when we attempt to =
extend the=20
brand =96 or create additional, distinctive =
brands =96 we=20
stray from the core that attracts employees, =
talent, and=20
even customers, in the first =
place.
=20
How important is it for an employer, in today's=20
marketplace and economy, to establish and make =
known a=20
brand? What difference does it make if a company =
or=20
organization has a good employer or talent=20
brand?
Lee:=20
If you want to be the "It" place for the =
smartest, most=20
talented people, it's pretty important. It also =
makes=20
your life easier because when you attract the =
cream of=20
the crop, you're not spending all your money on=20
recruiting campaigns. It also makes your =
management=20
team's lives easier because they get to work =
with higher=20
caliber people.
Asch:=20
It's more important now than ever to strengthen =
your=20
brand in order to achieve these things: Attract =
highly=20
talented workers for critical positions =96 =
these=20
candidates will have many choices even in this =
market.=20
Bond current talent and improve morale. Ensure =
you=20
retain your best employees for tomorrow. And be=20
positioned to attract "A" talent more=20
economically.
When the economy =
recovers and=20
companies rebuild their workforce there will be =
a "hunt"=20
for talent. If your talent pipeline is empty or =
your=20
reputation (brand) has been damaged as a result =
of=20
layoffs, furloughs, setbacks and budget cuts, it =
will be=20
difficult to entice, endear and engage the best =
and the=20
brightest.
McKain: I just =
passionately=20
believe that branding is one of THE most vital,=20
essential components to any successful =
organization.=20
Since talent is the key component in any =
company, a=20
brand that attracts the best people dramatically =
enhances its chances for success... We all know =
a myriad=20
of studies that prove it's more than just the =
salary=20
package that makes the difference. The best want =
to work=20
with the best.
=20
If it's important, then what are the most =
important=20
elements of an employer brand that attracts and =
keeps=20
the best people?
Lee:=20
Some universals... If your work experience =
addresses=20
these fundamental human needs well, people will =
not only=20
come flocking to you, but you will also bring =
out the=20
best in them. The need for meaning and purpose. =
The need=20
for belonging and community. The need for =
respect. The=20
need for autonomy. The need to know you matter =
as a=20
person. The need to learn and grow. The need for =
mastery, for self-efficacy.
Asch:=20
An employer brand must be real. That is, the =
promise you=20
make must be delivered on. That means the =
day-to-day=20
work experience must be congruent with the image =
you are=20
portraying of your company. If not, you break =
the=20
promise and ruin the "deal."
McKain: The single =
most=20
important element is how it feels to do =
business, or to=20
work, with you. Period. And it's the most =
overlooked=20
aspect of all, in part because it's more =
difficult to=20
measure. Today's workforce is primarily made up =
of=20
generations that grew up learning their "ABC's" =
from=20
emotional connectivity with characters like Big =
Bird and=20
Bert and Ernie. In other words, they always have =
linked=20
education with feelings. Now, as they are on our =
teams,=20
they are linking employment with emotion as=20
well.
=20
What is a good brand, =
vs. a=20
bad brand, vs. no brand at=20
all?
Lee: A=20
good employer brand is what you have to offer is =
what=20
the people you want, want. When people think of =
you as=20
an employer it conjures up positive thoughts and =
feelings. A bad employer brand is when what you =
have to=20
offer is not what people want in a job. When =
people=20
think of you as an employer it conjures up =
negative=20
thoughts and =
feelings.
McKain:=20
There is no such thing as "no brand at all." =
Because if=20
you're perceived as not being distinct enough to =
have a=20
brand =96 that's your brand. Quite simply, good =
brands=20
create compelling feelings that attract =
employees and=20
customers. Bad brands repel, or at the very =
least, make=20
us feel indifferent toward the=20
organization.
Does=20
an employer have a brand, whether the employer =
and=20
management are consciously aware of it or=20
not?
Lee:=20
Yes, unless you are such a stealth employer or a =
new=20
company and few people have heard about you. =
That's why=20
it amuses me sometimes when I hear people say, =
"We have=20
to come up with an employer brand" as if it's =
something=20
you simply create out of whole cloth. They =
already have=20
a brand =96 for better or for =
worse.
Asch:=20
Every organization has a "culture" =96 =
a set of=20
"agreements" or "behaviors" that are like the =
operating=20
system of the organization. In some cases =
employers and=20
managers are aware of what the culture is, in =
other=20
cases not. An employer brand is the marketing of =
the=20
culture, the crafting of an image that is =
installed in=20
the minds of prospective candidates=20
deliberately.
McKain: If you have =
employees,=20
then you have a brand. If you pay no attention =
to it,=20
then there is no way it will realize its highest =
potential, just as you know that kids with =
parents who=20
nurture them have a great chance of success. If =
you have=20
an organization, then in some manner you have a=20
brand.
=20
How do you suggest an employer go about =
establishing and=20
maintaining a good, magnetic brand...one that =
attracts=20
and keeps the best people?
Lee:=20
I've seen a number of senior managers who =
believed they=20
were a great place to work when they weren't. =
They were=20
either not asking their employees if they were, =
or in=20
some cases, they asked and then ignored the=20
findings.
Asch:=20
Begin by identifying your "unique value =
proposition."=20
That's what makes your employment experience =
unique.=20
Then craft three to five statements that =
describe your=20
best employment attributes.
McKain: I would return =
to the=20
issue of congruency. I've seen organizations =
that talk=20
about desiring a great culture, then promote =
executives=20
who treat employees like dirt. You can't have it =
both=20
ways. This all starts with leaders at the top =
having the=20
first of what I call in my book [The Four=20
Cornerstones of Distinction], and that's=20
Clarity. You cannot differentiate what =
you=20
cannot define. Unless you are quite precise =
about what=20
the organization is =96 and is not =96 then =
you'll never=20
attract and keep the best =
people.
=20
What's the connection between an employer's=20
culture and the employer's=20
brand?
Lee:=20
The culture is a major component of the =
personality of=20
an organization. Take Southwest Airlines. They =
have a=20
playful, hard working, "can do" culture. That's =
an=20
integral part of their employer brand. When =
people think=20
of Southwest Airlines they think of "fun, =
playful place=20
to work."
Another example =
where I live=20
is Northeast Delta Dental... They've got an =
incredible=20
employer brand. Two aspects of their culture =
that are so=20
evident are friendliness and helpfulness. I just =
interviewed some of their new employees and they =
all=20
mentioned that. They also mentioned how you =
could just=20
"feel the vibe" when you walked in.
McKain: If you have a =
generic=20
brand you end up with a vague, meaningless =
culture=20
within the organization. Have you ever known a =
customer=20
who is a "raving fan" of a generic? So why would =
an=20
employee have any degree of loyalty to an =
organization=20
with a bland, meaningless culture... which is =
just an=20
extension of having a generic employer=20
brand?
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