Trends & Insights Digest Spring | Summer
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w w w. b r a n d n et wor k .uk .c om
Partner Segment | Sheila Parry SECTION | SUBHEADER | VOL 10
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“Fuel your passion with knowledge”
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Table of Content 05 Welcome Message
DAMON SEGAL, STEPHEN CHELIOTIS
06 Personalisation
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ANALOGFOLK
- BEHAVIOURAL AND ATTITUDINAL DATA
- IT’S ONLY PERSONAL IF IT IS CONSISTENT
- BRANDS CAN’T BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT AND FAIL
- NIMBLE TEAMS AND TECHNOLOGY
27 Channel Focus: Social Media
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VAYNERMEDIA
- PROS AND CONS
37 Channel Focus: Experience
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMPLIFY
- EXPERIENTIAL AND EXPERIENCE
45 Consumer Behaviours 1
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHIFT CONSULTANCY
- DIGITAL DETOX
- ANYTIME, ANYWHERE CONTENT
- PREMIUMISATION
63 Consumer Behaviours 2
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CANVAS8
- RADICAL CARE
- ACTIVE ADAPTATION
- RETURN TO EXPERTISE
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Employer Brand & Organisational Culture
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHEILA PARRY
- WHO CARES WINS
- PURPOSE
- REPUTATION
- INTEGRITY
- DIRECTION
- ENERGY
103 Legal & IP Trends
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CMS
- CULT OF PERSONALITY
- RACIAL STEREOTYPING
- TRADE SECRETS AND CONFIDENTIALITY
- AGE APPROPRIATE DESIGN
133 Our Partners
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Our mission is to build and inspire a collaborative community of marketing and brand professionals
Š 2020 The Centre for Brand Analysis & The Academy of Chief Marketers Ltd. No part of this digest may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, digital or mechanical, including scanning, photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system relating to all or part of the text, photographs, logotypes without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher together with the copyright owners as featured.
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Welcome Message Welcome to our tenth Trends & Insights Digest exclusively produced for Brand Network members. We want to say thanks to all our partners for their incredible contributions to this edition. We are sure that you will find fantastic value in the insights and information they have provided. As usual, we have excellent updates from our long-term partners Canvas8, covering Consumer Behaviours, and CMS on the latest in Legal and IP Trends. This edition’s channel focus explores the Pros and Cons of Paid and Organic Social Media, with insights and trends provided by social-first digital agency, VaynerMedia. We also have a channel focus on Experience, with an excellent contribution from Amplify, named ‘Brand Experience Agency of the Decade’ by adland favourite, Campaign. Amplify draws attention to how experiential trends now have a multi-channel approach with a growing significance when it comes to audience engagement. We also have outstanding contributions on Consumer Behaviours, provided by Shift Consultancy, a team of consumer psychologists, integrating behavioural science with qualitative research, and Analogfolk, who talk about Personalisation. Michelle Watson - Head Of Customer Experience has provided the ‘Four steps to creating value for your customers through personal experiences’. Finally, expert author Sheila Parry covers the topic of Employer Branding and Organisational Culture, where she shares her PRIDE Model, which reveals how organisations build internal environments that fuel both employee’s positive emotions and a business's success. We trust that this edition will provide some great takeaways and we welcome your feedback, so we can continue to refine the value we bring to our amazing community of marketing and brand professionals.
Damon Segal Co-founder of The Academy of Chief Marketers
Stephen Cheliotis Founder of The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA)
WELCOME MESSAGE
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Employer Brand & Organisational Culture TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Who cares wins Employee wellbeing in a time of crisis The topic of Employer Branding & Organisational Culture is rapidly gaining ground on the corporate agenda as a significant indicator of the strength and validity of a brand. Increasingly, consumers and shareholders are no longer satisfied by great products, market penetration and a strong stock performance but are also concerned with what companies stand for as organisations and what it’s like to work there. Reputation and ethics are part and parcel of brand equity. To win and sustain market leadership, great brands have always relied on the constant quality and commitment of their employees. Some led with breakthrough products, relentlessly efficient manufacturing, innovative supply chains or global reach. To stay at the top however they had to adopt an equally robust approach to people. It is people, after all, who innovate, design, manufacture, sell and provide service. And, even behind the cachet of the most reputable brands, it is people who ultimately build reputation, emotional connection and positive perception. An employment contract isn’t only about pay in exchange for performance. While many companies get stuck in a simplistic, transactional view that employees are remunerated to represent a brand to customers, leading brands go further.
They realise that their employees, like consumers, have a choice about which companies to engage with and so develop a much more intelligent approach to understanding the true nature of the relationships that people have with their work. In the war for talent, the talent has already won. Why people choose to join one company over another, what makes them stay and how they are motivated to deliver for a brand depends on a lot more than the terms of their contract. Organisations who are winning right now, in terms of sustainable brand value, are the ones that are focussing not only on what their employees need to put into their work but what they get out of it as well. The PRIDE Model investigates what it means and what it takes for people to feel proud of what they do. It explores the positive human motivation of wanting to find meaning, to make a difference and to be valued and then provides an adaptable approach for organisations to deliver that experience at work. Research proves time and time again that pride in work delivers higher performance, improves productivity and drives profit but here’s the thing: pride is also a deeply personal emotion and tapping into it means managers understanding employees as well as they understand their brand.
EMPLOYER BRAND & ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE | IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHEILA PARRY | WHO CARES WINS
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Over 80% CEOs believe that a strong sense of purpose drives customer loyalty, ability to transform and employee satisfaction
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CEO SURVEY, ERNST & YOUNG
Brand Management in the time of Coronavirus At this moment, when the COVID-19 epidemic has thrown the economy into crisis, we are all having to establish a new normal in the way we run, manage and deliver our businesses. Some of us may be entirely customer focused, dealing with keeping up with demand; managing supply chains; striving to maintain a meaningful relationship with customers. Others are concerned with keeping employees safe in manufacturing plants; or building connections for people who are not used to remote working.
What we most likely share is responsibility for our brand and that doesn’t get switched off in a crisis. Brand strategy runs like DNA through our organisational infrastructures, processes, culture and personality and it has two interconnected strands: external stakeholder experience and employee experience. In these turbulent times we must keep both of them alive. How we behave in this current crisis, as individuals or corporations, will have lasting impact on our brand reputation, not only with customers but also with our employees.
The five factors of PRIDE The PRIDE Model identifies five core conditions - 1. Purpose, 2. Reputation, 3. Integrity, 4. Direction and 5. Energy - that can be successfully created in the workplace and articulated in an Employer Brand. Let’s consider those in turn.
Photo by Shane Rounce on Unsplash
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
1. Purpose An authentic statement of purpose can create an emotional connection between organisations and their stakeholders. Successful brands understand that emotional connection delivers customer loyalty and engagement, and consumers are increasingly demanding of brands to demonstrate who they are and what they stand for. Similarly, brands are being expected to articulate what they stand for to internal stakeholders. A company’s purpose, as well its communication, plays a key role in talent acquisition and retention, and is a core driver of employee engagement and pride. It bestows importance and significance on the everyday activities that occupy people at work, appealing to their higher values and emotions, creating a positive energy and sense of belonging. But it has to be authentic. It also has to be relevant to current and prospective employees. Outside the public sector and critical services, few people get up in the morning to fulfill a mission or save the world, they do so because someone needs them to do something and they are driven to fulfill a role. Individuals have their own perspective on what gives them a sense of purpose. How far they align themselves to a corporate purpose depends ultimately on how well it fits with their own personal values. If they feel their values are compromised every time they walk into work, they simply won’t put the same effort in, and they will not be fulfilled. Defining purpose is just one step. Living and proving your business purpose daily is harder. Before promoting it to customers and potential employees, your organisation’s claims must carry conviction. You will need to embed your purpose in your business strategy and direction, establish organisational goals and targets to deliver it, and ensure it is reflected in your products and services, processes and systems, values and behaviours.
EMPLOYER BRAND & ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE | 1. PURPOSE
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It is not enough to think a single compelling purpose creates meaningful work. Employees’ emotional engagement with a corporate purpose needs to be matched with tangible benefits, such as having a role that uses their skills, allows them to develop, and where they are valued for their contribution. Within the work environment, the more an employee can be themselves, the better for both the organisation and individual. Purpose also has a strong - sometimes stronger - dimension for people outside work, and they need to be their authentic selves inside and outside work. People have emotions, aspirations and dreams, and a sense of purpose is often defined by personal priorities and desires. These may change over time, depending on where they are in their lives, their feelings or responsibilities. The smartest organisations are those that set high standards and shared values, removing sources of conflict so individuals may express themselves both professionally and personally within a purpose-led framework. In the last decade experts have argued younger generations are different because they are more interested in a business’ contribution to society than its products and profits, hence more focused on purposeful work. What the public response to COVID-19 highlights however is that purpose is something we all aspire to, evidenced by almost one million people of all ages abandoning their sofas and denying themselves the opportunity for three-months downtime, and even come out from retirement in some cases, to join an army of NHS volunteers to play a part in a massive common effort to deliver societal support. This represents a groundswell of opinion that is actually cross-generational and is a powerful reminder to leaders that people’s most positive energy is mobilised by purpose. That is an opportunity for every business.
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Two in three consumers will pay more for products and services from companies who make a positive impact on society NIELSEN GLOBAL SURVEY
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Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20adidas
“Through sport, we have the power to change lives” An example of how to demonstrate a purpose-led employer brand comes from global sportswear giant, adidas. The ambitious claim, “through sport, we have the power to change lives” provides an emotional dimension to their already convincing appeal as one of the world’s most sought-after employers. adidas emphasises that it pursues purpose as a business ethos because it is important to consumers and employees, and gives the company a sustainable future focus that is good for the environment. On a dedicated website called Game Plan A, their commitment to global and local causes comes to life through articles, videos and individual employees’ stories of professional and personal purpose. Take the footwear team responsible for developing the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP, the world’s first fully recyclable trainer, who spoke of the company’s initiatives to take on the challenge of tackling global plastic waste through redesigning plastic. As a producer of over 400 million pairs of trainers each year, adidas faces up to the fact that they are part of the environmental problem. So, in 2015 it launched a partnership with environmental campaigners, Parley for the Ocean, that would disrupt the plastic pollution supply chain. The innovations team at adidas created an entirely new production cycle that takes plastic collected on beaches and turns it into new material enough to make 11 million pairs of trainers in 2019 - and with an aim to increase that to 15-20 million pairs in 2020. But this innovation programme has such a powerful personal dimension as well. Team members talk about growing up in coastal regions, their own love of the oceans and their passion for preserving the planet for their own children.
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20KeyW
Everyone wants to be considered a “key worker” When it comes to purpose, the public sector, along with charities, foundations, healthcare and educational bodies have always had an inherent advantage of authenticity. Their purpose is their raison d’etre, it provides an essential vision for all to see and guides their daily activities and services. But this doesn’t mean they escape competing against big brands in the graduate recruitment market. So how did they perform? In September 2019, well before the outbreak of the current Coronavirus, the UK Civil Service achieved the top place in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employer 2019-20 rankings. In addition, another ten public sector employees were listed, five of them - in teaching, social care, policing and the prison service - in the top 50. The organisations were rated on the opportunity they offered to new graduates, interpreted here as the chance to tackle some of society’s biggest problems and give something back. According to the producers of the report, the opportunity to influence policy and make a contribution to society were higher motivations than starting salary, something that was a significant shift since 1999 when the survey began. Martin Birchall, editor of the rankings, also pointed to “the dramatic focus that the continuing Brexit process has put on politics and government.” No doubt the COVID-19 crisis will prolong this effect. Nevertheless, a look at the Civil Service recruitment website also indicates how to appeal to a discerning target market. It has a strong emphasis on impact, career progression and variety, as well as a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Case studies from employees speak of the personal relevance of the organisation’s values.
EMPLOYER BRAND & ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE | 1. PURPOSE | CASE STUDIES
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2. Reputation Whether aged sixteen or sixty, people not only
specialist, or just unknown to most job-seekers.
want to buy from a reputable company, they want
These employers have terrific strengths, and most
to work for one too. Reputation is often the first
likely great reputations with customers. They have
point of influence on prospective employees’
a lot to offer employees, but low brand awareness
engagement with an organisation and it can create
means less obvious appeal in the recruitment
desire, aspiration and excitement. There is massive
market. Potential employees therefore will form
overlap at the top of branding league tables between
early impressions from what they can glean from
companies that achieve external brand reputation
company websites, the media, including social
and those that attract the right employees.
media, and peers.
Reputation not only influences recruitment. Once
Lesser known organisations need to work harder at
involved, employees who experience positive and
establishing an employer brand story that promotes
sustained prestige up close remain motivated and
their products and services, the opportunities they
find fulfilment in sharing that association with fame.
offer employees and their working culture. When people
All the metrics show that those working for well-
are looking for an emotional connection with a potential
regarded brands are more likely than employees
employer, what a company stands for – and this
of lesser known brands to recommend their
is connected to clarity on purpose and values –
companies’ products and services. They also
can be just as important as what the company does.
vouch for them as good employers. While vital, the corporation’s standing is only The reputational challenge for many employers,
one dimension of the pivotal relationship between
however, is around relative anonymity, since most
reputation and employee performance. People are
of the population work for companies outside the elite
also invested in their personal reputations too and
Superbrands, perhaps in sectors that are relatively
positively motivated when their efforts are recognised
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Employees of well-known brands are 30% more likely to recommend companies’ products BMRM & SUPERBRANDS
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TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
and valued. When a powerful brand says “yes, we know we have a great product, but we really need you to make it work” that creates a compelling case for individual effort. It not only feeds the initial engagement with the brand but also builds a powerful sense of self-worth that leads to pride in performance. High performing companies rely on individual excellence and are quick to recognise people for their efforts, promoting their positive impact and celebrating achievements, inside and out. Take Siemens, with their passion for “reimagining the world we live in” or Apple who put their Genius Bars at the heart of their stores. Both brands consistently emphasise the ingenuity of their people. Part of the fulfilment for people working in these environments is the feeling of “fit” with the sheer talent and cando attitude of their colleagues. When companies habitually talk positively about the calibre of their people as part of their employer brand story, employees derive pride not just from a winning brand but also from being part of a winning team.
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Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Response
Early responses to COVID-19 show up leaders and losers in crisis management When Pano Christou took over as CEO of Pret just under a year ago, the company’s reputation was still bruised after a series of allergy-related deaths. Nevertheless, last month faced with the crisis of COVID-19, Christou announced early that the chain would be offering free hot drinks and a 50% discount to all NHS workers. Days before the closure of restaurant and cafes in the UK, it also made a bold move to protect customers and workforce by shutting down seating areas and operating a takeaway service only. The actions created a positive and lasting impression that may just win back the hearts and minds of its customers. Other outstanding stories of companies thinking swiftly and smartly in response to the crisis include luxury brand LVMH and American suit-makers Brook Brothers. LVMH repurposed three of its largest cosmetic facilities to produce hand sanitisers, helping meet shortages in France. Brook Brothers turned their factories over to the production of gowns and masks, expecting to provide frontline health workers in the US with 150,000 masks per day. There was less positive reaction to news that Chris Wootton, FD of Sports Direct, ignoring UK Government guidance on store closures, had written to staff instructing them that stores would stay open to meet the demand for home sports equipment during the lockdown. When the decision was reversed in response to Government intervention, staff were left confused and uninformed about the impact on their pay. Cited as putting commercial opportunism before responsibilities as an employer, this may leave a bitter taste with both consumers and employees.
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Hawks
Hawksmoor Restaurants: When bad news goes viral Most brands spend time and money keeping bad news out of the press, especially when it comes to employee error, so it was a refreshing change to hear about Hawksmoor Manchester’s humorous tweet that outed the fact that a customer who had ordered and paid for a £260 bottle of wine was in fact served with one worth £4500. What was most appealing was the message to the employee who made the error: “don’t worry, we all make mistakes and we love you anyway”, indicating that the company was a decent employer with a no-blame culture. The story went viral and made headlines across the world, earning Hawksmoor much more positive PR value than the cost of the original error. Some commentators accused the company at the time of making the whole thing up, but the message and the employee actually outran that cynicism. Just three months later, the employee who had made the mistake was promoted to the role of general manager and the whole story was repeated in the HR and trade media with even more narrative on Hawksmoor’s working practices and culture.
EMPLOYER BRAND & ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE | 2. REPUTATION | CASE STUDIES
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3. Integrity While the outward expression of an employer brand builds reputation and employee expectation, it is the hard reality of what happens on the inside that proves its authenticity and integrity. Delivering your brand promise is a fundamental rule of marketing, and it has to happen at every touch point with excellent products, service and customer communications. Similarly, in your relationship with employees, people will find out if you are not living up to your promises and responsibilities. Whether you fail to deliver for customers or employees, people will eventually leave you. The relationship between Reputation and Integrity can cement or dent employee engagement at any stage of the employee journey and is therefore fundamental. When you think about integrity, think about the “inner truth” throughout the entire employee experience, from recruitment through to resignation or retirement. Your employees can be your greatest advocates, but they are also your most informed observers. Seeing your organisation from the inside, they know if your facilities are safe, if products work, if processes are efficient and if systems are fit for purpose. They may be individually responsible for performing a specific
role in a particular department, but they are held accountable to customers or friends on the outside for the organisation’s collective behaviour. Their pride in the brand and their role needs to be built on solid ground. In short, they need tangible evidence that your reputation is genuine. An employee value proposition, the internal portrayal of your employer brand, goes beyond the operational processes and HR policies. It includes the “what’s in it for me?”, the pay, benefits, opportunities to grow and develop, and so forth. It also answers the killer question: “what’s it like to work there?”, for instance the leadership style, workplace dynamics, values and behaviours – everything that makes up your company culture. Organisational culture is demonstrated in the most basic examples of human interaction, such as how people talk to each other, whether they notice each other when they arrive at work, how work is assigned and how good or bad news is communicated. All this and more contributes to employee’s perception of your brand and their job, so there needs to be guidelines and communication for everyone to follow on what are the desired behaviours.
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
A positive culture that underpins the employer brand has far-reaching consequences for employees and manifests itself to customers too, yet there are several challenges to overcome as organisations grow in complexity and embrace new ways of working. Some leaders simply have an emotional conviction that people matter, they set a positive tone for the team, and have the ability to bring others with them. Others need to be persuaded of the benefits, while in larger organisations delivery relies on a whole tier of line managers to uphold the cultural tone. The increasing numbers of remote workers – whether in frontline roles or homeworking in support functions – adds yet another dimension to managing an employee’s experience of work.
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Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Love
What it takes to say: “I love my job” Recruitment consultants often claim that people don’t leave great companies, they leave bad managers. Line managers have the potential to make or break your reputation with customers, and likewise your employee’s experience at work. They, more than anyone else, connect the ‘what you do’, as an organisation, with the ‘how you do it’ and so they should be appointed on the basis of their ability to manage people and represent your employer brand. When Simon Sinek stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, he was so blown away by the staff’s customer service and enthusiasm for their guests that he turned it into a parable of good management practice. In conversation with a barista called Noah, who said he loved his job, Sinek asked “What is it that the Four Seasons are doing that would make you say that?”. The barista replied: “Throughout the day, managers will walk past me and ask me how I am doing, and whether there is anything I need to do my job any better. Not just my manager, any manager.” Comparing his experience elsewhere, the barista went on to say: “In the other place, the managers are always looking at us to see if we are doing things right, and they catch us when we do things wrong. When I go to work there, I keep my head under the radar and just get through the day for my pay check. Here at the Four Seasons, I can be myself.” An organisation that insists that managers at all levels take an interest in their teams is one that will create a culture of care, and as a result is more likely to drive collective responsibility for your brand. If you care about your people, they will care about your customers.
TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | VOL 10
Case Study
company culture. There are some fundamentals to managing remote or ‘dispersed’ workers that companies need to get right. Firstly, there needs to be clear performance management, and that means engagement with the company strategy, setting goals, establishing parameters and reporting results. Secondly, people need to know where they can get management support, raise questions and discuss problems. Fear of failure, lack of control and isolation are all destabilising factors. Thirdly, positive emt.io/BN20Connect engagement is built on trust, mutual respect and clear communications, so people feel they matter, that they belong and have the information they need to do their jobs. Communications should be frequent, two way and use channels of choice. Just like your office colleagues, remote and customer-facing teams experience the culture through all interactions and so if you leave them out in the cold, At the time of writing, millions of people across the world they will not be engaged with your employer brand. have found themselves struggling with the new challenge Anglian Water employs 5,000 people, 2,000 of whom of working remotely. Issues around technology, connectivity, the implications on productivity, creativity, are in frontline roles and has won several business accolades for their leadership style, management team working and how employers and employees practice and internal communications. A recent adapt have become daily conversations. communications campaign called “Make today great”, Nevertheless, the challenge of connecting with remote aimed at improving customer satisfaction scores, was built around the concept that every employee has the workers and engaging them with corporate culture is neither new nor straightforward. In many sectors, such as opportunity to make life better for customers. The multichannel campaign, supported by customer service utilities, transport, construction and engineering, the training delivered to leaders, managers and frontline majority of a company’s employees work away from employees, also encouraged staff to share ideas and direct management, often independently and often stories of outstanding colleagues on a dedicated internal in customer-facing roles. Without regular contact, microsite. This emphasis on the impact of the individual home office or line manager, these employees rely on excellent communications not only to find out what and celebration of people’s contribution achieved a high is going on in their organisation but also to identify with the level of emotional engagement with the business goal.
SCAN ME
Keeping connected with remote workers
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4. Direction There have been several studies in the last ten years to prove that stakeholder engagement is positively impacted by visible leadership that delivers knowledge of and confidence in an organisation’s future direction. Companies that set out clear direction and future strategies constantly outperform rivals, a huge advantage in terms of visibility and reputation among the media, investors and customers. But resting on your laurels is not an option and there have been many victims of change and disruptive innovation. In order to survive, organisations need to evolve, and they need to bring their customers with them on that development journey. The same is true for employees. According to the CIPD partner movement, Engage for Success, a compelling strategic narrative, clearly communicated, is one of the key enablers of employee engagement found in highly productive and high performing organisations. Successful organisations provide people with the information they need to determine where an organisation is going and its strategy to get there; but they also articulate what the employees’ role is within the big picture and what employees need to do to contribute. But Direction is not only about the organisation’s perspective. People have their own agendas, their own personal visions and goals, and not
“
every employee is at the same stage of their relationship with the company, or the same stage of their career. Evidence suggests that the current generations in the workplace have very different expectations about how long they may spend in any one role and the younger the employee the more demanding they are for constant learning opportunities and personal development plans. In the context of the employer brand this puts pressure on leaders to paint a future vision that is not just an organisational blueprint but has a meaningful narrative around its talent. This message holds true in times of crisis and volatility, where companies that are bold enough to look ahead to the future and share what their employees might expect from it, build confidence and loyalty. Effective leadership communication has always been built on trust. Fund managers and major shareholders will typically connect positive investment decisions with a compelling vision, a clear plan and an authentic voice. For your employees, too, the way your leadership communicates about strategic direction can make or break their confidence in the future. While COVID-19 has shaken the global stock markets, there are good examples emerging in the corporate world of strong brands with strong voices who are responding quickly and firmly, and with a resolution that will win broad stakeholder engagement.
The largest decline in employee engagement is caused by lack of connection between individual performance and company goals AON HEWITT
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Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Guide
Providing guidance in an uncertain market Major listed companies reporting in the current crisis are struggling to provide any certainty on forward-looking numbers, but they are focussing on a foundation of a strong balance sheet, positive cash position and low debt ratio, all demonstrating underlying financial strengths that enable them to ride out the crisis. BP CEO, Bernard Looney, for example, talks about having “a robust balance sheet, strong liquidity and the flexibility in our portfolio and financial framework that provide us with options.” Many firms are demonstrating their leadership in the way they are contributing to fighting the pandemic, aligning those actions directly with their own corporate purpose, or a broader responsibility to society. Unilever, for example, has pledged 100m Euro of free soap, sanitiser and bleach to be distributed to healthcare organisations via the global WEF COVID Action Platform and other educational and community groups. CEO Alan Jope citing, “Remarkably, until there is a vaccine for Covid-19, soap remains our best first line of defence.” There is also a strong trend to report on how firms are focusing on their employees’ safety and financial security with many in the UK signing up to the C-19 Business Pledge.
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Case Study
In stressful times, company policies and the behaviour of individual managers will be taken as highly indicative of a company’s employer brand and culture. Given the projected rises in unemployment levels, more employees are likely to be feeling vulnerable, so any reassurance will count for a lot. While the financially stronger and secure employers can provide their employees with enhanced pay or benefits at this time, many others can simply not afford this option. But there are other means to keep your relationships alive.
SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Stay
Should I stay, or should I go? Many companies report a peak in resignations in the New Year and September, both following periods of extended absence from work, when employees have had some headspace and the opportunity to think about whether they are in the right job. For those millions of employees currently furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme some will be considering their options. During times of crisis or uncertainty, the way companies deal with their employees inevitably influences their future loyalty. As companies reset their budgets, it will be vital to share future plans with all employees, so that they don’t lose precious talent unnecessarily.
The restaurant chain, Honest Burger, for example, which furloughed 700 people in March has created an online #stayconnected plan which includes a daily breakfast radio show, quizzes, cookery and exercise videos. Co-founder Philip Eeles explains that as well as tackling boredom, the plan was designed to help with the physical and mental health of their employees, many of whom are young and living away from their families. Time and personal interest seem to be the most affordable commodities in this crisis, as employees appreciate the human connection of hearing directly from managers, having regular updates on the business and the occasional non-work-related call or check-in with their teams.
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5. Energy An energetic workplace attracts customers and employees alike. It encourages and sustains employees’ passion to deliver high performance, creating a more driven, thrilling, fun and successful place to be. The topic of Energy at work exposes the interdependent nature of the working relationship between employer and employee and is a powerful aspect of the employer brand story. An exciting and aspirational brand, with a strong purpose and great reputation, creates attraction that drives recruitment. A safe and stimulating environment for employees keeps that charge and motivation alive, feeding a physical and intellectual energy that creates and sustains a highly dynamic performance culture. When people have pride in their work, they are also healthier and happier, and have better relationships at home. Employee wellbeing is a two-way contract. Employers have a duty of care to protect the health of those who work for them while at work, while employees’ have a responsibility to maintain a level of fitness in order to do their jobs.
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Health goes beyond working hours, and while the personal choices we make to stay healthy at home are arguably our own affair, it is of mutual benefit if employers promote health and wellbeing as a lifestyle choice and employees stay healthier and fitter for longer. Furthermore, positive health management is also good for society and the economy. This argument was reinforced in a 2014 report by Public Health England (PHE), which highlighted the link between health and work, citing the contribution of employers as one of the six gamechangers to improving people’s mental and physical health. It was arguably PHE’s Workplace Wellbeing Charter, a set of national standards on workplace health, that brought the topic into the mainstream for employers, but a whole industry has since emerged that is building awareness, communications and consultancy around employee wellbeing and mental health.
Firms with top organisational health outperform stock market by >3 MCKINSEY 2016
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The PRIDE Model proposes a comprehensive approach to energy that encompasses the physical, organisational, emotional and individual aspects of employee health. That means paying attention to workplace environment, health and safety, flexible structures, team workspaces; creating an organisational health system that meets specific challenges experienced in the business (such as high blood pressure and stress management in executive teams; poor sleeping patterns and obesity in shift workers; back and neck pain through heavy loading); and tailoring employee wellbeing education programmes accordingly. Beyond physical wellbeing, it also means creating the positive conditions for collaborative and creative working, encouraging brain-training techniques, seeking inspiration for innovation and future thinking, inviting outside experts into company events and encouraging employees to follow personal ambitions outside work. The bottom line is that the organisational health is a serious undertaking and the more an organisation puts in to building the physical and emotional stamina of its people, the more everyone will get out. Companies need to adopt a strategic approach tailored to them. In addition to the obvious benefits of employee productivity and lower sickness rates, there are other economic arguments to take an interest in Energy in the workplace. As people live longer in developed economies, they are going to have to work for longer. At the same time, the current demographics in the UK will force many people out of their current roles and by 2025 several sectors will be facing a skills gap between those leaving and those entering the workforce. This is starting to make employers rethink their approach of easing employees out as soon as they reach retirement age. The more enlightened have grasped the link between the multi-generational workforces and employee wellbeing, particularly around topics like flexible working, shorter working weeks and mutual mentorship, and as a result are creating more sustainable workforces. It is no accident that some of the brand leaders in the FMCG market of 1920 are still brand leaders in 2020. They work tirelessly to attract the best people, promote responsible working practices and sustain positive energy to drive longevity.
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Key drivers of a team’s performance are trust and psychological safety GOOGLE, PROJECT ARISTOTLE
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Case Study SCAN ME emt.io/BN20Google
Google: Time to think outside the box Your workplace is a physical embodiment of your employer brand and the way you personalise your workspace is a strong indicator of your company’s culture. In the same way they changed the way the world conducted commerce, tech giants like Google, Samsung, Microsoft and Apple also changed the way people interacted at work. Their campus-style head offices were designed intelligently for different types of commercial activity, with areas for collaborative working, group problem-solving, quiet booths, breakout rooms, and plenty of open space. Their workplaces were also created to meet physical needs, such as options for employees to exercise or recharge their batteries, whether through moments of quiet or social interaction with other colleagues.
But this attention to healthy workplace dynamics at Google is not just good for the employee brand, it is also creating an environment that is conducive to innovation – something that is crucial to the company’s purpose. Nor does it end with the physical environment. More than ten years ago, Google established a research group called Project Aristotle to collect data on other workplace practices that make the most effective teams. Their findings pointed to five factors, including creating an environment of psychological safety, where employees felt able to show initiative, challenge opinions and take risks. Employees who have worked at Google speak of the respect for rational and fact-based argument, but also report strong evidence of listening to differences, valuing cultural diversity and having empathy for individual circumstances. All of these enable creative energy to flourish. Crucially, in their systems of working they further sustain the discovery process by allowing time for creative thinking and problem-solving. Notoriously, employees are encouraged to spend 20 per cent of their time on creative ideas that they are passionate about, an employee benefit that has released astonishing innovation and commercial payback.
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Case Study
to be a force for good in tackling the crisis, committing to the wellbeing of their employees, customers and communities, and sharing information on best practice. In addition to health concerns, many of their employees are dealing with one of two huge sources of stress, financial worries and feelings of isolation.
SCAN ME emt.io/BN20WellB
Who cares wins: employee wellbeing in a time of crisis COVID-19 is testing the resilience both of organisations and people, and there has never been a stronger imperative to care about employee wellbeing. Every brand, every employee is being impacted in some way by this crisis and your future employer brand story will be defined by how your organisation is behaving at this time.
Positive action has been taken by many of the C-19 Business Pledge signatories to share the financial impacts of business disruption. For example, Compass Group has enhanced sick pay and government furlough pay for those who are not working and redeployed thousands of staff to work in hospitals, care homes and retail chains, to avoid further job losses. While they have introduced a bonus and free food boxes for staff working in NHS facilities, the executive team has taken a salary cut. Compass is working hard to provide regular business updates and people news across the company and maintaining the feeling that everyone is working together, which is wholly beneficial to employee morale and emotional wellbeing.
Leading employers have had to face a huge range of scenarios, establishing new policies, pay and conditions for key workers in the public eye, people who are unused to working from home, those who are off sick, isolated or furloughed. Last month, more than 150 companies in the UK, representing 2.2 million employees signed the C-19 Business Pledge
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Summary Employer Brand & Culture isn’t a simple extension of an existing brand position that can be imposed on an organisation from the top down; nor is it something that can be switched on and off in a crisis. It’s an integral dimension of brand value and structure and is created through a blended understanding of organisations, brand and people. It needs to appeal to those who want to be part of your organisation and resonate with the people who know you best, and crucially, should be demonstrated in everything you do, in good times or bad. Whatever your starting point, the PRIDE Model is just one framework that can be used to build your own story. Further thoughts from Sheila can also be found on www.takepride.co or in her book, “Take Pride: How to build organisational success through people.”
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Brand Network Brand Network is an exclusive agency-free community
Our Partners
for business, marketing and communications leaders. We work with established and emerging consumer and B2B brands across an eclectic array of sectors. Our exclusive network provides insight, information, and inspiration through exceptional content and engaging events. Free from agencies and journalists, with no sales pitches or hidden agendas. We facilitate open and honest discussion, creating a welcoming community in which everyone helps each other learn and develop. We help great brands be greater. We help exceptional people grow.
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Our Partners
AnalogFolk is an independent global digital creative agency. Our mission is to use digital technology to make the analog world better — whether that’s creating more intuitive customer journeys, enabling more customer-led uses of data, integrating seamless tech or creating world-changing campaigns. We have offices in Amsterdam, London, New York, Portland, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney and partner with brands including Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Hyundai, Michelob Ultra, Maybelline and Unilever. Recent accolades include winning Campaign’s Digital Innovation Agency of the Year, as well as placing in both the Financial Times Future 100 and Financial Times 1000: Europe’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
VaynerMedia believes cultural equity delivers business results for its clients and makes them relevant for the now and the next. Founded in 2009, VaynerMedia has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Singapore and has been recognized for its work at Cannes Lions, Clio’s and The Webby’s.
Annemari Koppinen
Raisa Sufian
Senior New Business Manager
Business Development Director
annemari.koppinen@analogfolk.com
rsufian@vaynermedia.com
+44 (0)20 7684 8444 www.analogfolk.com
www.vaynermedia.com
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Amplify are a brand experience agency focused on joining the dots between people, brands and culture. Named ‘Brand Experience Agency of the Decade’ by ad land favourite Campaign, Amplify regularly scoop the industry’s top accolades by creating integrated campaigns and experiences that connect meaningfully with audiences. They turn consumers into fans for some of the world’s most forward-thinking and progressive brands, including Google, Spotify, Airbnb, PlayStation, Brewdog and Nike. As leaders in youth insight, Amplify are also the minds behind Young Blood: a deep dive into modern youth culture that is shaping strategy and communications for a wide range of youth-focused brands. Headquartered in London, Amplify also have offices in Australia and the US.
Shift Consultancy is a team of consumer psychologists, integrating behavioural science with qualitative research to help companies make more informed commercial decisions. Our core expertise is in how consumers think. As a result, we work across numerous sectors and commercial challenges; everything from changing the behaviour of airport users to speed up security screening, to creating successful new drinks. At the heart of our work is the recognition that there can be a big difference between what people say and what they actually think, feel and do. We understand why this gap exists and how to overcome it.
Tosh Ohta
Anna Angell
Head of Client Development
Consumer Behaviour Consultant
tosh@weareamplify.com
anna@shiftconsultancy.co.uk
www.weareamplify.com
www.shiftconsultancy.co.uk
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Our Partners
Canvas8 is a global strategic insights practice, helping businesses stay connected to their audiences. With a deep understanding of consumer behaviour and expertise that spans five continents and 14 sectors, their insights inspire innovation at some of the world’s leading agencies, brands and organisations. By delivering a unique perspective through an online Library and bespoke consultancy, Canvas8 enables businesses to develop ideas and strategies that resonate with their audience. If you would like to find out how the behaviours in this summary are shaping consumer culture and impacting your brand, then please get in touch with James.
Sheila Parry is an independent consultant, specialising in leadership communication, culture and values, and employer brand. From 2001 to 2015, Sheila founded and ran theblueballroom, a strategic and creative consultancy that championed excellent internal communications and the power of employee engagement in building successful businesses. Working with adidas, Deutsche Post DHL, Mars Drinks, Rentokil Initial, Roche, Siemens and Syngenta, she learned how large complex organisations create unique structures and cultures, and how people can make or break them. Her book, Take Pride: How to build organisational success through people, was published in September 2018.
James Cunningham
Sheila Parry
Global Head of Strategic Partnerships
Independent Consultant
James@canvas8.com
hello@takepride.co
020 7377 8585 www.canvas8.com
www.takepride.co
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Ranked as the world’s 6th largest law firm, CMS combines 4800 lawyers, 43 countries, 75 offices worldwide. That means we can help service your business in almost any territory. Size doesn’t necessarily mean expense though. CMS offers business-focused, value-driven advice tailored to our clients’ needs, whether they are start-ups or the very biggest global brands. The diversity and spread of our team means we have genuine expertise in almost all sectors and specialisms. Our UK firm is a full service firm, and houses one of the largest intellectual property, brand protection and advertising law teams in London. Whatever your legal needs, we can help.
This digest has been compiled and desiged by Emotio Design Group. Emotio are an established agency who provide innovative and expert digital and design solutions. After thirty years in design, marketing and development, with twenty-five of those focused online, they work to maximise your objectives through your online presence and brand. Emotio are part of the EDI Collective which includes the Academy of Chief Marketers who operate Superbrands UK, Coolbrands and Brand Network.
Joel Vertes
Damon Segal
Partner
Managing Director
Joel.Vertes@cms-cmno.com
Damon@emotio.co.uk
020 7067 3133
020 8385 5050
www.cms.law
www.emotio.co.uk
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Brand Network is run by the Academy of Chief Marketers, a unique offering for Chief Marketing Officers or Heads of Marketing and Brand to have access to a personal and professional development forum for expert learning, peer to peer insights and support. As well as this, we have our social topically driven round table private dining events which facilitate great networking, insights and collaboration opportunities. Imagine being able to confidentially pose questions about campaign tactics, team management and agency issues with a group of highly qualified peers who can provide invaluable ideas and insights which you can take back into your business the very next day. We enable marketers and brand leaders to realise their full potential in both personal development and their brand goals. Invitations to The Academy of Chief Marketers meeting days for personal and professional development set in a workshop setting for expert learning, peer to peer insights and support.
TCBA undertakes a wide range of research, brand evaluation and brand strategy projects across both business-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors. Projects range from brand trackers and internal brand equity diagnostics to complete 360-stakeholder studies developing a new brand positioning. The Centre’s audit and consultancy services supply practical and robust research, evidence and insights that shape brand and business strategy, aid effectiveness, and ultimately enhance brand reputation and underlying business growth. TCBA works directly with brand owners, working in sectors as diverse as higher education to fashion retail. TCBA works for both established global brands and smaller challenger brands.
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