Autorinnen: Kathrin Joa & Barbara Umann Even before the pandemic, flexible work environments were starting to frame the way organizations hired new, younger talent. Let’s be honest, this trend is generation-driven. Covid-19 only accelerated the pace and made remote work relevant to a wider range of employees – not necessarily only the young ones. A recent analysis on working trends carried out by LinkedIn, highlights that a full-time return to the office no longer exists and as workplace dynamics change, people will no longer be confined to a daily “9-to-5 in the office” work model.
Taking this into consideration, some of the big challenges will be maintaining spirit of belonging, employee engagement, morale, and loyalty.
And as companies are now trying to persuade the workforce, at least partially, back to the office, data from the Microsoft Work Trend Index Research shows that more than 80% of those interviewed stated that getting back to the office in person is indeed a concern. After two years of zero commute-time and the ability to manage work-life balance more effectively, while sustaining productivity, the “Great Return” is failing. Employees are now looking for more compelling and meaningful reasons to go back into the office building.
An attractive brand, a strong value driven company culture and the proactive internal management of this brand, along with office location & space re-design constitutes an often-underrated opportunity to champion these challenges and are crucial to retain, engage and acquire new talent.
Purpose, People, Place (our 3 P’s) are therefore three important dimensions which need to be looked at in the process. Brand strategy and branding can play a big role in this game.
Gartner Research found that 82% of employees believe it is important for their company to have a purpose. A purpose can shape strategy, engage customers and the community and steer strategic choices in moments of truth as well as inspire employees and potential talent. Aligning organizational purpose to the individual purpose can be valuable, as more than two thirds say their sense of purpose is defined by their work. The successful implementation of purpose can shape the company’s culture and increase a feeling of belonging and loyalty.
Microsoft Work Trend Index research also shows that people care about people: recognizing the importance employee connection and social capital is key to retain and attract new talent. With roughly half of employees saying their relationships outside their immediate work group have weakened and over 40% reporting that they feel disconnected from their company, ensuring and proactively helping people to have an opportunity to reconnect will be crucial in the year ahead.
Enhancing branded employee experience is an overall concept that includes all the activities happening within an organization aimed at connecting people and that can make an impact or create a feeling within its employees, driving the perception of the company’s employer brand.
Ultimately, the office needs to turn into a competitive advantage. Focus should be put on re-designing spaces, and branded office activation, with something that could be compared to a hospitality mindset. Convenience, Creativity and Collaboration seem to be important elements when it comes to establishing the purpose of place, helping prevent the dilemma “Do I go into the office tomorrow or not?”, or “Should I apply for a job in that company or not?”.
An example of applying the 3 P’s principle, can be seen in our work on an employer brand concept for Hugo Boss. Brandpulse modernized the overall brand of the international fashion company as part of a global brand refresh project. In order to energize and strengthen the corporate culture, we created a lifestyle concept with a broad range of applications providing an impact on motivation, search for convenience, and socialization opportunities for employees. “Good Times” symbolizes the dawn of a new era in employer branding and emotional connection to company values and culture.