Accountability rules OK?

So you've applied your strategic and creative genius to launch new employer branding activities, but then the CEO asks you to report on the ROI! How do you do this? How do you go about measuring ROI? It's not easy to measure. You can for example engage a talented copy writer to improve your job ads and measure the number of responses, but this has little to do with building a strong and sustainable employer brand. Most metrics are likely to be linked to tactics or one-off campaign activities, not real employer branding. So what is involved? Here are a few pointers to start you on your journey...

Employee engagement
A good measure of ROI are the levels of employee engagement before and after the employer branding activities kicked in. By surveying the workforce before and after the activities you will be able to identify how effective they were, which ones hit the mark and which ones didn't, and refine them accordingly.

Length of service/retention
This cannot be calculated in the short term. If length of service figures are increasing then it's fair to say that the new EB activities may be driving higher levels of engagement and that employees have a new found higher regard for their employer and the employment experience.

Customer service
Are customer surveys highlighting new levels of satisfaction with the sales experience, the purchasing experience, the order processing experience, the delivery experience and the after sales experience? Were they greeted with a new found smile and a thank you? Are sales figures increasing?

Ideas and recommendations from employees
Are employees suddenly forthcoming with new ideas on how they can do their job better, save on production times, increase team performance and satisfaction, or ways to enhance the customer experience?

Cost per hire
Are you receiving more speculative applications from job seekers? Is this allowing you to reduce your reliance on advertising and external recruiters?

Job applications
Are applicants better empowered with information and an understanding of the job for which they are applying and the career opportunity? Is it because you now have a more compelling and informative Careers section on your website or are other improvements responsible? Are more job seekers visiting the website and, if so, are they the right ones? Are your job ads better written, more informative and more inspiring?

Higher productivity
Are production figures rising without additional resources? Do employees in the production area seem happier with their work and are they putting in a bigger effort?

Referral rates
Are you receiving more 'better fit' job applications from people who have been referred by your employees?

Internal engagement
Are present employees more engaged with their work, their colleagues and with managers? Do they have a smile on their face? Has their behaviour shifted to one where collaboration is the norm?

Living the brand
How well is the organisation's brand being emotionally received and lived by employees? Are they willing to defend and promote it to customers, colleagues, friends and new job applicants? Do they do this 'from the heart'? Are they ambassadors for the brand, who instill a positive perception in the minds of customers?

Moving forward
Are employees keen to engage with personal development programmes, training programmes and do so willingly? Do they perceive the benefits flow through on personal, work, career and organisational levels?

Offer:accept ratio
Has this improved? If you previously had a 4:1 offer:accept rate, but now have a 3:1 rate, then you can reasonably say the EB activities are taking effect.

Recruitment campaign effectiveness
Are more people responding to your recruitment campaigns? Are they perceiving a more compelling offer? Does the campaign look more attractive and have stronger messages? Is it achieving more 'cut-through'?

Employer of choice
Have employees since achieved greater clarity on what the organisation is, what it does, what it stands for... and how the employment experience it provides can benefit their career, job satisfaction and lifestyle requirements?

So do you think after your investigations you'll be armed with sufficient data and feedback to look your boss in the eyes and tell him/her with great conviction that the organisation's investment in building a strong employer brand has paid off? I hope so.

Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney and London with affiliates in Melbourne, Gold Coast, Singapore and Mumbai.