One of my colleagues was once asked by executives at The Walt Disney Company what he thought their employer brand was. He instantly responded, “To create magic at great profit in the midst of chaos.” There was a collective gasp and then laughter. Many people have taken potshots at what is, in essence, one of the greatest corporate cultures in America. If someone loves that brand, they will be employed at Disney for years. If not, they will be chewed up and spit out very quickly.
In many ways, employer brands have become more important than the consumer brand itself. The ability to attract the talent that fits your unique tribe is behind every single form of an organization’s success. If you and your executive team have not spent critical time on the topic, here is a suggestion.
Answer the following questions for yourself and follow-up by sending a copy of the questions out to your top executives. Ask they return their answers this week.
- How would you describe our employer brand?
- What is our tribe and who fits into that tribe? What are our rituals and expectations?
- How much time do we spend looking for culture fit?
- If we don’t do culture fit, describe the culture that will best serve our business and human needs.
- How can I see that we develop thorough quality-control in how we manage our employer brand?
- What is our reputation as an employer?
One of the central themes in all of my work is that our iconic brands tend to be run by CEOs who take charge of their cultures. They are meticulous in getting the most out of their people. They take the time to define the tribe and to consistently tell the world. Let’s think about this about for a moment. When I voice the following names, what kind of people do you envision work there?
Disney?
Google?
Harvard University?
Southwest Airlines?
Starbucks?
I’ve had many conversations with CEOs, specifically at smaller companies, who don’t believe they need to invest in an employer brand.
The decision is what role you would like to play in shaping your employer brand.
Here’s the secret… you have one whether you invest in it or not. In the world of social media, potential candidates are 30 seconds from learning about your brand. So your decision isn’t do we have a brand, you don’t have the ability to control market perception.
The decision is what role you would like to play in shaping your employer brand.
Choose wisely!
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Brought to you by Jackson Lynch, President – 90 Consulting
P: (832) 930-7449 / E: jackson@90Consulting.com
(C) Copyright, Ninety Consulting, LLC. (2018) – All Rights Reserved