The holiday season tends to highlight the best and worst of workplace culture. Some organizations come together to celebrate the season and recognize the year’s achievements. Others may find employee discontent underscored through grumblings from cubicles far and wide throughout December. The difference between a festive workplace and a miserable one can be attributed to the success or failure of a critical business strategy – employer branding.
A solid understanding of what employees value about working at your organization is the foundation for an employer branding strategy. Leaders should be doing the research and using the insights gained to make conscious business decisions that impact the employee experience – including how to approach the holiday season as an organization.
Your Employer Brand Promise
When family, work and financial stressors culminate during the holiday season and emotions are running high, leaders need to be extra diligent in ensuring they are living up to expectations. Losing sight of the key components of your employee value proposition during times of seasonal pressure can create disparity between your employer brand promise and the reality of the employee experience. It’s important to get it right this time of year.
Perhaps your employee value proposition is high on recognition and your team anticipates frequent feedback from leadership. In another organization, flexibility and work-life balance might be the key to employee engagement. This is important information to help guide leaders during crunch time when staff and leaders alike are under pressure or feeling emotional. Employers need to be sure they are delivering on the expectations created through their employer brand promise, such as year end recognition or time off during the holidays. Employees will fixate on any gaps between an organization’s promises and the reality of their experiences. Failing to deliver on your employer brand promise will leave your team feeling duped – and their feelings will be valid.
Authenticity is fundamental to the success of your employer branding strategy. Ensure the holiday season feels merry and bright in your offices this December – balance your words with essential actions for a genuine employer brand message.