Working with marketing departments is not always the best way to create an employer brand, according to Kevin Hough, head of resourcing at LV=.
Speaking at the Talent, Recruitment and Employment Conference (TREC) 2016, Hough explained some of the difficulties LV='s HR team encountered working alongside the corporate branding team. "It was quite an interesting journey," he said. "For me the reality of working here is very important. We did some research into our employee value proposition, because we wanted to end up with something that reflects what it is like to be part of our team.
"The corporate branding team gave us a page of guidelines, with things such as the correct position of our green heart logo, and how the logo should never be used as a decoration, and how to position a banner on the bottom. I felt like it looked like it could be selling our life insurance; it wasn't us. In the end we forgot about everything the corporate branding team had told us, we used that heart as a decoration, and we ended up with something that shows what it is like to work at LV=."
Charu Malhotra, global digital channels and employer brand lead for Ferrero, re-enforced the need for authenticity when constructing an employer brand. "I like to check the Edelman Trust Barometer, and it shows that there has been a drop in the trust people have in their leaders, such as CEOs and politicians. Instead peer reviews are much more valued. This means it's more effective to have your workers saying why your company is a great place to work than having your CEO tell people why your company is the best ever."
She added: "It's the same as if you were choosing a holiday; you'd be more likely to listen to your friends than believe everything written on websites or in glossy brochures."
