Despite there always being sceptics out there pathologically committed to an alternative viewpoint, employer branding makes a lot of sense for companies right now. The continuing downturn means that many of them will not be actively seeking new employees to facilitate growth strategies and replace non performers or mobile high performers for another 12 months. The recruitment frenzy of 2008 is now but a distant memory.
... in our day-to-day interactions we’re identifying so many companies who are doing so little to address the need to communicate with, engage and retain their best people.
The ‘new order’ of 2009 is characterised by clamp downs on hiring and new focus on finding ways to keep valuable people in their seats. For some companies this may mean a handful of people, for other companies the entire workforce – depending on the nature and size of the business, products/services delivered etc. Considering the severity of the downturn and the corresponding delicate financial position of many businesses, I find it surprising that, while the majority of companies are responsive to my company’s offer of assistance, in our day-to-day interactions we’re identifying so many who are doing so little to address the need to communicate with, engage and retain their best people. I’m sure my company is not the exception to this in the world of consultancy, so what can be causing it? Here are a few reasons/excuses that I have been made aware of:
> A basic lack of awareness of employer branding, its benefits and value
> Scepticism of what it can achieve
> Company clamp down on all spending so no available funds to initiate work in this area
> Previous bad experience with recruitment/advertising consultants
> Belief that the company is too small for employer branding activities
> Recovery efforts totally focused on product sales, not employees
> Activities thwarted by narrow vision HR Manager
> CEO has internalised all employee-focus activities and closed the door
> Company in dire financial straits and beyond help
> Too much reliance on incumbent recruitment agency to “get us out of this mess”
> “We’ve already got a recruitment website thank you”
When it comes to survival and the opportunity to get ahead once markets recover, guess where these guys are going to end up? Recessions can be ruthless when it comes to selecting those companies who just aren’t physically or mentally capable of surviving. For many, investment in tried and tested employer branding initiatives is probably the only lifeline that can stop them from going under, but it takes an enlightened CEO to recognise this. Some dwell in the dark, some see the light.
For a consultancy like ours, this reluctance or inability to seek help is very frustrating, when so many companies have sufficient knowledge and insight to converse intelligently on the subject, have a good understanding of what they need and recognise the urgency with which they need to make a decision and commission help. This doesn’t stop us from wanting to help. So we’ve decided to create an ‘Employer Branding for Beginners’ workshop to test the market. I will report back in a later post with the results of this initiative.
Perhaps we overestimate the ability of companies to grasp the benefits, or is it just a built-in reluctance to ask for help? Let’s find out.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and co-founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
tony@heywood.com.au
www.heywood.com.au
www.brandsynergy.com.sg
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