Building Your Brand Message: How to Use Your Company’s Story

Below CEO Today hears from Bruce Morton, Workforce Design and Talent Acquisition Expert, and author of ‘Redesigning the Way Work Works’ on the key steps to building your brand message and using your company’s original and unique story to do so.

As you consider what your organization is famous for in the realm of employment, think about what you want your message to achieve. What does the candidate want to hear? Job descriptions for certain positions are theoretically the same for any company. Your company story is what will set you apart from the competition in publicizing job openings. What’s unique is the experience of working for you.

First, you should sketch out what the Business and HR leaders think that story is. Later, you’ll get your staff’s take on that. Things may look different from the other side of the desk. But describing what you think makes your company stand out will lay the groundwork for telling a true story. Ask: What are our strong points in company culture? How do we live our stated values in doing the work that we do? How does our enterprise contribute to something larger than just the marketplace?

First, you should sketch out what the Business and HR leaders think that story is. Later, you’ll get your staff’s take on that.

Now, put these elements in perspective by thinking about what those things lend to the employee experience. How does having an open-door policy, for instance, affect both top-tier and low-level staff? How does your particular value system influence things that are important to workers on the job, such as teamwork and accountability? Try to project. If you were applying for a job at your company, why would you choose to work there? Answering questions about culture, work processes, and employee policies will provide the outline of a compelling narrative.

Next, find out how close your version is to what workers have to say. You can go about this formally or informally but be thorough and get a cross-section of feedback from your workforce.

Now, eliminate the distance between the two overarching stories. This may take some dedication on the company’s part to improving things thought to be top-notch or implementing new ideas gleaned from employee feedback. You just asked your workers what’s most important to them in being employed, making a living, and doing their best work. If your company is falling short in any areas, shore them up.

Use what you’ve learned from crafting your company story and reviewing what employees most appreciate from their work experience. Put yourself in the shoes of applicants from different demographics and those seeking different hiring relationships. How do your employee and assignment value propositions address the highly ranked desires for developmental opportunity, performance recognition, interactive management, and team collaboration?

If you haven’t already revamped your job descriptions by removing superfluous requirements, do it now with your open positions. Candidates searching through job posts immediately click off when they feel they don’t measure up to the specifications listed. For instance, “must have experience in x, y, and z programs” knocks a lot of people out of the running. Decide where your company can rely on a candidate’s track record or tested learning capacity instead of specific requirements. Suddenly, you’ve widened the field considerably.

Remember, it’s a talent-driven market. Your job description can either be a first, or last, connection to prospects. As you compose job ads, keep in mind how the work satisfies the worker.

Remember, it’s a talent-driven market. Your job description can either be a first, or last, connection to prospects. As you compose job ads, keep in mind how the work satisfies the worker. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to vet people’s capabilities before making a commitment.

Use your company website and social media posts to attract interest from the workforce at large. Be consistent in your messaging across all of these channels, to strengthen and solidify your employer brand. The goal is to make your company indispensable to Talentsumers. Tell them why they wouldn’t want to work anywhere else on Earth!