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EBI's 2nd Employer branding global research study

Can you please spare a few moments to complete our short Global Employer Branding Survey?

2011 Employer Brand International's 2nd Employer Branding Global Research Study

We invite you to participate in the world's largest Employer Branding Global Research Study.

Employer Branding Global Survey - survey now closed

This survey is now closed. If you would like to receive a copy of the media release about the global survey findings in June 2011 please email

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Your feedback will contribute to a better understanding of global trends in employer branding and allow comparisons of the evolution of employer branding pre and post the Global Financial Crisis.

The research will answer the following and more:

• who is responsible for the employer branding function
• what are the main benefits of an employer branding strategy
• how do you measure ROI of employer branding efforts
• what are the forecasts for expenditure on employer branding
• which activities are companies undertaking to enhance their employer brand and which are most effective
• which employer branding attributes are most important in attracting talent
• what are the main methods being used by companies to communicate their employer brand

Surveys completed by 4 March 2011 will go into the draw to win 1 of 5 signed copies of the latest book on employer branding titled "Employer Brand Leadership - A Global Perspective" by Brett Minchington

To commence the short 10 minute survey please click on the link below

Employer Branding Global Survey

Thank you for your participation and support. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the research findings.

The profit v engagement paradox

Original employer branding article published in South Africa's HR Future and New Zealand's Human Resources Magazine

Have you read Brett's new book "Employer Brand Leadership - A Global Perspective?" For full details please visit the publisher's website click here>

The Profit v Engagement Paradox

Optimising employee engagement has been a common objective of companies over the past five years. This shift in focus has been driven by a more informed view on the relationship between employee/customer engagement and profit.

Studies by global consulting firms such as Gallup, ISR and Hewitt have shown higher levels of employee engagement lead to higher sales revenues and profits. One of the most well know examples that demonstrated this relationship is Sears who used an ‘employee-customer-profit chain’ to analyse aggregated data from 800 stores, finding that employee attitudes towards their company and their jobs lead to positive employee behaviours toward customers. Sears found that a five percent increase in employee satisfaction drives a 1.3 percent in customer satisfaction, which results in 0.5 percent increase in revenue growth.

Studies also show higher levels of customer engagement lead to stronger financial performance. A 2009 study by Wetpaint and Altimeter Group found companies that are both deeply and widely engaged in social media surpass their peers in terms of both revenue and profit performance by a significant difference. The study found Mavens (defined as brands that are engaged in seven or more channels and have an above-average engagement score) had significantly higher revenue growth, gross margin growth and net margin growth over the previous 12 month period compared to their peers that engaged in fewer channels and had below-average engagement scores.

The Profit & Engagement Matrix
The main objective of a company is to maximise profit whether this is measured in financial outcomes (e.g. private and publicly listed sector) or social good (e.g. not-for-profit and Non-Government Organisation (NGO) sector) or a combination of both (e.g. Government sector)

To encourage companies to define their strategic focus and develop strategy that achieves a better balance between profit and engagement objectives I developed The Profit & Engagement Matrix.

The framework will assist leaders to develop strategies that consider the needs of all stakeholders and do not favour one (e.g. shareholders) at the expense of others (e.g. employees). The framework can also be used as part of the strategic review process to assist leaders to better understand when and where profit, and employee/customer engagement trade-offs will need to be made based on the strategic priorities of the company at the time.

Building employer brand equity

This article provides some insights into "Building employer brand equity as featured in Brett's new book Employer Brand Leadership - A Global Perspective.

Original employer branding article published in South Africa's HR Future Magazine

A company has one brand and the art and science of employer branding provides a focus for the role of the ‘employee’ in building brand equity.

In addressing the challenge of measuring the ROI of your employer brand strategy your approach can be informed by previous research in marketing, specifically in the area of brand image and brand equity.

Brand image
Brand associations are the determinants of brand image. Keller defines brand image as an amalgamation of the perceptions related to the product related/non-product related attributes and the functional/symbolic benefits that are encompassed in the brand associations that reside in consumer memory.

Marketing literature supports the concept that product brand equity is strengthened when the brand image resonates with the consumer. As brand awareness heightens, consumers begin to develop positive identification with the brand. The more positive the brand is perceived to be, the more highly identified the consumer becomes with the product. As social identity theory suggests, in the end, the consumer purchases the brand because of the positive self-concept that results from feeling membership with the brand. In a similar manner, as potential employees find positive aspects of the employer image, they are more likely to identify with the brand, and will more likely choose to seek membership with the organisation for the sense of heightened self-image that membership promises.

11 Employer branding best practices to focus on in 2011

Have you read Brett's new book "Employer Brand Leadership - A Global Perspective?" For full details please visit the publisher's website click here>

I've compiled a list below I wanted to share with you. The list includes 11 areas for leaders to focus their employer branding efforts on in 2011 based on some of the workforce changes we have encountered by the introduction of new technologies, global economic instability and the requirements of a modern workforce - one that is agile, adaptable and responsive to a constantly changing and highly competitive landscape.

It's great to see many more companies appointing employer brand leaders in 2010 to drive their organisation's employer brand strategy. I expect this trend to continue in 2011.

It is only with this focus will we see the continued evolution of the employer brand concept and employment offerings which on the whole, works towards achieving a much better match of the needs of employees with those of business.

Here is my top 11

1) Establish a real-time career development for employees