When you want to grow and improve in what you do, it’s crucial to stay open to learning. This can be done in many different ways. For example, putting in hours (and hours) of practice is essential to mastering a talent or new skill. Another smart approach is to ‘borrow’ ideas from people who excel at what they do. Not by imitating them, of course, but by analysing: how do they approach things, what can I learn from them, and what elements can I integrate into my own process? In short, we examine brands or initiatives that push us to become even better. In this blog, we’ll highlight some standouts in the field of employer branding. Curious? Scroll down to learn more!
Employer branding as a stage for employees
At GI, we love looking at how GE presents and communicates itself, especially as an employer brand. And no, it’s not just because of the name. General Electric is a leader in its industry, specialising in power generation, aircraft engines, and medical equipment. And when it comes to employer branding, they truly understand the assignment, if you ask us. Why? Because their employer branding communication genuinely puts employees at the center. Instead of the company explaining why it’s such an interesting place to work, the employees share their own perspectives. This approach provides an authentic and personal glimpse into everyday work life at this international company.
Dayna Johnson, an engineer at General Electric, explains in this video exactly what makes the company stand out and why she loves working there. Smart employer branding, giving your employees such a platform! And Dayna isn’t the only one. When you look at the YouTube page of General Electric, where you'll also find the video mentioned above, you come across countless others where employees share their experiences of working at General Electric. They also discuss topics like Leadership Programs and feature various Q&A sessions. For potential employees, this is an incredibly valuable resource to get a clear picture of the brand and the organisation. And the brand’s reputation? It grows stronger with every video.
When we take a look at the brand’s corporate site, we see this approach reflected there as well, with dedicated pages focused on working at General Electric. Employees are featured here too, various GE communities are highlighted, and topics that matter to both the company and its people, such as inclusivity and diversity, are openly discussed.
The employee-focused employer branding strategy is consistently implemented across all channels. It’s a powerful tactic that makes this large international company feel both authentic and approachable. Even for more formal aspects, like job postings, they stay true to their employer branding strategy. By having employees write articles about their roles and linking job postings to employee videos, the overall employer branding experience becomes complete and truly engaging.
When employer branding contributes to a better world
Sharing your story, in which you explain what you stand for and the value you offer as a brand, is super important. But how you tell that story might be even more important. Your tone of voice needs to align with your brand identity and way of working. For example, we’ve seen General Electric communicate in a calm and serious tone, always highlighting its employees. Another brand that’s equally successful but opts for a different communication style is SodaStream. Their product lets you turn tap water into sparkling water in seconds, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and contributing to sustainability and a better world. Quite a serious mission, but the company believes in the power of humor and activism to convey their message. This approach resulted in a refreshing video, perfectly aligned with their culture and unique character, where they explain who they are and what they stand for. Not from the perspective of employees, but from the brand itself.
After watching this video, you immediately get a sense of the company, its people, and what drives them. This also means you can likely sense right away whether you’d be a good fit, either as a new employee or a partner. And that, ultimately, is one of the goals of effective employer branding: attracting the right people through your communication. People who will strengthen your brand.
Of course, SodaStream has a serious message at its core in its fight against plastic pollution. While humor can play a role, as we saw in the video above, having a clear vision is just as crucial. In line with their activist approach, they found a storytelling method that fits them like a glove. For example, they showcase the activities they undertake (collectively as a company), but make their sustainability report the star of the show.
To amplify the story of their company and activities, SodaStream directs their (future) employee communication towards join the revolution. They emphasise that, to achieve their goals, they offer you every opportunity to make a positive impact on the world and contribute to SodaStream’s mission as a streamer. And that, to us, is employer branding at its finest!
Employer branding as gamechanger
These examples show that employer branding can be applied in many different ways, but always with the same goal: to share a story that (future) employees, partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders can connect with, making them feel they want to work with (or as we prefer to say, belong to) your brand. This creates a strong community through employer branding, one you can rely on and that contributes positively to your reputation every single day. And that’s something we get super excited about!
Need some help to identify what makes your brand stand out? We’re ready. Want to discover how your brand can truly deliver value? We can’t wait! Need your story crafted and rolled out into a practical blueprint for all your content and communication activities? We got you. In short, employer branding holds no secrets for us, and we’re here to help you get the most out of it! Want to know more about our approach? Chantal can answer all your questions! You can reach out to her via chantal@gi.nl!