The paradigm shift of Employer Branding: from a corporate-centric to a human-centric approach.
The following article is by Helena Serrano, People & Employer Branding Specialist at Medio Segundo, an Employer Branding College Graduate and member of the Global Alumni.
Most companies have integrated employer branding into their vocabulary as a tool to achieve business goals or to cope with business threats. Mostly apply a top-down approach with a strong focus on business/corporate benefits.
Employer brand models are often designed and implemented as a one-shot corporate exercise to tick boxes, without understanding the need to be reviewed, adjusted and/or recalibrated.
We must leave behind the corporate-centric, static and one-shot approach and move towards a human-centric, dynamic and continuous approach.
For too long, companies took for granted that they owned their brand. But time has shown that customers and employees are the ones who actually own it. It should not come to us as a surprise – after all, companies are made by people.
This calls for a human-centric approach, starting from the bottom-up. We need to build our employer brand with our people at the heart, understanding and integrating their key values and needs. With all the digital tools and possibilities at our disposal, there is no excuse not to do so.
It is important to recognize that we are living in a fast-moving and ever-changing society, which requires flexible and dynamic models to continuously adapt to new social, cultural, economic, demographic and political trends/needs. A 100% finished Employer Brand is a utopia.
Now more than ever, organizations have to adapt to the "new normal", which we cannot foresee. We must give our employees a voice.
That is why we must constantly review, adjust and recalibrate our employer brand strategy to ensure that we are always there for our people. The key is to interact with our employees with an inclusive attitude while always listening and being ready to give them a voice.
In Medio Segundo, we believe that Employer Branding has the power to change people and organizations. Because people make brands, and brands are made by people.