In today's highly connected world, reputation plays a pivotal role in the success of any organization. While an excellent product or outstanding customer service are undoubtedly important, they alone cannot build a solid reputation in the long run. The personal brands of employees have a significant influence on how stakeholders perceive the company's reputation. Rethinking how employees' individual brands impact and complement the employer brand can help elevate the reputation of any organization.
This article discusses how cultivating and supporting employees' personal branding endeavors can strengthen an employer's reputation. It explores the various ways employees contribute to the employer brand and recommends strategies to leverage their personal brands.
Personal branding refers to consciously crafting one's professional image and reputation. It involves highlighting strengths, expertise, values, and achievements that differentiate an individual from others in their field. Personal branding incorporates elements like social media presence, thought leadership, networking and industry contributions that build an authentic employee's personal brand over time.
While personal branding was previously considered more relevant for independent professionals like consultants or freelancers, evolving workplace dynamics make it equally crucial for employees. Organizations are realizing the considerable impact that employees' individual reputations have on how stakeholders perceive their employer.
Employees represent the organizational culture, values, and work environment to both internal and external stakeholders. Their online and offline interactions through professional platforms, conferences, or social media shape perceptions about what it is like to work for that particular company. As such, employees function as unofficial brand ambassadors whether intended or not.
When employees have well-established personal brands expressing expertise in their domains, it lends authenticity and credibility to the employer's reputation. Thought leadership, insightful contributions, or experience shared by employees with strong individual brands builds trust in the company's capabilities. This leads clients, partners, media, and prospective candidates to form positive impressions about working with or for that organization.
A study found that over 85% of professionals consult friends, former colleagues, or networks when researching potential employers. This underscores the significance of employee advocacy for employer branding. When employees feel genuinely invested in the workplace culture and are enthusiastic about the company, they voluntarily promote their workplace through their personal and professional circles.
Advocacy could range from posting employment opportunities on social media to speaking highly of company culture during networking events. Authentic advocacy from employees establishes the employer as a great place to work, strengthening appeal among active and passive job seekers. It also instills a sense of pride in being associated with that organizational reputation.
Seeing current or former employees accomplish milestones also reflects positively on the employer brand. For instance, an employee who secures an important client or delivers a successful project reflects the organization's ability to cultivate expertise and support professional growth.
When individual achievements by candidates are covered in industry publications or they deliver impactful presentations, it spotlights them as leaders in their domain of work. Their association with a particular employer validates the company's commitment to developing talent through real-world opportunities and resources. This enhances the external perception of reputation management for that organization.
Here are some successful strategies organizations leverage to build on employees' personal brands:
Organizations can encourage employees to continuously upgrade their skills and knowledge through various certifications, conferences, seminars, online courses etc. This helps employees stay up to date with the latest developments in their field and become subject matter experts. When employees cultivate expertise, they have quality insights and perspectives to share.
Organizations can sponsor or subsidize such learning programs to support their workforce. This demonstrates the importance given to personal development. Employees in turn feel motivated to learn more, which they can showcase through their platforms. For example, Company A sponsors its employees to attain various technical certifications every year. This improves the skill sets of employees who then blog about technical topics, benefiting others. Their expertise elevates Company A's image as a developer of top talent.
Organizations must explore ways for their top performers to demonstrate their subject knowledge. They can sponsor industry blogs, articles, case studies or reports authored by employees. Publishing in reputed publications establishes them as thought leaders. Organizations can also encourage employees to present at conferences and seminars.
When an employee from Company B speaks at a leading conference, it boosts the company's recognition as an innovator in space. Organizations must provide potential topics, feedback on drafts and promote published content. This cultivates a knowledge-sharing culture where employees and companies both gains.
As employees do consistently high-quality work, organizations must acknowledge their accomplishments. Recognizing top performers on company communication channels like intranets, newsletters or social media platforms motivates continued success. Peers can also be encouraged to congratulate each other, fostering collaboration.
Public kudos enhance employee brand and instill pride in working for an organization that values its talent. For instance, Company C recognized on its LinkedIn the employee who bagged an award, garnering appreciation from the community. This strengthened the employer's brand perception of supporting a winning culture.
Mentorship programs internally appoint senior employees to guide their junior colleagues both professionally and personally. Mentors provide perspective on career paths, feedback on professional development and psychosocial support. This reinforces the organization's commitment to each individual's growth. Employees gain clarity on advancing within roles, which they can then communicate through their networks.
For example, Company D's structured mentorship program helps employees progress systematically to leadership positions over time. It signals the importance given to grooming talent from within.
While expecting employees to promote their brands, organizations must provide guardrails on what is and isn't appropriate advocacy on social media and other public platforms. Guidelines around maintaining privacy, not speaking for the company without approval and preventing confidential information shares are prudent. Within these boundaries, supervised advocacy where employees publicly support company initiatives and achievements through their networks extends organic reach.
For instance, employees of Company E tweet appreciatively about new offerings following corporate messaging, broadly marketing to their extended networks.
A powerful way to engage candidates is to feature employees and their personal journeys on the company career website. Highlighting diverse roles through profiles that include work highlights, career growth opportunities and day-in-the-life descriptions through visual content makes the organization relatable. Prospects gain realistic insider views attracting top talent.
For example, Company F profiles different employees each month Interview style on their site, giving authentic voices to the culture and impactful work. This compelling content approach drives quality applications.
When organizations authentically support employees' public expertise and engage with their quality content, they endorse individual brands adding validity. Sharing industry updates and thought pieces to networks saying ‘Great piece from our X on Y’ lifts the employee profile. Commenting appreciatively on posts fosters two-way credibility and commitment.
For instance, senior leaders at Company G follow employees on LinkedIn, regularly liking and commenting on updates. This encourages more contributions while strengthening employer branding as a supportive ecosystem.
In conclusion, the strategies mentioned help organizations develop supportive environments where employees feel empowered to craft their own reputations. This enhances their quality as unofficial brand ambassadors in strengthening the employer's reputation over the long run. While requiring sustained involvement, leveraging personal brands pays well in terms of employer appeal, retention and productivity in the current market landscape.
