The secret to strengthening the bond between employee experience and employer brand.
Employee experience and employer brand come hand in hand. If you deliver a great employee experience, you will strengthen your employer brand.
A people-first organisation understands the needs of its people and provides a workplace where people can thrive. It drives a positive employee experience, which becomes a selling point to attracting, engaging and retaining top talent.
If your organisation is a place where positive employee experience is the norm, it also becomes the perfect environment for an employer brand to flourish.
Why nurturing your work culture can support the EX/EB bond
Building a winning work culture based on authentic values will help you provide a genuine employee experience that will shape your employer brand.
A healthy work culture is one important element to a great employee experience. It will help refine what you, as an employer, can offer your people and potential employees.
Your work culture is a living, fluctuating entity that has the capacity to promote or hinder your employer brand. A competitor can poach your ideas, processes or people, but they can’t take your culture. Your culture is unique and people-focused. It is ingrained in the workings of your organisation, and must be nurtured.
Culture is based on values. Gallup explains that without lived and embedded values, it is difficult for employees to find meaning in their jobs. With values at the core, people have a common goal to work towards with a shared purpose.
Gallup lists the three things needed to embed these values into work culture.
1. Set the tone, and lead by example
Vision and values start from the top. As an employer, you should demonstrate these values on a daily basis and inspire and motivate your people to do the same.
2. Assess and validate
Culture is a living factor of an organisation, so it must be assessed frequently and validated to make sure that what is showcased by your employer brand is reflected in reality. This involves communicating with your team on a regular basis and having a clear idea of what your organisation looks like through the eyes of its people.
3. Reinforce and work with company values
Everyone in your organisation should be aware of your values and believe in them. If this isn’t the case, the values defined might not be realistic, or certain employees might not align with company values.
More employer brand help
Your employer brand is based on real experiences and real insights from real people who all share the same values. You can’t force it. Only genuine employee experiences will effectively strengthen your employer brand.
According to a report by LinkedIn, a strong employer brand can reduce the cost per hire by 50% and reduce turnover by 28%. That means there’s more reason than ever to work on strengthening the EX/EB bond!
Realising these benefits begins with understanding how people experience your organisation. What they like, dislike and value about working for you.
This work isn’t for the faint-hearted, but if you’re a leadership team ready to get real and reap the benefits, this work is super-powerful.
What’s next?
If you’re ready (or just curious), contact the Heart team today.
We love helping to build happy, engaged teams - and helping employers deliver a better experience of work.