Engineering, a brand by SixAgencyUK

Engineering a brand How to overcome industry challenges and make your business stand out

ENGINEERING A BRAND

Today’s UK engineering sector

What’s impacting the sector?

You wouldn’t build something without a reason for it to exist.

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A way forward I. Start with your why II. Know your culture III. Go beyond your industry

How can we help

Why should your brand be any different?

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Today’s UK engineering sector The pandemic brought so many unknowns into our lives. But thanks to the creativity and innovation of the engineering sector, from the vaccine roll-out to the rapid production of ventilators, the UK has moved into a post-pandemic phase. Now the sector is facing new challenges.

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18% of all employed people in the UK (roughly 5.5m people) are in engineering and construction. Source

Build back better The government’s ‘Build back better’ plans are already in motion to help restore and elevate the country’s infrastructure. Part of these long-term plans include providing high-quality skills training across a variety of industries, and supporting the transition to Net Zero. Engineering and associated skills in the sector are an intrinsic part of both. For that reason, among others, it’s important the sector is equipped to deal with the increased demand on its capabilities and workforce.

A shifting landscape The employment landscape has shifted dramatically. People are re-evaluating what’s important to them in relation to their careers and this is forcing employers to rethink how they retain and attract talent. Employees want businesses that are authentic and inspirational – they need to trust the companies they work for. Social media has given people the freedom to see ‘behind the scenes’ and we can now spot businesses that are not delivering against their promises. For all organisations, this means ensuring there is consistency between how you portray yourself externally, and the reality of working within your business. But it goes further than simply your brand or logo.

What’s impacting the sector? We’ve identified three key issues that are impacting businesses and how they communicate across the engineering industry. And if engineering companies want to see a profitable future, overcoming these challenges will be crucial.

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Brands that look the same While the sector may be diverse in terms of types of engineering, it can be hard to differentiate between the brands themselves. Most have a similar purpose (the reason why they exist) which means they start to look and sound the same.

Why does this matter To stand out, you can’t blend in. If you’re trying to attract the best talent then you need to set yourself apart from your competitors. You have to be clear on your own business - why you exist and what it’s like to work for you - if you want people to choose to work for you, over someone else.

To grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day

Enabling engineering breakthroughs that lead to a better tomorrow

We shape a better world

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It’s hard to retain talent UK engineering firms are struggling to retain diverse talent in their workforces. There’s a lot of choice for skilled people in today’s world, and businesses need to work harder than ever to keep them fulfilled and motivated. Otherwise, there’s a high chance you could lose some of your most skilled and trusted workers to your competitors.

On average, employees who earn more than £25,000 per year cost businesses over

£30,000 to replace.

Source

Why does this matter Not only is this disruptive for your internal culture and overall employee experience, the cost of replacing these employees isn’t cheap. The average employee who earns more than £25,000 will cost £30,000 to recruit, train and develop. So developing and retaining staff for as long as possible is critical for meeting profit margins and ensuring projects run smoothly.

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There’s a shortage of skilled workers There’s a significant skills shortage developing in the sector right now. On top of retaining great employees, businesses are struggling to find new talent. A major ongoing survey showed 47% of respondents identified their biggest concern as ‘attracting the right calibre of people to the business’.

200,000 The number of skilled workers that experts believe are needed in the industry by 2040. Source 1 Source 2

Why does this matter As the country strives to ‘Build back better’, engineering firms want to attract the best the industry has to offer. But with a significant skills shortage, high retirement rates, and a low uptake in STEM subjects nationally, the talent pool is small. There’s an urgent need to look outside the sector to find transferable skills. More work needs to be done to sell in the industry, as well as your organisation.

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People d buy what They why you

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don’t you do. buy u do it. Simon Sinek

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The majority of engineering companies are facing some or all of these challenges. But there are three key things you can do to help your business overcome them.

A way forward

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Start with your why Know your culture Go beyond your industry

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Start with your why Before you can tackle any external challenges, you need to know why you exist as a business – your brand purpose. This will differentiate you from your competitors, align your employees towards a common goal, and provide a core focus for your organisation’s internal and external communication activity. In an industry where lots of brands are operating in a very similar space, having a unique and meaningful statement, which is supported by clear organisational strategy, will be key to achieving your attraction and retention goals.

Ask yourself Why does my business exist? How did my business begin life and where does it need to go in the future? What makes us different to our competitors? What’s unique about our identity?

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Purpose is at the centre of everything you do Having a brand purpose is more than just a statement. An effective purpose makes everything you do gravitate around it.

Brand

What it’s like to work for you, and the environment you’ve created for your employees

Culture

How people see your brand externally (customers, clients, stakeholders etc)

Purpose Operations

Strategy

Your sustainable objectives for long-term business growth

The tools and processes in place to support your employees and customers

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Employees have re-evaluated what’s important to them. Office-based staff have had a taste of remote working and have identified employers that can offer this as a permanent solution. Some factory-based staff are less willing to work shifts and overtime.

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Overall, more people are looking to strike the right work-life balance.

Chris Morris, Human Resources Manager, Yamazaki Mazak UK Ltd

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Know your culture 40% According to a McKinsey Global Survey, in 2021, 40% of employees were ‘somewhat likely’ to move jobs within ‘the next 3-6 months’. This period has since been termed ‘the great resignation,’ and encapsulates the purposelessness that people were feeling throughout the pandemic in relation to their work. In today’s climate, the power is in the employee’s hands. Businesses need to consider relational factors when defining their culture and, ultimately, the employee experience.

How can you tackle this? In the world of engineering, you need to understand something before you can fix or improve it. And your company’s employee experience is no different. You need to understand how your employees think and feel about working for you, and get under the skin of what’s important to them. Only then can you begin to think about how you attract and retain people. Understanding your culture and turning it into both an attraction and retention tool is key to your success. It’s about creating a brand that looks attractive on the outside, but also fosters a sense of belonging for those who are a part of it.

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How do my employees feel working for me? What elements of our culture do employees want to RETAIN, LEAVE and ADD? Why are employees leaving? Is there a pattern?

Ask yourself

Physiological Needs My basic needs are met, I am in the right job and paid the market rate.

Safety / Security I have a great working environment and good relations with my manager.

Belonging I am good at my job and feel connected to how that makes an impact to the business.

Esteem I know what’s expected of me. I am empowered to do a great job and recognised for it.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs applied to employee engagement - how we want our employees to feel.

Self-Actualization Fulfilled, purpose-driven

ls ve Le

What do employees really want?

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Roughly

86%

of employees say that job training is important to them.

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Three out of every four people are willing to learn things outside of work hours to improve their job performance. Survey Monkey Audience study, 2021

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Go beyond your industry The UK engineering sector is experiencing a major skills shortage right now. Organisations are not just competing between themselves, but also against emerging industries. Software,future mobility, cyber security, artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are all fighting for a shrinking pool of talent. The industry needs to: Make STEM subjects more appealing to a younger audience e.g. through school initiatives Offer more training opportunities to existing employees to help with upskilling and improving retention. Create an environment where employees feel comfortable to go outside their comfort zone and get involved in opportunities which will help them progress in their roles (e.g. to become chartered).

Engineering organisations can also look at equivalent job roles and skillsets outside the sector. While these candidates may (initially) lack knowledge of the industry, you can recruit skillsets and mindsets that align to your brand’s values. This will ensure you’re more likely to hire people who’ll become advocates for your brand and foster the sense of belonging employees are increasingly seeking in their careers.

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The power of social Job seekers rank social media and professional networks as the most useful job search resources compared to job boards, job ads, recruitment agencies and recruitment events. Having a strong employer brand presence on all channels is more important than ever. That brand experience needs to follow through the entire recruitment journey. Passive job seekers 70% of the global workforce are passive job seekers. They are not actively looking but, should the right role present itself, they would be open to it. These people are typically attracted to purposeful organisations which have employer brands and value propositions that align with their own goals and values. LinkedIn and other social networks are rich landing pages for passive job seekers to learn about your brand, so you need to make sure you have this space covered.

79%

of job seekers say they are likely to use social media in their job search and this increases to 86% for younger job seekers. (The Open University, 2019)

Ask yourself What transferable skills exist for the roles I’m looking to hire? How can we make ourselves compelling to talent outside of engineering? Do our values resonate to new candidates coming into the market? Could our recruitment efforts be putting off candidates?

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How can we help As a strategic creative partner, we work closely with your team to provide the right solutions for your business. And with nearly 30 years partnering with complex global engineering organisations and working with HR, marketing, communication and transformation experts, we understand your stakeholders.

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Review define Review your brand purpose/values and define a unique proposition that sets you apart from your competitors.

Audit build Audit your employer brand and build clear internal pillars that feel authentic and inspirational for existing and prospective employees.

Develop create Develop a creative expression of your business and create engaging communications for your employees, clients and stakeholders.

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Our experts Ruth Clarke Partner

A qualified member of the CIPD and CIM, combining her strategic background with a fresh look at brand culture, change and employee engagement. Consulting with you, she gets to the heart of your business strategy and rapidly identifies your purpose, goals and values. Ruth drives growth and will shape the right team to ensure the HR, Brand and Culture experience delivers results.

Sally Gillo

Client Experience Director Sally leads the Client Services team at Six. She has 15 years’ experience in the industry, working with a range of organisations and leaders to define strong brand purpose solutions, embed employee engagement strategies and deliver high performing campaigns. She is passionate about people and bringing meaningful experiences to life.

Jenny Browne Strategy Director

Jenny specialises in brand culture consultancy – creating the purpose and strategic brand narrative that will allow your business to grow. She leads by engaging with key stakeholders through consultation and dynamic workshops, and to ensures the EX journey is considered when implementing a compelling and competitive value proposition.

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Nicky Lloyd Strategy Director

Nicky is an award-winning strategist and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing with over 20 years’ experience working at a senior level, both agency and client-side. As an expert in behavioural science, internal and change communications planning, she is passionate about leadership and storytelling.

Laura Millar ESG Strategist

Laura is a senior sustainable business strategist who specialises in supporting businesses transform. She has over a decade of experience in brand and communication strategy and a masters degree in climate change science and policy. She works closely with businesses to develop, implement and communicate their ESG strategies, with the aim of helping businesses contribute to the cleaner, greener and more inclusive future.

Joe Heywood Strategist

With a wealth of experience in sectors such as automotive, homebuilding and bikes, Joe brings strategic rigour and an eye for that key insight that gets to the heart of what businesses want to achieve. He works closely with organisations to get to the root of the problems they are facing and craft content and campaign strategies that will help overcome them.

Get in touch Want to give your brand solid foundations for a secure and profitable future? We offer brand consultancy, creative services, employee experience and recruitment campaign planning, among other services, that could make all the difference. Talk to us today to find out how we can help your business. +44 (0)117 915 0066 hello@six.agency six.agency