What does the great resignation mean for the future of employer branding?

5th August 2022

Opinion

CreativeBrief’s BITE Thought Leadership looks at the Great Resignation and the importance of connecting with people authentically. They spoke with industry leaders to hear their views, including Siobhan Brunwin, our People Director.

The great resignation is more than a great headline, it’s undeniable that people are moving jobs at an alarming rate. The advertising industry is facing a talent crunch. Against the backdrop of a turbulent social, economic and political climate, workflow is unpredictable and resource is hard to maintain. Combine that with renewed expectations of the workforce and a heightened focus on purpose and meaning, it’s truly an employee’s market.

A people-first approach is essential for attracting and retaining talent. Where every agency boasts great clients or projects, culture is what sets things apart. Putting people first, creating an inclusive environment and being adaptable to the needs of employees in an era of remote working is now more important than ever.

Similarly, brand-side consumers are growing more mindful of their choices and want to support brands that align with their values. This extends to the way that staff are treated. People want to know that the brands they align themselves with treat their employees right and via the likes of Linkedin and Twitter the closed doors of the office are being opened up and true company behaviours are reaching the eyes of consumers.

The great resignation has no doubt changed the face of employer branding. Companies now need to be savvy about all angles of their communications and beyond that into their policies as things like the Gender Pay Gap Bot exemplify how they are held accountable and face real-world repercussions for empty promises.

Finding the right tone in such a rapidly changing landscape is no easy feat. With that in mind we asked experts from across the industry ‘what does the great resignation mean for the future of employer branding?’

Encouraging the best talent to stay with you relies on ensuring your employee branding is as authentic as possible. We all want to sell the best version of our agencies, of our cultures & of ourselves to candidates but if the reality really doesn’t match the fantasy you create during the recruitment experience your talent are going to exit pretty sharpish.

There is no doubt that the world of office-based work is still going through a transformational time, what people are looking for from their employers has radically changed. We are still very much in the middle of a mental health crisis: the impact of the pandemic, and the economic & political uncertainty we are facing both nationally and globally are still weighing hard on us all. I think that now people are looking for a very different employer then they were even three years ago; they want to feel appreciated, they want to know that what they do matters (to themselves & the world) & in the words of Harry Styles they want to be treated with kindness. Employee branding used to be much easier when it was lead with the sexier perks of free drinks, early finishes and office pool tables but now we need to shift to not just what an employer can give you but how they can make you feel.

Siobhan Brunwin (she/her)

People Director, MullenLowe Group UK