Internal and employer branding pays off

In recent years, economic upheavals and social changes have put increased pressure on all market participants. The result is an increasing pace of innovation and constant change. A changed market environment, internationalization, mergers and acquisitions are forcing market players to change and sharpen their brand positioning. This places new demands on employees and the organization. Shortage of skilled workers, vacancies, fluctuation is everyday life for many companies. The employer market is changing into an employee market.

People make brands

All these challenges are about people and brands. If a brand is credible, if it creates meaning, if it enables identification and if it meets the expectations of employees, it can turn them into brand ambassadors. Then the following applies: People make the brand. The decisive future capital of a company is its highly qualified and enthusiastic employees.

Corporate and employer brand with the same positioning and design: This is top class

The employer brand cannot be seen independently of the corporate brand. In all industries with direct customer contact, partnership with customers is increasingly becoming the most important positioning factor. However, if HR programs such as pay or promotions do not reward such behavior, but only quick sales, then credibility with employees and customers is quickly squandered. Employer brand communications may have to address different requirements of their target groups in detail, but the core messages should be consistent. Communication that is self-similar in terms of design creates synergy effects. This pays off for the brand, saves money and gives the opportunity to multiply the communication pressure.

Only what shines on the inside can shine on the outside

Internal branding involves employees in brand building, informs them about their own brand, inspires them for it, and promotes brand-compliant behavior. This is exactly where employer branding comes in: higher identification of the company's own employees with the brand, permanent increase in the quality of applicants. Good HR management is aware of the need for long-term employer branding strategies. Internal communication and enthusiasm are becoming increasingly important. It is no coincidence that retention and motivation are employer branding goals that must be achieved even before recruiting.

Brands need suitable applicants who appreciate the brand values

Recruiting should not be underestimated either. It is about finding employees who fit the brand and identify with its culture. It is not the quantity of applicants that is decisive, but their quality, competence and personality. The art lies in attracting and convincing suitable applicants who have a set of values consistent with the brand, but not making them false promises. Creative, emotional advertising can make a significant contribution to this. In addition, there are tools to match personality profiles of applicants and brand.

Not a walk but a mountain tour

Only as a team can the summit be reached. Executives, HR staff, marketing and management must all pull together. And in the process, there are many intermediate summits to climb. Starting with strategy development based on well-founded market, target group, competition and SWOT analyses, through to the development of an employer positioning that is focused, differentiated, honest and relevant for the target group. The planning of measures in external employer branding extends to image campaigns, job advertisements, brochures, career fairs, university and school marketing, PR, social media, storytelling and dialog offers. Internal branding tools are cross-disciplinary and diverse. Internal communications with brochures, onboarding materials, employee newspapers, intranet and social media are the basics. Brand-oriented HR programs such as remuneration and incentive systems are an indispensable part of branding, as is the right leadership.

Involvement of employees is essential

A gold-framed plaque with phrases, no matter how beautifully formulated, is not enough to communicate values and mission statements. This requires change management processes that are usually highly complex, multi-layered and fraught with tension, especially if they involve a change in culture. Contrary to the conviction of some creatives, consultants and managers, dialog and the involvement of those affected is a prerequisite for success in internal branding. Involvement pays off. When it comes to insights into the market, the competition and the DNA of the brand - the basis of any positioning - national and international employees offer valuable contributions, if you let them. In the case of the employer brand, it is completely inconceivable to develop a credible positioning without capturing their views and the real experience of the company reality. It is essential to address the fears, uncertainties and resistance fundamentally associated with change. Well-managed and creative workshops, participation and incentive programs contribute to the success of internal branding projects.

Return on investment: quite easy to prove

According to a Gallup study, an employee base that identifies with the company and is enthusiastic about the brand and products demonstrably works more productively. They inspire customers and not only support the dynamic changes in the market, but also drive them forward innovatively. Other studies prove that a functioning brand-oriented organizational culture is a strong competitive advantage. This advantage may sometimes not be so easy to quantify, but the cost reductions in the HR area due to lower fluctuation, on the other hand, can be proven with impressive figures. There is potential for savings here that can quickly add up to millions. Studies assume at least 39,000 euros per fluctuation case. This is plausible if one includes not only the costs of leaving the company, such as compensation for time off, sick leave and the costs of the recruiting process, but also opportunity costs such as vacancies and training periods. Lack of identification with the company, internal resignation, which usually precedes external resignation, cost enormous sums. If the fluctuation rate is reduced by 3% with a good retention process, this results in savings of 1,170,000 euros for 1000 employees alone. Add to this further savings through reductions in miscasts and through improvements in the hiring process. Internal branding and employer branding are therefore worthwhile, as is professional support from agencies and change management consultants.