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Think of Ikea, McDonald's, Google, or Marks & Spencer, and you can likely conjure an idea - based on your experiences with those businesses - of what it might be like to work there. It’s not necessarily a case of having no idea. This is exactly what employer branding does, it creates an image in your mind of what it would be like if you donned the uniform and signed on the dotted line.
In a market and at a point in the year rife for job hunting where everyone is competing to be seen as a "best place to work," how exactly can employers stand out? How do you build a magnetic brand that attracts the right talent in a crowded and noisy landscape?
Employer branding is no longer a corporate nice-to-have - it’s a strategic necessity. For businesses serious about attracting and retaining the right people, a strong employer brand must work hand in hand with a meaningful employee value proposition (EVP).
We spoke with industry experts about what it takes to build and maintain a brand that resonates in an increasingly noisy and sceptical market.
From HR to people marketing – the evolution of employer branding
Richard Cummings
Fractional People Director, People Puzzles
Richard Cummings, Fractional People Director at People Puzzles, recalls when employer branding first entered the HR world. “When I first started discussing employer brand, I felt as if I’d moved into marketing,” he says. “On reflection, I now understand that HR really had become a people marketing function, fuelled by the desire to hire the best candidates.”
Originally, the goal was straightforward - present the company as a great place to work, with clear paths for career progression and competitive pay. But as employee priorities shifted from advancement and salary to flexibility and time off - the employer brand had to evolve.
Employer branding rapidly became about stopping the revolving door. HR was sometimes selling a dream, not a reality
“Employer branding rapidly became about stopping the revolving door,” Cummings explains. “HR was sometimes selling a dream, not a reality.”
The rise of platforms like Glassdoor handed much of the narrative control to employees themselves. Today, Cummings believes employer branding must be internally focused first. “Employer brand is more about making it real for your current workforce. Then the brand will build itself through advocacy, engagement and retention with a little help from HR, of course.”
