The document discusses employer branding and activating an employer's brand. It defines employer branding as the sum of characteristics that prospective and current employees perceive about an organization's employment experience. It then outlines a four step process for activating an employer brand: 1) Discovery to assess the current employment experience, 2) Road Map to develop the employer brand identity, 3) Activate to communicate the brand internally, and 4) Measure to evaluate success and make adjustments. The goal is to position an organization as an employer of choice to attract top talent and increase engagement and retention.

1. executive brief | employer branding
Activating the Employer Brand
11414 west park place, suite 202
milwaukee, wisconsin 53224
414.410.0500 fax 414.410.0520
milwaukee | new york
www.versantsolutions.com

2. Activating the Employer Brand
EmployEr BrAnding dEfinEd A highly-leveraged employer brand can
An employer brand is the sum of all the transform an organization into a place where
characteristics and distinguishable features top talent wants to work – an employer of
that prospective candidates and current choice. When successfully implemented,
employees perceive about an organization’s employees believe in and embody the brand,
employment experience. The employment carrying it through the entire employment
experience serves as the foundation of the experience. In contrast, an organization with
employer brand and includes tangibles such a poorly managed or undefined employer
as salary, rewards and benefits, but also brand could find itself investing in employees
extends to intangibles such as an organ- not aligned with key business objectives and
ization’s culture, values, management style hiring candidates that do not fit the
and opportunities for employee learning, organization’s culture.
development and recognition.
BrAnd ActivAtion procEss
Just as a well-managed consumer brand VersantWorks leverages a proven process to
aims to differentiate a product’s identity, tell activate an employer brand. The process
a product’s story and reflect a product’s consists of four distinct steps that result in
value, a well-managed employer brand aims the gradual alignment of an organization with
to differentiate an employer’s identity, tell an the desired state of its employer brand.
employer’s story and reflect an employer’s
value proposition to employees. 1. Discovery
2. Road Map
Once identified, an employer brand can be 3. Activate
leveraged as a tool in marketing the 4. Measure
employment experience to current and
potential employees. Through strategic and These four steps ensure an organization’s
ongoing employer brand management, an employer brand is comprehensive, relevant
organization can accelerate the attraction of and positioned to drive results. Each step in
best-fit candidates, increase the retention of the brand activation process forms the
high-performing employees and drive foundation for the next, and the continuous
employee engagement toward business nature of the process ensures the employer
objectives. brand remains connected to the employment
experience over time.
four-step process for activating the brand
Discovery Road Map Activate Measure
• Objective • Strategy & • Targeted • Impact
Analysis Tactics Communications
• Market Analysis • Brand Positioning • Apply Brand • Check Progress
Statement to Communications Against Goals
• Customer Analysis
• Brand Promise & Voice • Communicate Brand • Examine Impact
• Communications to Target Audiences of Industry & Market
Analysis • Logo & Tagline
• Adjust Strategy &
• Associate Analysis • Brand Guidelines Tactics as needed
• Brand Launch
& Marketing
Communication Plans
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3. Activating the Employer Brand
step one: discovery • Provide a context in which virtually any
The Discovery step is an independent assess- desirable attribute or service can be
ment of an organization's current work envi- discussed
ronment in terms of values, culture and All areas affecting the employment experi-
employee satisfaction. During Discovery, key ence are then examined to determine where
themes are identified, as well as gaps in per- the organization is not in complete align-
ception between an organization’s leader- ment with the employer brand. From this, a
ship and employees. The multilayered Road Map that documents recommended
research effort often includes focus groups, strategies and tactics is created to guide the
interviews and online surveys. Existing data alignment of the organization and its employ-
such as current employee demographic er brand, which may include:
information, retention data, employee satisfac-
• Changes to align internal programs,
tion surveys and exit interviews, is also used.
policies and procedures with the employer
brand
Discovery information is compiled, analyzed
and then presented to the organization's • Executive learning to align management
employer brand stakeholder/leadership behavior with the employer brand
team. The resulting knowledge and insight • Recommendations to align internal
about the employment experience serve as communications with the employer brand
the foundation for developing an employer and retain high-performing employees
brand identity during Road Map.
• Recommended to align recruitment
step two: road map marketing with the employer brand and
attract best-fit candidates
During Road Map, the identity of the
employer brand is developed. Key elements The Road Map is presented to the organiza-
include the development of an employer tion's employer brand stakeholder/leader-
brand promise and employer brand voice. ship team. To get the process underway,
VersantWorks then facilitates a management
An employer brand promise is a statement implementation planning session based on
to employees that describes the rational and the Road Map recommendations.
emotional benefit employment will bring to
employees’ lives. To be valuable, it should: step three: Activate
• Be viewed as a constant ideal by all The goals of the Activate step are to create
stakeholders an understanding of the employer brand
• Communicate the essence of the promise across target audiences and foster
employment experience while revealing acceptance of the employer brand identity
the principles of the organization's as an active, guiding force throughout the
leadership organization. The Activate step involves an
integrated communications approach that is
• Capture employees' imagination and
unique and determined by each organiza-
inspire them to deliver on the organization's
tion's target audiences. Tactics may include:
promise to its customers
• Templates, video, print, Web and other
An employer brand voice is a set of verbal materials for use at all-employee and/or
descriptors that provides the tonality, attitude staff meetings to assist managers in
and behavior targets for all stakeholders. To introducing the employer brand
be valuable, it should: • Development of a communication calendar
• Provide criteria to measure the relevance for continually reinforcing the employer
of internal communications brand, using different media and messaging
to keep the employer brand vibrant and an
• Encourage a consistent style of
active part of the culture
communication with employees
• Help to understand the essence of the
organization
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4. Activating the Employer Brand
• Leadership learning workshops focusing 3. Lead by creating a learning organization
on the techniques and behaviors needed 4. Align key talent management and HR
to manage workgroups in alignment with programs focused on recruitment,
the employer brand promise engagement and retention with your
• Consultation and recommendations on employer brand
internally marketing HR programs in 5. Seek independent and continual feedback
alignment with the employer brand from outside sources
• Career Web site enhancements
• Orientation materials for new hires, ABout vErsAntWorks
integrated with messaging from the versantWorks is a specialty practice within
recruitment process, to assure seamless Versant, a full-service marketing firm. We
onboarding leverage our creative, interactive, media and
consulting expertise to provide employers
• Internal signage and other visual reminders
with focused communication solutions that:
to further reinforce the employer brand
• Capture the mission, values and spirit of
step four: measure the employment experience
The Measure step involves additional • Align employees with the organization’s
research to re-assess employee perceptions strategy and vision
and evaluate the success of employer • Attract best-fit talent
branding efforts in achieving retention,
engagement and recruitment goals set by • Increase employee retention and workforce
the organization. Armed with this information, engagement
adjustments to communication strategies
and tactics are identified to ensure continued Within VersantWorks, we’ve categorized our
employer brand alignment. capabilities into two areas: talent manage-
ment and organizational change. Our talent
stAying rElEvAnt ovEr timE management solutions cover recruitment
marketing, employee communications, work-
Just like consumer branding, the process of
force engagement and employer branding.
employer branding is never finished. The
Our organizational change solutions cover
business environment is constantly changing,
change communications and merger &
and with it the relationship between
acquisition communications.
organizations and their employees will
continue to change. That's not to say
businesses should adopt entirely new
employer brands every few years, but rather
that the employer brand activation process
should be used over time to remain relevant
as the employment experience and talent
market evolves.
VersantWorks recommends that organiza-
tions incorporate the following best practices
to stay relevant and be successful in their
employer branding efforts:
1. Develop a clear, appropriate and
deliverable employer brand and market it
to employees and candidates as a brand
2. Adopt demographic and generational
marketing, learning and teaching
practices
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5. 11414 west park place, suite 202
milwaukee, wisconsin 53224
414.410.0500 fax 414.410.0520
milwaukee | new york
www.versantsolutions.com