Less than a fifth of employees say that their experience at work matches their organisation’s employer brand

Less than a fifth (19%) of employees around the world say that their experience at work matches their organisation’s employer brand, This is according to a recent study from PR firm Weber Shandwick. This damages a company’s ability to recruit and means that those who are recruited may feel resentful when their expectations are not met and are more likely to leave.

Key findings

• The level of employer/brand credibility is 19%.
• However, only a minority of employees (7%) resolutely disagrees that there is any alignment between what employers say about themselves and what they experience.
• Three-quarters of employees (74%) are much less disenchanted, they are “marginally aligned” employees.

Why it matters

The benefits for organisations of having a brand that matches employee expectations include:

• It is easier to recruit. Employees in aligned organisations are more likely than organisations on average to recommend their employer as a place to work (76% versus 54%, respectively).
• More brand advocates. Employees in aligned organisations are more likely than organisations on average to urge others to buy their company’s products or services (59% versus 49%) and post or share praise online about their employer (41% versus 23%).
• Staff stay longer. Employees in aligned organisations are more likely than organisations on average to be very likely to continue to work for their employer over the next year (77% versus 64%).
• Increased productivity. Employees in aligned organisations are more likely than organisations on average to put more effort into their job than is required (54% versus 40%).

Building reputation

Employees at organisations with well-aligned employer brands are more than 11 times as likely as unaligned employer brands to say their organisation has a ‘very good’ reputation. Discussing the power of making sure your brand matches the reality of working for your company, Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick, says: “A strong employer reputation is no small change. The reputation of your employer is worth its weight in gold, but only if it turns out to truly reflect what it is actually like to work there. In this age of mega-transparency and instantaneous online reviews, employers are now accountable to who they say they are, how they treat people and live their values, and how they make a difference. Employees are more than reputation spectators, they are shaping employer brands for better or for worse every day.”

How to create a strong employer brand

The report claims that aligned organisations do the following:

• Lead with purpose and values, both internally and externally.
• Establish their values through strong and values-based leadership.
• Ensure employees know the organisation’s values.

Organisation that wish to close the gap between employee experience and the employer brand, must first understand what their reputation is in the talent marketplace and define what it wants to be known for and stand for in the future. Second, they should look within, for instance by completing an internal audit, to find out how employees' experiences compare with the company’s brand. Last, they must make key changes to the employee experience to help the company deliver on its values and promises.

Methodology

In partnership with KRC Research, Weber Shandwick conducted a 20-minute online survey amongst a total of 1,902 employed adults, ages 20 to 65, who work at least 30 hours per week for a large organisation (500 or more employees in the U.S. and 250 or more employees in all other countries). Employees were distributed across industries, professions and job levels. Self-employed and freelance employees were not included.