How to Build a Magnetic Inside-Out Employer Brand: Secrets to Empowering Employees as Brand Champions

Claire Hastwell
2024-08-15T18:48:00-04:00
How to Build a Magnetic Inside-Out Employer Brand: Secrets to Empowering Employees as Brand Champions
Great Place To Work

A genuine employer brand comes alive through the active participation of its employees, not just crafted messages from marketing or HR.

Successful employer brands tell their culture story from the inside out. And the best storytellers are your people.

When you can tell the story of your company culture through the genuine experiences of your employees, your employer branding is “inside-out.” If employees have great experience, you don’t need to search further than your people to establish an authentic and sustainable employer brand.

Our study of over 1.3 million employee survey responses from companies in the US who earned Great Place To Work Certification between Jan 1 2023 and Dec 31 2023 revealed that when employees think their company is a great workplace, they’re five times more likely to recommend their workplace to others – truly inside-out storytelling.

Here are four ways to communicate your employer brand from the inside out:

1. Embrace authentic career progression stories

Showcasing real employee experiences can be a powerful strategy for shaping an employer brand that truly resonates from the inside out. This approach attracts potential hires and reinforces the company’s commitment to its values and people.

At Marriott, the Be? initiative is a perfect example of using authentic narratives to strengthen the employer brand. The Be initiative is Marriott International’s new people brand launched in April 2023. It aims to attract and retain top talent by focusing on three main pillars: begin, belong, become.

The "Become" component is dedicated to personal and professional growth. Marriott highlights real-life career progression stories through various channels to show prospective and current employees the genuine opportunities available for growth and development within the company.

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Marriott proves its commitment to development through its innovative "Become" portal. Here, employees can engage with tailored resources to help them advance in their careers. After taking a brief quiz, associates receive personalized recommendations, from instructional videos to detailed workbooks, guiding them on a clear path to leadership.

In 2024, Marriott took a significant step forward with the launch of the Elevate program. This initiative builds on the foundational offerings of the "Become" portal by helping associates identify and close skill gaps essential for management roles, such as business acumen and digital literacy.

The program mainly focuses on preparing frontline staff for leadership positions and accelerating the career advancement of new managers.

By incorporating real associate stories and dedicated development tools into its employer branding, Marriott illustrates its investment in employee growth and effectively turns its workforce into authentic brand ambassadors.

This strategy of highlighting true success stories and providing clear pathways for advancement makes Marriott's employer brand compelling and attractive from the inside out.

2. Be consistent in your company values

Great workplaces walk the talk. Their values infuse all elements of the company culture — not just their marketing.

Ensure that any internal messaging about your company’s mission, vision, and values is consistent with your external branding. Consistently articulating your values helps employees internalize the brand and convey its message more naturally.

For example, food company The Wonderful Company is committed to sustainable farming and responsible business practices, with a mission of “leaving the people and the planet better than we found them.” And this isn’t just marketing speak.

The company’s employee experience strategy is centered on health and well-being. Wonderful offers its employees free on-site medical care, 100 free mental health sessions per year, life coaching, and mentorship opportunities. They also gave employees a cost-of-living increase in 2022 when inflation soared, and employees get $1,000 per year plus matching to donate to a non-profit of their choice.

The message is clear: They want employees to be better off by working at Wonderful.

3. Connect with your community

Incorporating community service into your company's culture goes beyond enhancing your public image—it genuinely embeds your core values within your organization and the broader community.

Take NVIDIA's Inspire 365 initiative. This program isn't just a corporate responsibility effort—it's a vital part of the company's culture. Each NVIDIA office has an "Inspire Champion" who collaborates with the foundation to pinpoint and support causes that resonate deeply with local employees. These champions lead the charge in organizing various community-driven activities, from volunteer events to fundraisers.

NVIDIA's U.S. policy allows employees unlimited paid time off to volunteer, provided they meet their work commitments and obtain managerial approval.

This program supports myriad charitable causes and reinforces the employees' pride in and loyalty to NVIDIA. When employees believe in their company's role in societal improvement, they become authentic brand ambassadors, promoting the organization's values through their actions and conversations.

When employees believe in their company's role in societal improvement, they become authentic brand ambassadors

Moreover, initiatives like Inspire 365 draw prospective employees and customers who prioritize corporate responsibility. They see NVIDIA as a company that not only talks about values but also acts on them, making it a magnet for talent who seek purpose in their work.

By integrating community engagement deeply into your employer branding, you do more than build a positive image — you foster a culture that attracts and retains people who are looking for not just a job, but a purpose.

This approach benefits the communities it serves and fundamentally enhances your internal culture, positioning community service as a cornerstone of a dynamic, inside-out employer brand.

4. Celebrate what – and who – define your culture

Our research shows that employees who are proud of their workplace are four times more likely to recommend it and are committed to staying longer.

How do you spark this workplace pride? The Trust Index can help by capturing the pulse of your workplace, guiding you towards Great Place To Work Certification?, which serves as a testament to your people-first philosophy.

Use occasions like Certification Nation Day to spotlight your culture and the individuals who embody it, celebrating in the office or online with the global Great Place To Work Certified community.

Yet, recognition shouldn’t just be reserved for these events. Regularly acknowledging employees who exemplify your company values or excel in their roles reinforces a sense of community and aligns with shared goals.

Consider how YNAB (You Need A Budget), a company known for its unique culture, fosters this environment. They celebrate work milestones with personalized carved medals that symbolize the company's core values.

This practice not only highlights individual contributions but also solidifies the collective commitment to the company’s ethos. By living out their core values daily and recognizing those who do the same, YNAB creates a workplace where employees feel genuinely appreciated and part of something special.

Such celebrations reinforce your company’s dedication to its values and people, making your organization a magnet for top talent who are looking for more than just a job—they are looking for a place to thrive.

Turn your employer brand inside out

When your company culture genuinely enhances your employees' work life, this positive energy naturally spills over to external audiences like customers, partners, and prospective hires. For organizations that have earned Great Place To Work Certification, the opportunity to amplify this great culture goes beyond just displaying a badge.

The key lies in empowering your employees. When employees feel valued and are equipped with the right tools, they become enthusiastic advocates for your brand, effortlessly drawing more talent and creating a stronger public image of your workplace.