Ethical Employer Branding

Innovative Employer Branding by Apple. To showcase progress on their sustainability goals♻️ Instead of a boring CEO letter… Or A dry 30-page corporate report… They opted for something more creative🎬 A few things that stood out to me: 1. Authenticity I love how Tim Cook plays a lead role in the video instead of a random stock footage actor playing big-shot corporate exec. Having the actual CEO give a detailed breakdown of progress on ESG goals demonstrates accountability, which is often nonexistent in corporate. 2. Tone A light touch of comedy but still staying true to the corporate theme of a board meeting. This sets the tone that these social issues are being taken seriously and does not detract from the key message. 3. Evidence Is it really an Apple campaign without a cheeky little product launch? But the best part is that the product backs up everything they’ve said - the first-ever carbon-neutral Apple watch. 4. Diversity & Inclusion The cast selection from face value was diverse from an ethnicity and age perspective, which is refreshing for a corporate marketing campaign. Plus, mother nature is Octavia Spencer, so we love to see it 🖤 — →Great hook →Engaging pace →Provides context →Straight to the point →Not bogged down in jargon →Clear message + key takeaway An innovative employer brand consistently moving with the times👏🏾 Who wouldn’t want to work for a company that approaches marketing like this? What do y’all think?

Q-Quote from "Portrait of JEDI": Step-by-Step JEDI in the Employee Lifecycle: #EmployerBranding 📌 If your organization were a person, what would its soul whisper? Let’s flip the script: If your company were a person, what would its mental state be like? Would it whisper words of purpose and balance, or would it be caught in the chaos of anxiety, obsessive thoughts, or even delusions? Think about it. If we define employer branding as the image a company projects to its employees and potential candidates. In that case our underlying message is clear: We judge companies not just by what they offer, but by the kind of workplace they are. And guess what? Today’s talent is asking not “How much will I earn here?” but “Who will I work with? Will they value me?” That’s why principles like Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (#JEDI) aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re critical for sustainable employer branding, employee engagement, and attracting top talent. Gallup backs this up: inclusive workplaces are 60% more successful in attracting talent. So if you’re not integrating JEDI into your culture, prepare to see top talent waving goodbye at your door. Here’s how JEDI serves your employer brand: 1️⃣ #Diversity Fuels Innovation. Different perspectives lead to better problem-solving. However, diversity can also introduce communication challenges and potential conflicts. The solution? Invest in psychological safety. Dr. Timothy Clark’s model shows that innovation thrives when teams feel safe to express their ideas without fear of judgment. 2️⃣ #Justice and #Equity Boost Performance. Employees who feel they’re treated fairly are more loyal and committed. It’s not just about recognition; it’s about feeling seen, valued, and respected. Fair performance evaluations, like those at Salesforce, that consider personal growth and achievements foster a sense of equity. 3️⃣ #Inclusive Cultures Attract Talent. The best candidates today look beyond paychecks—they seek cultures that align with their values. A commitment to diversity and inclusion makes your organization a magnet for talent. Google’s Project Aristotle uncovered a game-changing insight: the most successful teams weren’t just the most skilled or diverse—they were the ones where everyone felt safe to speak up. In these teams, mistakes were seen as learning opportunities, and every voice mattered. Without psychological safety, even the most diverse teams fail to reach their full potential. JEDI isn’t just a strategy; it’s the bedrock of a thriving workplace. It bridges the gap between a company’s internal culture (its “shadow”) and its public image (its “persona”). 👉 Which JEDI principle resonates with you the most? Comment below! ♻️ Found this valuable? Repost to share with your network. #PortraitofJEDI #WorkplaceCulture #DiversityAndInclusion #PsychologicalSafety #FutureOfWork

After working with 100s of employer branding teams, I’ve seen them make the same critical mistake. It's not the candidate experience. It's not missing on hires. It's not a functional issue. It's pretending everything's perfect. Here’s a memorable example: An investment bank came to us wanting to “soften” their employer brand. They were eager to recruit Gen Z talent and asked us to emphasize work-life balance and flexible hours. ⠀ Here’s the problem: Anyone familiar with this company knew the culture didn’t match that message. ⠀ ➡️ Long hours. ➡️ Intense pace. ➡️ High expectations. ⠀ It’s not bad. It’s just not for everyone — and that’s the point. ⠀ So we pushed back. We worked with them to frame their culture authentically: fast-paced, ambitious, high-performance. Not for the faint of heart — but incredibly rewarding for the right people. ⠀ Here’s what happened: ➡️ Fewer applicants overall ➡️ Better alignment during interviews ➡️ Significantly lower new-hire attrition ⠀ Takeaway: Your employer brand isn’t about sounding perfect. It’s about sounding right to the people who will thrive with you. ⠀ ✅ Transparency builds trust. ✅ Honesty attracts alignment. ✅ Clarity drives retention. ⠀ If your message says “this place is for everyone,” you're probably attracting no one. ⠀ Want to future-proof your hiring strategy? Stop selling perfection and start selling fit.

When you're a recruiter at a company that lives out its values—treating people with respect, offering generous benefits, and deeply caring about its products and customers—employer branding isn't something you have to build from scratch. It's already alive in the way your team operates. That’s what it’s like for me at Planning Center. 🙌🏼 I have the privilege of telling a story that’s already being written in the way we show up for our people, care for our customers, and collaborate as a team of kind, thoughtful individuals building meaningful products. Because of that foundation, we often see quality candidates come to us. Time-to-fill becomes less of a pressure point, not because of shortcuts or flashy tactics, but because people are genuinely drawn to the work, the mission, and the culture we’ve been intentional about creating. ✨ Your employer brand does matter. Ask yourself: Do people want to work for your mission? Do they see themselves thriving in your culture? Have you cultivate a culture of psychological safety? Do your benefits and leadership actions show they’ll be truly valued? If your time-to-fill is consistently long, it might not be a recruiting problem—it might be a culture or product issue. Start there. Because when the culture is strong and your products speak for themselves, the right talent will follow. 💡

Dear Talent Acquisition and HR leaders, let’s be honest. 🫡 When someone decides to change their job, it’s rarely a small step. For most people, it’s one of the most significant decisions of their career and their life. Yet, we still hear the myth that “employer branding is about shiny campaigns or photos on your LinkedIn pages.” The reality looks very different: People want to join organizations where they can truly make an impact, grow, and learn. Your EVP is the secret sauce that makes recruiting conversations more meaningful and engaging with candidates. It’s not just an add-on, it’s a core ingredient. Compensation matters, but it’s not the only currency; it's also about leadership, culture, everyday experiences, and learning opportunities, which weigh just as heavily, if not more. What builds your reputation as an employer isn’t just marketing; it’s the everyday experiences of your employees that travel by word of mouth! And here’s the kicker: a strong employer brand attracts great talent, while a weak one silently drives them away. Are you driving to define that narrative or let others build one? If we, as TA leaders, get this "first principle" right —that employer branding is about real value for employees and candidates —everything else becomes easier. Employer Branding is as core to recruiting, HR as any other process. Make it count and work for you! Question to ponder: "Are we making employer branding the core ingredient in our strategy—or are we still treating it as garnish on the side?" #employerbranding #talentbranding #recruitmentmarketing #TalentAcquisition #Recruitment

What makes an employer brand actually convert talent? Candidates are filtering for 3 core signals, consciously or not: 1 - Psychological safety “Will I be respected here?” Diversity representation, tone of comms, and how the company handles feedback all matter. 2 - Authenticity “Is this real, or just marketing fluff?” Peer stories > polished slogans Consistency across Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and your careers page is a huge trust builder. 3 - Proof of performance “Will I grow here?” Clear career paths, employee growth stories, team wins. Show, don’t just tell. What doesn’t convert: ☒ Vague perks (everyone has a snack wall now) ☒ Empty “we’re like a family” statements ☒ Stock photo overload with no real employee voices What does convert: ☑ Real stories from current employees ☑ Transparent hiring process ☑ Clear signals of what success looks like in your org ☑ A candidate experience that matches what you promised Your employer brand isn’t a logo or tagline. It’s a feeling backed by proof. #employerbranding #candidateexperience #hiring

Don't just focus on what you say. Focus on what you do. Microsoft just settled a $14 million probe for illegally penalising workers who took medical or family-care leave. Just two years earlier, it was lauded for it's employer friendly and market leading family and medical leave policies. What gives? It highlights a critical issue for many employers: brand dissonance. The gap between a companies employer brand and their people experience. 🌟 It's easy to speak to the benefits you're trying to create in order to compel candidates to join you. 🛑 But, what are those same companies doing to ensure the experience they speak of is genuine? Big companies like Microsoft are easy to criticise — but they are expected to uphold higher standards. They possess the resources to ensure robust checks and balances. But even giants like Microsoft can miss the mark on employee needs. Companies need to assess their policies and programs to ensure they're having the intended effect. In Microsofts case: • Were the policies adopted ✅ • Was it having a positive impact on their representation ❌ Don't just develop policies for the brand you can tout to candidates. Ensure what your program is hoping to achieve is actually being lived. A strong employer brand should reflect a positive people experience. If it doesn’t, your companies credibility is at stake. How do you think companies can bridge the gap between brand and reality?

🌍 "People don't leave companies. They leave cultures." We've all heard this, but how often do we stop and feel it? As employer brand leaders, we're not just building career pages or campaigns — we're shaping the emotional architecture of the workplace. ➡️ What stories are we telling? ➡️ Who are we amplifying? ➡️ Are we spotlighting perks, or are we spotlighting purpose? In an era where talent is asking harder questions — about belonging, flexibility, mental health, and meaningful impact — our role is no longer about attraction alone. It's about alignment. ✨ Alignment between what we say and what people experience. ✨ Between corporate goals and individual growth. ✨ Between brand voice and employee voice. If our employer brand is authentic, then it becomes a mirror — reflecting back to candidates and employees who we truly are, not just who we hope to be. So here’s a thought I’ll leave you with today: What would your people say if your EVP was written by them, not by you? Let’s keep building brands that aren’t just seen — but felt. 💡 #EmployerBrand #Leadership #CultureMatters #FutureOfWork #EVP #Authenticity #HRLeadership #TalentBranding