Issues in Branding the HR

Abstract

A question that seems to be popping up more and more in the minds of recruiters and general HR leadership is, "Why should branding be important to me? I work in HR, not marketing."

In proposing my response to this question, I must admit that just a few short years ago my answer would have been significantly more limited than it is today, in that branding in HR has traditionally been limited to the employment function. But while employment branding has always been a topic of great interest to many leading recruiting professionals, the importance of mastering the concepts and skills behind branding have much greater implications for HR professionals in the "new economy."

            A “good company tag” is critical to a company’s ability to attract, motivate and retain the best and the brightest, thus gaining competitive advantage in the marketplace. Internationally, those companies that are voted as Best Companies to Work For also yield higher returns for shareholders. In fact, employee attitudes are directly linked with company performance, according to Watson Wyatt’s Human Capital Index. Additionally companies that are considered good employers have a strong identity and image in the marketplace. . Employer branding is the process of creating an identity and managing the company’s image in its role as an employer. As organizations are complex, open systems, single interventions are not enough. The employer brand has to be aligned and congruent with what the company delivers to the employee, customer, public and shareholder.