Brand & Talent Management: Success Factors when Involving Human Resources in Brand Management

A recent brand management survey (Prophet/GfM, 2013) reveals that of the surveyed 600 brand managers and 32 companies in Switzerland, only every tenth company reported that its brand management and human resource departments work hand in hand.

Furthermore, only half of the companies report that employees are included in their brand management concept as a target group. A contradiction, especially considering that 59% of the respondents listed internal activation of employers as a key challenge in brand management.

It would seem only a few companies have begun to recognize the synergies that are generated by an involved Brand & Talent management and acted accordingly. Clearly it is time to take a closer look at the success factors that lead to optimal involvement of human resources in brand management.

1. Convergence of cultures:

Even today a number of mutual prejudices exist between the disciplines of human resources and branding/communication. It is therefore important to jointly clarify issues and expectancies and learn about mutual requirements, competencies, processes and resources.

2. Strategy alignment:

Brand and HR strategy fundamentals and aims continue to be formulated in separate documents that have not been coordinated. Yet both are essential in implementing corporate strategy successfully. Reconciling the contents, objectives and jargon clears the ground for a successful cooperation.

3. Clarifying responsibilities:

Crucial topics in brand management such as Employer Branding (positioning the company as an employer) or Behavioral Branding (brand-oriented employee behavior) cannot be realized without the collaboration of HR experts. In such cases it may be advisable for HR to be in charge while taking input from the brand management experts on board.

4. Integrating employee perspective:

Classic employee questionnaires can be expanded with questions about specific employer topics and about the brand, thereby supplying valuable HR insights into brand management. Internal target groups should be identified jointly and the divergent requirements taken into consideration.

5. Planning employee cycles:

Brand management defines the "touch points" for clients in the brand experience. A management tool along the same lines can be developed for the employee experience: starting with recruitment and onboarding through to performance evaluation, development in the company, up to, and including, alumni management. Establishing an employee cycle helps to determine the employee's touch points with the brand.

6. Mutual long term management:

A superordinate brand panel including brand management, HR, line management and the executive board identifies, prioritizes, and steers long-term topics – outside of specific interests and day-to-day operations.

7. Corporate organization:

Some companies successfully coordinate project management that involves both brand and HR experts for the short and medium term (two to three years). However, in the long term, the synergies that are generated during the shorter period are often lost again. It is therefore essential to determine the long-term organization at an early stage already.

8. Aligning HR processes with the brand:

Beside the brand values, many HR departments maintain an additional list with their own values and mission statements. Yet HR processes and models provide invaluable support for the brand. The competence models and performance evaluations, as well as the training concepts should be directed toward the contents of the brand.

9. Leadership is a key topic:

Management executives are important ambassadors who can be used to activate the employees. The example set by the management for employees conveys both corporate and brand culture. Thus a central and common task for HR and brand communication experts is to provide support to management in their communications.

10. Storytelling as a competence:

The art of brand management today consists in providing all the stakeholders with practical and dialog-oriented support as well as tools that motivate, enable and create identification. Creating stories about all facets of the brand is becoming a key competence in both HR and brand management.

A brand is only as strong as the employees who live it. This simple truth should persuade every company to take active measures to involve its human resource activities in brand management. Ensuring that the employees, a key target group of the brand itself, receive the recognition they deserve.

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