In today’s competitive job market, employer branding has become an essential strategy for attracting and retaining top talent. However, many managers still don’t know what exactly constitutes a strong employer brand. Is it down to company culture, work-life balance, benefits and compensation, or is there some other secret sauce that makes an employer desirable?
To find out what makes an employer brand truly effective, we consulted with industry experts and entrepreneurs who have devised proven strategies for creating a unique and strong employer brand. From their experience and diverse roles in renowned companies, and their deep understanding of marketing, management, sales, and corporate culture, these contributors provide valuable insights that can guide you and your organization through your employer branding efforts.
Well-being and self-leadership
Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications at Oberwaid, emphasizes that employer branding is an important part of their healthy management approach and corporate culture. As a four-star hotel and specialized medical clinic in Switzerland’s St. Gallen region, Oberwaid prioritizes a health-focused environment that encourages employees to take proactive steps for their well-being.
This vision is incorporated into their leadership principles, which focus on three key areas:
1. Self-Leadership: Employees are encouraged to act responsibly and honestly and look out for their own interests to lead effectively.
2. Team Leadership: Focus on valuing, helping, and encouraging team members, fostering open communication, constructive feedback, and inspiring a sense of purpose.
3. Corporate Leadership: Prioritizing sustainable goals and profits while centering healthy experiences in all actions.
Oberwaid also places a strong emphasis on cultural and team development through various events and interdisciplinary exchanges. The company offers attractive employee benefits, such as partner programs, free parking, customized leadership and health program (BGM), and discounts to further show appreciation for their staff. Additionally, they give employees opportunities to grow and innovate through continuous training and development
Employer branding or the development of an attractive employer brand is not an end in itself at the Oberwaid but is an essential component of a healthy management and corporate culture in all areas.
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Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications at Oberwaid
Transparency and positivity
Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars at EHL Hospitality Business School, highlights the critical role of transparency within a company and the importance of providing employees with the opportunity to voice their opinions. She believes that positive employee management and development contribute significantly to a positive working environment and culture. Insa, with her expertise in management training, offers some deep insights for creating a transparent and positive work environment.
Transparency in the company and the opportunity to express one's opinion are fundamental. Positive employee management and development create a positive working environment and culture
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Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars at EHL
Clear values and benefits
Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection, underscores the importance of clear corporate values, attractive benefits, career development opportunities, and a positive working environment in strengthening employer branding. The company’s job portal is a great example of how this corporate philosophy looks in practice, as it clearly shows how they embrace the unique qualities of their team members and offer enticing benefits.
To sum it all up, Benjamin, with his extensive experience at Sunstar, shares how these factors must be genuinely embraced and practiced by all employees to be effective:
At Sunstar, we focus on clear corporate values, attractive benefits, career development, and a positive working environment. These factors make us an attractive employer, but the key is that these initiatives must be genuinely embraced and practiced by all employees
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Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection
Strong employer branding messages
Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager at Sunstar Hotels, advocates creating a strong employer brand by showing the authentic embodiment of company values and providing tangible benefits. He emphasizes the importance of making career advancement possible, and supporting, encouraging, and challenging employees to create a genuine and attractive employer brand. His observations, based on his role in online marketing, highlight the foundations of a strong employer brand.
Authentic living of values, offering real benefits, making things possible, supporting career growth, encouraging personal development, and offering challenges – these are the foundations of a strong employer brand
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Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager at Sunstar Hotels
One way that the company implements this branding strategy is through the collection of insight stories in the form of testimonials from current employees. Through these stories, prospective employees can get a picture of what it’s like working for the company and the advantages and culture that awaits them therein.
Authenticity and living values
Both Claudia Pronk, General Manager at Nira Alpina, and Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel RAMADA Regina Titlis, stress the importance of authenticity. Claudia simply states, "Being authentic," while Alain elaborates on the need for authenticity and a living corporate philosophy. Their views, drawn from their positions as general managers, illustrate how authenticity must permeate every aspect of the company’s operations and culture.
An authentic and lived corporate philosophy is essential. Authenticity must permeate every aspect of the company’s operations and culture.
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Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel Ramada Regina Titlis
In practice, a successful company with a strong employer branding approach will tend to have rituals and routines that initiate employees into the company culture and promote the company values. This approach is reflected in the policies and expectations that apply to all managers and workers in the corporate culture, such as:
- Commitment to customer satisfaction and employee wellbeing
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies
- Accountability and honesty from management and staff
Consequently, the corporate culture isn’t just about words on paper, it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. The strong employer brand is one that prioritizes strong company values and authenticity in its people and policies that aim for putting people first.
Creating a distinctive employer brand requires a comprehensive approach that combines excellence, transparency, authentic values, and tangible benefits. As these industry professionals have shared, it’s not just about implementing policies and procedures but deeply embedding these principles into company culture and day-to-day practices. By doing so, organizations can attract and retain top talent, creating a more efficient and healthy work environment.
Contributors
Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications, Oberwaid
Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars, EHL Hospitality Business School
Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection
Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager, Sunstar Hotels
Claudia Pronk, General Manager, Nira Alpina
Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel RAMADA
