Work culture vs. employer brand: What’s the difference?

Work culture. Employer brand. What do these terms really mean, and how do they affect your organisation? 

Building a strong team and a powerful professional identity is critical if you want your organisation to thrive. By understanding the difference between work culture and employer brand, you can develop a comprehensive talent strategy that drives better outcomes than ever. 

Start today. 

Your work culture is…

Above all, your work culture relates to the way people work and behave as part of your team. It’s about the environment you offer and the interactions between your people.

Work culture is something you can build and change over time.

Culture starts with your mission.

Your people are part of your purpose. The work they do influences the impact your organisation can make.

When you build a positive work culture, you are building a space where your purpose can thrive. As your people work together in pursuit of a common goal, your culture affects the way people interact not only with each other but with the mission your organisation is chasing.

Culture relies on your team.

Your culture doesn’t just affect your people; it relies on them. Workplace culture is built on a foundation of interactions between your employees. 

Every day, your people help to create the culture they work in. When your people collaborate and communicate, they are establishing a workplace culture, for better or worse, that will influence their ongoing employee experience.

Culture guides how people behave.

Your culture is defined by the way people behave, and in turn, it guides the way they speak and act in the future. 

The culture of your organisation can have a considerable impact on communication styles and behavioural approaches. This means that culture can be a pillar of experience when it comes to working together to complete a project or achieve a goal.

Your employer brand is…

Your employer brand relates to your identity as an employer, from the way you appeal to new talent to the way you engage and retain your existing team. 

Employer brand isn’t something you invent. It always exists, but with a proactive approach, you can learn to enhance it and articulate its strength. 

Employer brand starts with employee experience.

Your employer brand begins with the employee experience you cultivate. The impact of this reaches all aspects of your talent strategy, affecting engagement, retention and attraction.

The experience people have at your organisations affects your reputation and what you are known for, often in ways that are beyond your control. Employee experience is brand building, even helping to create social proof of your employment offer.

Employer brand is driven by your values.

While you can’t choose your employer brand, it is driven by your values and the ways in which these are incorporated into life at your workplace. 

The values you lead by are integral to the kind of employer you are. These affect the way your people perceive your organisation and its mission, whether they are part of your team now or are talent prospects for the future.

Employer brand defines who you are as an employer.

Your employer brand defines who you are as an employer and what you offer to your employees. 

Employer brand is inherently linked to your marketing strategy, giving you a basis for selling your organisation and the value it offers to its people. Who you are affects who wants to work for you. 

How work culture and employer brand collide

Work culture and employer brand are not one and the same. With that said, these two concepts can work together to help you establish a strong path to success for your organisation. 

Your workplace culture influences your employer brand. Culture affects your environment and team interactions profoundly, impacting the employee experience that shapes your overarching employer brand.

Similarly, your employer brand can have an impact on your work culture. Your reputation as an employer affects employee expectations. This can, in turn, influence the way that people behave and what they are looking for when they join your team.

Research shows that work culture is a key priority for 46% of job seekers. Simultaneously, 75% of active job seekers are more likely to apply for a role within an organisation with a proactive approach to employer brand. 

Only when work culture and employer brand collide can you achieve the best results for your team and your ongoing talent strategy.

Get employer brand help

Need help articulating a strong employer brand and a great workplace culture in the talent market? Contact Heart Talent for support.