The concept of employer branding was introduced in 2001 by McKinsey. Simply put, it means building and managing the employer’s brand. Employer branding involves undertaking various activities aimed at creating a positive image of the employer for both potential and current employees. In short – this strategy is designed to provide the best possible working conditions for current employees while simultaneously attracting new talent.

Many definitions of employer branding highlight two types of activities:

• Internal employer branding, aimed at current employees. It focuses on creating a friendly work atmosphere, a place employees are happy to return to every day, and investing in human capital. Internal employer branding includes all developmental activities for employees, bonus programs, training, and the often underestimated power of events.

• External employer branding, targeted at potential employees, aimed at presenting the employer as unique and attractive in many respects. External employer branding promotes the company as a great employer for future employees. This includes headhunting activities, working with company talents, and attracting potential candidates. Recently, this type of employer branding also involves storytelling — marketing communication crafted as authentic, engaging stories. When many companies offer similar working conditions, storytelling becomes a tool that distinguishes your company and elevates it above others. It is worth appealing to the emotions of potential employees by telling them that many talents have been recognized and appreciated within the company—and the same opportunities await them. Properly used, stories about company talents (like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates once were) can effectively stimulate recruitment.

A well-executed employer branding strategy contributes to building a desirable employer image and gaining an advantage over competitors. It is crucial to remember that employer branding is an investment, not a cost! When planning to implement such a strategy, several fundamental assumptions must be considered. First, it’s important to understand how the organization is currently perceived by both present and former employees—what they see as its strengths and weaknesses. This can be assessed through anonymous surveys or interviews with current and former staff. Analyzing the findings allows the company to take appropriate steps to eliminate flaws and build on strengths. At the same time, it is important to tailor activities to the needs of different generations. Generation X has different expectations than Generation Y, and Generation Z will present yet other needs in the future. Currently, much attention is given to Millennials. As Chip Espinoza, author of the book Millennials at Work published in April, points out: “For Millennials, productivity is very important, but they do not equate it with sitting eight hours a day at a desk.” This clearly means employer branding activities must evolve to meet the changing expectations of generations.

In a company implementing an employer branding strategy, all employees must believe in the purpose of these efforts, although it is best to appoint a group responsible for this area. Employer branding can be carried out by almost all departments—HR, marketing, managers—but involving the leadership team continuously is very important. The employer branding strategy must be clearly defined so that all departments can consistently build and manage the employer brand in alignment with company policies. It’s worth noting that leadership engagement itself reflects on the company’s image and brand.

When building an employer branding strategy, it’s necessary to define the EVP – Employee Value Proposition. EVP is a set of truly unique benefits offered to potential and current employees. It informs both groups about the values the company stands for, what it offers, and what employees can expect. The most important aspect is to define and showcase values and benefits that clearly distinguish the company from other employers and highlight its uniqueness. The employer brand image should be consistent with the organizational culture, credible, and authentic. When preparing the EVP, using a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is advisable. The Employee Value Proposition should target the intended candidate group and demonstrate the company’s spectacular qualities.

Once the EVP is defined, appropriate communication channels must be selected separately for employees and candidates. The most popular channels include recruitment portals, social media, university events, career guides, newsletters, mailings, and virtual job fairs. It is important to choose the right communication channel for the target audience—different ones for job candidates, current employees, fresh graduates, or experienced professionals. The choice of communication channels should also take into account which generation you want to reach—X, Y, or soon Z—and align with their expectations. There are many ways to reach the target group, and creativity plays a large role here, which is why it’s worth delegating this task to a specialized company.

It can safely be said that employees are the best ambassadors of a company. A satisfied employee is the best advertisement! Therefore, when building an employer branding strategy, great emphasis should be placed on engaging employees in brand-building.

According to a Goldman Recruitment report, establishing a proper, even emotional, connection between employees and the employer brand turns employees into company ambassadors. Moreover: “After completing work on the employer brand strategy (…) it is advisable to organize an event for employees to present the results. Such an event can show videos presenting the employer brand and other materials promoting the company to candidates. Showing that their contribution has been noticed and utilized (…)” (How to Build a Strong Employer Brand, Goldman Recruitment). We agree with these conclusions, and our years of experience definitely confirm the value of complementing employer branding activities with employee events!

Bringing all employees together in one place is an excellent opportunity to leverage their potential and incorporate employer branding elements into the event organization. Nowadays, companies most often focus on organizing integration trips or conferences. Unfortunately, the former often lack synergy and team-building elements, so they do not bring the expected effect. At industry conferences, employees are not activated; the event usually involves long hours of summary analysis, presenting results, and setting new goals—which, despite having top speakers, can bore even the most persistent listeners. Everyone needs some form of activation, a break from everyday work topics, and a surprise—some kind of variety. Consider the undeniable fact that during holiday parties or family picnics, rich in various attractions, employees spend time much more actively and participate with greater enthusiasm. That should make you think. How can we add employer branding context to events and leverage the potential of gathering employees in one place?

First and foremost, a strong awareness of the business importance of events is needed. An employer branding strategy is characterized by the responsibility of all and each individual. But together, we can achieve more! An event is the best chance to establish strong cooperation with all employees. By increasing employee loyalty, building a positive work atmosphere, ensuring a good organizational climate, and balancing work-life, we retain employees—gaining a team of professionals and mentors who bring tremendous value to the organization.

Event companies have the most experience in this field; they are creative and open to cooperation with clients. Therefore, it is worth entrusting the organization of such events to specialists. We guarantee that employer branding elements can be integrated into every internal company event—from integration breakfasts and family picnics, through cultural days, quizzes, employee integration initiatives, to events related to employee health and safety. The key is to do it skillfully, interestingly, and uniquely—like no one has done before. Our task is to strongly engage employees in the event, attract them, motivate active participation, and broaden horizons. Creativity and innovation count here. The event should be surprising, different, and unconventional. Most importantly, the event must be for the employee and express care for them. Employer branding elements should accompany the event, not dominate it. How to do this? Use or distribute branded merchandise (mugs, bags, candies), conduct internal contests, create virtual tours of the company… or take it a step further! By organizing a unique event, we show employees that we are here for them, not just that they are here for us. This leaves a good impression, and good impressions are vividly remembered and repeated. We become memorable, employees speak highly of us, and build a positive company image. Organizing a well-targeted event leads to being associated with a strong brand!

It is crucial that through effective employer branding activities, including organizing events, we gain a professional workforce. Combined with development programs to keep them growing, we avoid the problem of seeking specialists externally. This saves time and money spent on onboarding and training. Every organization must attract young talent, but by taking care of the current team, we don’t waste money on recruitment and finding loyal employees. Attracting young talents who bring fresh ideas and experience fosters positive changes and continuous growth. We retain loyal employees and recruit to develop, not out of necessity!

Through events, we also support CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategies. CSR can be promoted via events like employee volunteering, joint actions for local communities, or environmental protection.

Until now, the power of events has not been linked to employer branding. But as often emphasized, a satisfied employee is the best company ambassador. Storytelling is increasingly valued, proving that it’s not flashy advertising but employee experiences that best convey the company atmosphere. We should focus and invest in employees’ emotions, and organizing events is the best way to do so!