Branding is a huge global industry because our brains are hard-wired to associate things. When we see a brand, this can evoke strong emotions, attachment and loyalty. Brands are trying to build an emotional connection with us as consumers. The same is true of your business, your brand and your HR technology. But many HR technology companies impose their brand on you rather than you controlling the branding of your HR system.
You want the experience for you and your staff to be easy and intuitive. When you log on to your HR system it should feel like you are in the right place – your company branding for your people. Implementing HR technology doesn’t mean you need to implement the branding from your chosen HR tech provider.
Flexibility without an elevated price tag
The current market for freemium (free to start) technology seems attractive, but typically free systems are either too limited to be of any use, swamp you with advertising, or hook you in to additional cost tiers to achieve what you want.
The freemium market for HR software has never really worked for various reasons (mainly because most people these days appreciate the value of data, as now obligated by compliance and legislation requirements – such as the GDPR). But also HR systems users, don’t usually want to be bombarded with distractions and advertising.
But even for more traditional HR systems, there are often constraints around the extent to which your system can be branded according to your branding guidelines. Modifying these systems to fit your branding requirements can come with a hefty price tag.
HR technology supports businesses of all sizes across all industries, and across the full employee lifecycle. Consistency of experience for your staff is just as important as that of your customers. To stay competitive, companies need to recruit the right talent, retain the top talent, and build stronger internal cultures. In order to do this, you need to create and shape a modern workplace HR technology. This isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Which means that your HR technology should match your internal processes and have your company branding. And incorporating your company branding should be as standard, not an expensive addition.
We know that creating a consistent experience for your people across all the HR process, creates higher self-serve, lower support calls, reduces costs and results in happier staff and higher engagement.
You shouldn’t have to pay extra for the privilege of having your own branding.
Growth and flexibility
HR software, HR technology and HCM (Human Capital Management) systems suffer from a legacy of inflexibility. This is why, historically adding your company branding to your HR technology was, for many, simply price-prohibitive.
Companies are competing in the market place for talent and overcoming skills shortages and staff retention, which means that employer branding is a strategic imperative. Your staff expect a particular experience when they join you, and if it’s not in place they start to question their decision. Staff expect easy access and intuitive navigation that feels like Instagram or an Apple device. It may not be a standard question at interview, but the expectation is… this is standard.
HR technology is always evolving, being used in new ways, delivering innovative thinking and providing organisational flexibility. Unfortunately, older systems are inflexible, creating limitations and underachieving against staff expectations.
Employers should not underestimate the power of their brand to their staff – brand power that HR and Communications departments can harness to create an organisation where people enjoy coming to work and feel engaged.
Engagement and advocacy
At the heart of building a strong employer brand is the immutable fact that being human means that we have free choice. As such, management cannot impose engagement, commitment or motivation. But they can enable it. Engaged employees invest their personal effort and commitment. Employee engagement is the enabler of success.
Engaged employees are proud of their role in the organisation, and an attractive employer brand facilitates commitment and advocacy. Of course the business needs to deliver in other areas too! But powerful branding, infused through sustainable organisational culture, evokes willingness in employees to act as brand advocates. This makes you an employer of choice and eases the talent acquisition process.
Leveraging HR technology and your company branding
Intuitive branded user interfaces for your HR technology creates more than just an aesthetically pleasing experience. It eases communication, improves self-service across all your employee life-cycle processes and gives new joiners a taste of the positive experience they will be getting. The simple yet visual interface we see on Instagram, on Apple products, or on Netflix brings brands to life. Are you leveraging your brand across your HR technology?
There is measurable value in implementing your brand, your creative and your distinctive voice into your HR technology and processes. Its also a new imperative, designed to tackle the impact of remote working on employee experience. Organisations have to support their people throughout the employee life-cycle where interactions are remote and branding builds a sense of belonging.
If you’d like to see how easy it is to implement your branding into HR technology, why not talk to our Christmas elves on santa@elementsuite.com
