BRAND OF
GO LD As organisations come under increasing public scrutiny, HR needs to become
far more closely involved in creating and sustaining their brands, argues Kevin Thomson
‘Abrand was oncelittle more then the
‘public face a company gaveits
products or services. But today's
ppowerfulbrands encompass much
‘more than that They represent the
‘whole business, including its people.
| those people arent "lving the
‘brand or they dont believe in what it
‘stands for,ortheyjust don't give &
damn the business isinbig trouble.
Since branding is people issue, it
cearit be left tothe marketeers. Yer the
‘only time HR practitionersever really |
sgettotalk about he subjectisin
relation to employer branding This is
aninternal issue describes the
‘organisations approach to recruitment
‘and retention, rather than any external,
‘consumer or even corporate proposition
that involves ll the people in the firm.
HR people need an opportunity to
‘externas their role. But their
‘traditional responsibility for |
‘employees’ welfare and performance
‘makesthis hard, When people do one
thing well, they can easily be labelled ~
HR practitioners
need to learn and talk
marketing-speak
ddaretsaybranded? Asa result, HRSrole
{stoooften seen asan internal one.
FR professtonls may getinvoled in
developing outward facing sails such
ascustomer service but the focus of
theiework, a farasthe rest ofthe
business isconcernd,isinteral
‘This docarit male scrse [e+ now
‘widely recognised thar people are
crucial tothe value of any business and
that they nocd tov the brand ifthe
businessisto win the cust of
consumers, And, after the corporate
scandals recent years, consumers are
Jess inclined than ever togive business
thebenelit of the doube
“The double whammy where people