Employers today are facing one of their toughest challenges yet: finding and keeping the right talent. The pandemic has reshaped how people view work, accelerating trends like remote working, shifting expectations around flexibility, and placing greater value on mental health and wellbeing. Skilled employees, especially, are therefore more selective about the organisations they choose to join and stay with, and they also have more options. As a result, the competition for great talent has intensified.

In this current landscape, employer branding is no longer about glossy recruitment campaigns; it’s about delivering a consistent and meaningful employee journey. From the first interview to the last day of employment, every interaction matters. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to make a real difference. By bringing scale, speed, and personalisation to these touchpoints, AI enables organisations to create journeys that are smoother, fairer, and more aligned with their brand purpose. And in doing so, companies can strengthen their reputation, deepen engagement, and turn employees into authentic advocates of their brand(s).

The opportunity for brands therefore, lies in how thoughtfully they adopt these tools. Organisations that use AI to genuinely enhance transparency, fairness, and personalisation will stand out in a crowded talent market. Rather than treating AI as a cost-saving measure like most, forward-looking employers are applying it to bring their values to life, demonstrate care for their people, and design experiences that feel both human and modern. With the right approach, employer branding that leverages AI can truly distinguish an organisation and inspire people to stay and grow with it.

Why the Employee Journey Matters in Employer Branding

The employee journey is the complete experience someone has with a company, from applying for a role, through growth and development, to the day they leave. Every interaction, large or small, shapes how people feel about working there.

Ultimately, it is what employees experience, not what companies say, that defines the employer brand. When experiences are positive, employees can become advocates who reinforce the brand through their stories in and outside the company. When they are negative, the brand’s reputation suffers, making it harder to attract and retain talent.

Here is where AI makes a difference. It can personalise experiences so people feel valued as individuals, create fairer and more consistent processes that build trust, and remove everyday frustrations to free up time for meaningful work that contributes toward the company’s purpose. In short, AI helps turn a company’s purpose into something employees can truly feel in their daily work.

AI at Work: Enhancing Every Step of the Journey

1. Hiring: Making the First Impression Count

Recruitment is often the very first touchpoint of an employee’s journey, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. A slow, confusing, or impersonal process can discourage strong candidates before they even step through the door, while a smooth and engaging experience can spark excitement and trust from day one. That’s why many brands are investing in AI-powered solutions to transform how they attract, evaluate, and connect with talent.

Conversational AI platforms like Paradox and Eightfold automate early stages such as CV screening, candidate queries, and interview scheduling. This ensures timely communication, avoiding days of silence that frustrate candidates. Workday’s acquisition of Paradox shows how mainstream these capabilities have become.

There are also visible results in well-known organisations. Unilever has adopted game-based assessments (via Pymetrics) and AI video interviews to evaluate potential candidates in a fairer, more engaging way. The change has cut recruitment time by 75% and doubled the diversity of hires. Hilton Hotels uses AI chatbots to handle high-volume seasonal hiring, screening and scheduling applicants in days rather than weeks. IBM, through watsonx Orchestrate, enables AI agents that automate and streamline HR workflows, while integrating governance tools (e.g. watsonx.governance) to help monitor fairness, mitigate bias, and ensure transparent, auditable decisioning.

Together, these examples show how AI can make recruitment faster, fairer, and more transparent. When organisations place emphasis on skills and potential rather than background or demographics, they signal inclusivity and respect. Consistent updates and responsive communication give candidates the sense that their time and effort are valued, while streamlined processes remove unnecessary hurdles that often cause frustration. Recruitment then becomes much more than an administrative step; it becomes a defining moment where candidates get a first, powerful impression of the brand’s culture, values, and credibility.

2. Onboarding: Setting the Tone for Belonging

Onboarding is more than paperwork and IT access; it’s the moment when employees begin to understand what an organisation and its brand stand for. The first days should clearly communicate brand purpose and values, showing how they come to life in the culture, behaviours, and everyday work process. When new hires see that alignment early on, it builds trust, pride, and belonging.

AI is helping brands deliver this consistently by making onboarding more intuitive, personalised, and aligned with company culture. Intelligent chatbots and digital assistants can guide new hires through practical essentials, such as answering questions about policies, payroll, or IT logins instantly. Platforms like Docebo and EdCast create adaptive learning paths that not only cover role-specific training, but also embed brand values through curated content, case studies, and examples of the organisation’s mission in action. This ensures new hires don’t just learn what to do, but also why it matters.

Some companies are going further, by experimenting with AI-driven mentor matching, pairing new hires with colleagues whose experience and personality are most likely to help them settle in. Feedback platforms such as Culture Amp or Degreed extend this beyond the first weeks by monitoring whether employees feel connected, supported, and culturally aligned.

The impact goes beyond efficiency. Studies suggest AI-enhanced onboarding can boost retention by more than 80% and cut time-to-productivity by two-thirds. But the true benefit for employer branding lies in positive word-of-mouth: when employees feel welcomed and supported from day one, they are far more likely to share those experiences publicly and commit to the organisation long term. Onboarding becomes not just a process of getting started, but a brand-defining moment that turns values into lived experience.

3. Smarter Work Experience through AI Integration

Across industries, AI is being adopted at scale to reshape the way employees experience their daily work. No longer limited to back-office functions, AI is integrated into core workflows such as resolving service requests, streamlining knowledge access, and strengthening performance management. These solutions are practical, widely available, and increasingly essential in hybrid and global workplaces. By removing friction points and making processes more consistent, AI helps organisations create fairer, faster, and more engaging work experiences while aligning employees more closely with organisational goals.

Collaboration & Support:
Platforms like Moveworks use AI chatbots to resolve IT and HR service requests instantly. By cutting through bottlenecks and frustrations, employees can redirect their energy to more purposeful, value-adding work. This shift signals that the organisation respects their time, reducing the mental load of “administrative clutter” and creating space for innovation and creativity.

Knowledge Management:
Tools like Glean enable AI-powered enterprise search that centralises organisational knowledge and makes it instantly accessible across teams. For hybrid and remote workplaces, this breaks down silos and ensures that everyone, no matter where they are, can contribute and learn equally. The effect is a more level playing field, where decisions are made faster, collaboration flows naturally, and employees feel more connected to the organisation’s goals.

Performance & Recognition:
Solutions such as Kazoo and TalentGuard integrate recognition with performance management, surfacing achievements and mapping out personalised growth pathways. By making contributions visible and aligning them with development opportunities, AI helps employees feel valued not just for what they do, but for who they are and the potential they bring. This creates a culture where recognition is fair, growth feels attainable, and people see a future for themselves within the organisation.

Together, these innovations turn mundane routine interactions into meaningful experiences. AI does not just make processes faster, it makes work more human. Employees feel supported, trusted, and seen, which strengthens loyalty, boosts engagement, and reinforces the organisation’s reputation as a place that genuinely values its people.

4. Navigating Organisational Change

Change is an inevitable reality for every organisation. Markets evolve, technologies advance, customer expectations shift, and businesses must continually adapt to stay relevant. Whether it involves adopting new digital tools, restructuring teams, or redefining strategic priorities, these transitions shape not only how an organisation performs but also how its people perceive it. For employees, change often comes with uncertainty, disruption to familiar routines, and new expectations that must be learned and embraced.

AI is starting to reshape this process by offering leaders clearer visibility into how employees are responding, predicting where challenges may arise, and providing timely, personalised support. AI transforms change management from a reactive process into a proactive one. This turns organisational change into an opportunity to build trust, strengthen culture, and show employees that they are valued partners in the journey forward.

Several platforms are already putting this into practice. Humu uses AI to send people small reminders, called “nudges,” that suggest helpful actions during times of change. For example, it might remind a manager to check in with their team, encourage someone to share information more openly, or prompt an employee to take care of their wellbeing. Over time, these small steps add up to healthier habits and smoother transitions for both employees and managers.

Meanwhile, Sociabble makes change a more collaborative process by providing employees with a platform to share ideas, vote on suggestions, and give feedback in real time. This involvement helps people feel like they are actively shaping the organisation’s future, rather than simply being told what to do.

Industry analysts like Gartner note that more HR leaders are now turning to AI to improve communication and support during change, showing that these tools are no longer niche solutions but are becoming part of standard practice.

When AI is used to keep employees informed, supported, and actively involved in change, it helps them see the organisation as transparent, modern, and people-centred. This not only makes transitions smoother but also strengthens culture, builds trust, and reinforces the organisation’s reputation as a place where employees can thrive long term.

5. Exit: Parting on Good Terms

Leaving a company is more than just paperwork. It is the final impression that shapes how employees remember their experience. If the exit feels rushed or uncaring, people may leave with frustration that could spread through word of mouth. But when it is handled with respect, employees walk away with closure and appreciation, often becoming advocates, future collaborators, or even potential rehires.

AI is helping organisations manage this stage with greater care and insight. For example, CloudApper hrGPT and Specific can analyse exit interviews in real time, surfacing recurring themes such as concerns about career growth or management style. These insights give leaders a clearer picture of why people are leaving and what can be improved. Meanwhile, platforms like Eletive use predictive models to spot early signs of disengagement, such as changes in participation or feedback patterns. This allows managers to step in before issues escalate, reducing the likelihood of sudden resignations.

When exits are managed thoughtfully, employees see that their feedback matters right up to the end. They leave knowing the organisation values people at every stage of the journey. Alumni who part on good terms are more likely to recommend the company, speak positively about it, or even return in the future. In this way, a well-handled exit is not just about closing a chapter, it is about leaving the door open.

The impact of AI on Employer Branding

AI is reshaping employer branding by making the employee journey more seamless, personalised and meaningful. Across every stage, it reduces friction in processes and creates experiences that help people feel supported, recognised and connected. In this way, AI allows organisations to bring their purpose and values to life in ways that employees can clearly see and experience. For example, a company that values fairness can use AI to remove bias from recruitment and promotion decisions. A brand that champions growth can apply AI to recommend learning paths tailored to each individual. And organisations that want to build cultures of appreciation can use AI to prompt timely recognition of everyday achievements. These tangible actions show employees that the company’s values are not just words on a page, but principles that guide how people are treated.

For employer branding, the significance of AI is clear: it is not a replacement for human connection but a way to make those connections stronger and more meaningful.  By taking over repetitive tasks and offering deeper insights, it gives leaders and teams the space to focus on empathy, trust and authentic relationships. When technology and humanity are balanced in this way, organisations not only become more efficient but also create workplaces where people are proud to belong. This is how AI becomes a powerful force for building stronger and more authentic employer brands.

The post Issue 53: Q3 2025 appeared first on Tangible.

Note: When we discuss ‘Internal Branding’, don’t think of internal communications! Think of how a company’s Purpose and Values can be leveraged to inspire its internal culture and behaviour.

Observation #1: You need a purpose to be your guiding light

A good corporate purpose is more than just a statement you craft for display on your ‘About us’ page. To realise its maximum benefits, you’ll need to go beneath the surface to unearth a shared sense of purpose that carries genuine significance within your organisation. This purpose will drive your organisation forward, guide strategic-decision making, give employees more fulfillment and clarity, and so much more.

And because your staff should also be a part of this shared purpose, aligning your employee value proposition with this purpose is essential for delivering your strategic goals. Can you imagine if Google was all about being inquisitive, experimental and questioning – but didn’t believe in investing in their people’s personal development?

At Tangible we ensure that the Purpose Statement and Corporate Values are aligned, so you can see how the Purpose will be delivered by the Values and also how the Values drive the Purpose. We advocate that the Values should be lived both internally and externally (so the corporate Values should be similar to the employees values).
Simply put: Say what you do and do what you say.

Observation #2: The CEO must lead the charge

You would think that creating a meaningful corporate purpose that resonates with everyone would be enough. But the truth is, if the leader of the organisation is not driving the company’s purpose and making sure it comes to life throughout the business, you might be wasting your time creating it in the first place. Your cleverly worded corporate purpose looks nice in your ‘Corporate Blurb’ but it has little or no impact.

Over the course of our work, we’ve found that what makes a project tangible is the CEO. If the CEO is the champion and leading the charge, then the organisation moves in a clear direction, with a sense of purpose.

As William Wang, the founder of Vizio said, “Everyone on the team plays an equal role. My role is to create the wave and everyone on our team keeps the wave going.”

Observation #3: HR must see their role as owners of the company culture

According to a recent study by Sage, 63% of c-suite leaders still see HR’s role as administrative, and more than half of them do not expect HR to play a significant or leading role across key areas that would traditionally sit in their wheelhouse, such as workforce planning and company culture.

Although we cannot deny that HR’s administrative roles are crucial, the gap is that this often lacks a direct impact on employee engagement. Instead, when HR actively owns the role of being champions of the organisational culture, they can significantly contribute to higher employee morale, satisfaction, and retention.

When HR are the champions of organisational culture, it also allows them to play a strategic role in addressing certain workplace challenges. These include:

Talent attraction and retention:
Where HR’s role is talent management might have been previously limited to recruitment; When they actively own and promote a positive culture, it enhances the organisation’s attractiveness to top talent and helps retain existing employees.

Adapting to change and innovation: When there is change, HR may tend to struggle to support organisational change initiatives. However, a strong cultural foundation that is facilitated by HR has the potential to enable smoother transitions and increase the organisation’s adaptability and change management.

Measuring the organisation’s internal health: Where metrics might have only been used by HR to focus on administrative efficiency, there lies the opportunity to utilise it to track key cultural indicators internally. This can help provide regular insights into your organisation’s health and potential areas for improvement.

Observation #4: Involve everybody!

With all that being said, it’s time to talk about (arguably) the most important stakeholders in internal branding – the employees! If you thought that internal branding doesn’t have to involve your current employees, you’re missing a big opportunity. And kind of the main point.

By actively involving every employee in the internal branding journey, it’ll ensure a unified and aligned understanding of the company’s core values, mission, and goals. The result is a cohesive team that moves together in one collective direction, where everyone understands where the company is heading.

Once everyone has gotten on board the same ship, the next step would be to engage your employees. At the heart of every thriving workplace lies employee engagement, and involving your employees in this continual branding process is a catalyst for this engagement. From creating initiatives like open channels, employee surveys and feedback sessions, to recognition and reward systems – what you really want to be doing is not just forcing people to believe in a brand you’ve created, but to live and breathe this brand into life because they believe in it too.

This could look like identifying and forming a dedicated culture team, comprising of members who are passionate about serving as ambassadors for the initiative. This team would be involved in the process of your internal rebranding, if any, and serve as advocates for company culture, communicating to teams on how they can contribute to cultivating a positive culture.

Observation #5: If you think an external consultant can drive internal culture, you’re sadly mistaken

Getting an outside perspective can be extremely important (and sometimes even crucial) when dealing with cultural issues in an organisation. But while external consultants can come in to assess and improve internal culture – culture has to be lived and breathed, and your internal staff are in the best position to enforce this.

External consultants are able to play the role of culture facilitators and as unbiased observers that can draw out certain sensitive feelings and perceptions that might otherwise stay unseen. Often, employee feelings toward the company go unnoticed, mainly due to factors such as a lack of suitable platforms or a reluctance/lack of motivation to express them. However, these sentiments are precisely what you need to be cognisant of, as they can serve as indicators of vital areas for improvement or highlight successful practices. Engaging external consultants can help in confidentially capturing these sentiments and fostering cultural change. Nevertheless, as external consultants will only be engaged for a limited duration, the responsibility really does fall on your organisation to implement and execute these changes in internal branding and culture.

In essence, internal branding will always be a fluid and ongoing process, requiring commitment, flexibility, communication and regular check-ins. And it requires a team effort to keep it going.

As the year comes to a close, here’s wishing you and yours a delightful Christmas and a New Year filled with happiness, from the entire Tangible team.

The post Issue 46: Q4 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

Effective internal branding should take into consideration how each generation thrives best in the workplace. We should caveat all this by saying that workplace culture is often shaped by its industry. We are acutely aware that the Shipping industry has a very different working environment compared to the Fashion industry. Some industries require periods of reflection or craftsmanship (where working from home is perfect) while other sectors require employees to have on-site, hands-on skills. When creating internal branding strategies, it’s worthwhile considering the demographic of your workforce, and typically how that demographic prefers to interact.

Looking at the difference in Generations:

Exploring generational perspectives reveal a fascinating interplay of values and expectations among different generations in the workplace. Let’s delve into how each generation is defined and explore their distinct perspectives From Baby Boomers, the eldest generation, to the newest entrants, Gen Z, understanding these definitions provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the workplace.

Baby Boomers (Born mid-1940s to early 1960s):

Born in the post-World War II era, Baby Boomers were named after the significant increase in birth rates during this period. They grew up during a time of economic prosperity and witnessed major cultural and social shifts, including the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution. Baby Boomers prefer to communicate in person or through traditional channels such as phone calls and printed letters. They want Work Life Consistency where they value loyalty and reliability in both their life and the companies they work for. They see hard work and dedication as the way to gain respect & recognition and the drive to continue their legacy.

Gen X (Born early 1960s to early 1980s):

Generation X, which emerged during a period of social change and technological advancements, is often referred as the ‘independent generation’ because many grew up with both parents working, fostering a strong sense of independence. Having experienced the traditional workday they prefer to communicate in person using email and phone calls. They are drawn to companies that value stability and personal development. Generation X wants work-life integration, actively seeking ways to harmonise their professional and personal lives. They want to work for companies that are committed to creating an action-driven workplace.

Millennials (Born early 1980s to mid-1990s):

Millennials, also known as Gen Y, came of age during the rapid rise of the internet, which shaped their tech-savvy, collaborative nature. They prefer to communicate via email, video conferencing, instant messaging, and collaborative apps. Millennials prioritise work-life balance and personal development in multiple areas of life. They want to work for ethical companies that provide opportunities for personal development. They seek belonging & support through collaboration with others in the workplace.

Gen Z (Born mid-1990s to early 2010s):

This is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. They witnessed the rise of social media and are characterised by their strong sense of social responsibility. They are also a very socially conscious generation, appreciating communication channels that allow them to connect with others and share their ideas globally. Gen Z seeks work-life harmony, integrating personal life purpose into their careers. They value open and honest communication and align with company values that emphasise authenticity and social responsibility in their actions and values.

In navigating generational dynamics within the workplace, it is worth considering how each generation is defined and recognise the distinct well-being needs and preferences of different generations. For a quick overview, we present a summarised table for swift comprehension of the differences among generations:

Understanding the nuances between generations is essential for creating a workplace that meets the diverse needs and expectations of employees. As we explore the different generational attitudes toward workplace culture and branding, it becomes clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective. (Read previous Conversations @Tangible Issue 43: Internal Branding – More than just the Office Pantry)

Should we label generations at all?

Going beyond the generational stereotypes:

While Tangible wouldn’t want to endorse perpetuating stereotypes, we have to start somewhere. Tangible’s Market Research uses the lenses of demographics and psychographics to understand perceptions and preference drivers of your brand. Through modeling and testing both visual and verbal stimuli, we identify solutions that are most appealing to the different stakeholder groups.

How Tangible Approach Internal Branding:

At Tangible, we understand that a brand’s impact extends both internally and externally, reaching diverse audiences and demographics.

This is why we adopt a comprehensive cross-company approach, ensuring effective communication and engagement on all fronts. We have developed  frameworks and a structured process for contextualising and curating questionnaires within our research methodology.

We have a Digital Strategy that helps you define your objectives and roadmaps to reach your target audience with tailored messaging.

Based on your communication objectives and key messages for each target audience, Tangible will develop a plethora of activation ideas for pre-launch, launch, and post-launch activities to bring to our Communication Ideation Workshop to help you effectively navigate generational dynamics in the workplace.

Let’s Talk Internal Branding

Citations:

1. Black, E. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/gen-z-aren-t-lazy-they-just-don-t-want-to-live-to-work-20230829-p5e09m

2. Ernst & Young Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.ey.com/en_us/consulting/is-gen-z-the-spark-we-need-to-see-the-light-report/gen-z-finding-meaning
3. Helyer, R., & Lee, D. (2012). The twenty‐first-century multiple-generation workforce. Education + Training, 54(7), 565–578. doi:10.1108/00400911211265611
4. Jorgensen, B. (2003). Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y: Policy Implications for Defence Forces in the Modern Era. Foresight, 5(4), 41-49.
5. Lancaster LC, Stillman D. When Generations Collide. New York: HarperCollins; 2002.
6. O’Bannon G. (2001). Managing our future: the generation X factor. Public Personnel Management, 30, 95–109.
7. Reilly, P. (2012). Understanding and teaching Generation Y. English Teaching Forum, 1, 2–10.
8. Shoichet, C. E. (2023). Busting this big myth about baby boomers reveals something about gen Z, too. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/08/us/baby-boomers-gen-z-cec/index.html
9. Sirias, D., Karp, H., & Brotherton, T. (2007). Comparing the Levels of Individualism/Collectivism between Baby Boomers and Generation X: Implications for Teamwork. Management Research News, 30(10), 749-761.
10. Erin, E. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.betterup.com/blog/generations-in-the-workplace

The post Issue 45: Q3 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

The previous article of Conversations @ Tangible has established the importance of internal branding and its usefulness in rallying teams behind corporate values. To recap, companies can utilise internal branding to align  employee motivations and values in order to support the company’s purpose and deliver exceptional service to clients.

Football teams are just like corporate teams – a diverse group of like minded people, with various talents, unite behind a management team and hopefully a clear purpose to achieve a planned outcome. To accomplish this, the management team and in particular the team manager play a crucial role in aligning players’ motivations so that they can compete as a cohesive team. Successful managers such as Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp are successful, precisely because they are often in tune with the best ways to ensure a cohesive team. 

This then raises the question: how do Sir Alex Feguson and Jürgen Klopp manage? Well, let us explore what successful managers like them do to create great team culture and internal branding.

1. HR is Not Responsible for Setting the Example, Managers are

Great team managers exemplify the values that they want their players to have and inspire their players to adopt them. When a leader walks the talk, the team will naturally be motivated in striving for the same standards.

At Manchester United, former team manager Alex Ferguson believes that consistent hard work is key to success. He embodied this belief by always being the earliest to arrive at training at 7am. This has instilled a feeling amongst players and sports staff alike that if he could do it, so could everyone else. Unsurprisingly, his staff soon began coming in earlier than he did. An exemplary manager like Ferguson who wields great influence over his players can hence set a model for the team to follow.

Likewise, a corporate manager can be the one to inspire their team, rather than waiting for human resource policies to take its course down the chain of command. By embodying the values and behaviours they want their employees to emulate, managers can create a culture of excellence and motivate the team to strive for the same standards. Such leadership can inspire employees, further encouraging them to take ownership of their work.

2. Aligning Vision

Internal branding is just like football teams’ style of play. They are a set of strategies that guides players’ decision-making when striving for a goal. When all players play with the same strategy in mind, a football team becomes an unstoppable force that dominates the playing field. 

Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool’s manager, is known for his preferred style of play, ‘heavy metal football’, which is characterised by its fast-paced intensity. Coined by the manager himself, it is a relentless style of play that aims to overwhelm the opponent with rapid passes and swift movement. This style of play requires near telepathic coordination amongst the team, which is only possible when each player is in-sync with the team manager’s. When Klopp successfully aligned every Liverpool player’s vision, the result was a phenomenal year of championship wins in 2019, when the team bagged the Premier League Trophy, the European Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Similarly, within the corporate realm, teams that are aligned in strategy expend less energy resolving differences in personal motivations. This allows the team to concentrate on striving towards their common goal. 

3. Trust in Leaders

Earning the trust of players is crucial in any football team. It enables players to have confidence in the manager’s expertise and judgement. When players trust their managers, they are more likely to embrace team strategies, even when they have doubts, putting their best foot forward on the field. 

In Ferguson’s philosophy, the popularity of a player amongst fans should not affect fielding decisions – all players are equally important to the team. As such, players do not take it personally when they are benched. As they trust that the team formation dictated by the manager is right for their existing  strategy. This affords team managers the mandate to make strategic decisions astutely, even if they are difficult. 

Similarly, in the office, trust in leaders enables employees to focus on their responsibilities, knowing that their managers have a comprehensive understanding of the big picture. Building trust within corporate teams creates a sense of psychological safety that encourages adoption of the brand values. Ultimately, this reduces conflict, leading to better performance and outcomes.

4. A Sensitivity to Emotions

An experienced manager with a sensitivity to emotions can shrewdly adjust their tone and message to players, spurring them on during moments of intensity. 

Klopp’s well-known mantra, ‘it’s only football’, is often heard during intense matches to lighten up players’ mood. These perceptive words place the game into perspective, reminding players that there are more important things in life than football. Ultimately, alleviating unnecessary pressure allows players to perform at their best and focus on winning the game.

Similarly, a finger on the pulse of the office dynamic would help managers steer intense or difficult conversations as they sense the motivations and sentiments of employees. These little nudges allow managers to continuously calibrate employee motivations and align them with company values, while also weathering the unpredictable storms of emotions.

5. Dealing with Defeats

In football, as with any other sport, sometimes we win, and sometimes we lose. What is vital is one’s response to defeats. When managed well, losses can be used as encouragement to do better in the future. At times, losses are also teaching points for lessons not learnt well.

Known for his emotional responses to match endings, Klopp is often seen hugging his players after the match regardless of the outcome, as long as they had given their best. However, if losing was due to a lack of team synergy, then players would know that a reprimand was imminent. As former Manchester United striker Andy Cole put it, “If you lose and Sir Alex believes you gave your best, it’s not a problem. But if you lose [in a] limp way…then mind your ears!”

Likewise, losses in the corporate realm should be dealt with in a moderate and forward-looking manner without harming team dynamics. With some wisdom and grace, an astute manager can strategically leverage defeats to unite his team to try again.

Conclusion

As you’ve probably guessed it at this point, internal branding takes on an active role rather than a passive one. Instead of waiting for human resource’ directives, internal branding is a calibrated and dynamic process that takes place everyday, with managers at its helm. This is why Tangible believes in helping clients identify brand positions that are both internally and externally aligned, so that managers can understand and maximise opportunities,  thus promoting  company culture to employees. By being proactive in ensuring that team members are aligned to company culture, an astute manager can foster a sense of unity in the office, driving everyone towards the company’s goals.

The post Issue 44: Q2 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

If these are phrases that you’ve found yourself worrying about recently – you’re not alone. With the pandemic, inflation, and other trends that we have all had to navigate in recent years, it’s clear that change is happening. And it’s happening globally.

Manpower has been a key issue across many industries, and we have seen a significant shift over the past decade in what makes a workplace attractive. In order to keep up with the changing landscape, companies are starting to recognise the importance of not only external brand equity but strong internal branding as well.

But first, what exactly is internal branding? 

When we bring up strong internal branding, some might think of the extensive, well-stocked pantry in an office designed to attract young talent or even the company polo shirt that they were given a year ago (which they might secretly wear as pyjamas!). But it goes so much deeper than that.

Internal branding is connecting your employees to the company’s external brand promise and values so that they know how they fit into the company and their roles in working towards achieving the company’s goal together. In other words, it’s aligning employees with your external brand, so that everyone is working towards the same goal. Really, the benefits of internal branding are multifold.

Ever heard of the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’? While that might be true, another proverb of wisdom should be ‘happy staff, happy business’. It may come as no surprise that when your staff are engaged and happy, they are more likely to be productive, which contributes to a better and stronger product offer. They are also more likely to stay in the company and be strong ambassadors for your brand, which works to attract top talent and contribute to a positive company culture.

Think of it like push-starting a car – the more you can rally your employees behind a shared vision so that they know where the company is headed, the faster and further your car is going to go. On the flip side, if they are dissatisfied with what the company stands for and how it operates, the opposite occurs. They will either act as deadweight for that car or jump to another company to help push their car instead.

A common question that gets asked is: Who should take responsibility for internal branding? 

Should it be HR? Corporate communications? Or the CEO? Well, the answer is – everyone. For internal branding to be successful, it will not just take hanging a shiny new banner on the office wall. The decision makers and management of the company have to be invested in making it work, and if HR believes that their role is simply administrative, then your company culture is missing a big opportunity. In essence, internal branding is a team effort that involves aligning everyone from the doormen to the C-suite executives, and rallying the team behind a clear and unified purpose.

However, even though many companies know the importance of internal branding, there are some common mistakes they make. Let’s look at some of them:

Mistake #1: Too common 

When it comes to creating employee values for internal branding, chances are that when left to our own devices, the management or HR teams will start creating some sort of acronym from values which include: teamwork, excellence, integrity, and innovation. While these are not bad values, the issue is that every other company, school and organisation are using the exact same values. 

Without differentiation (which is the main point of branding), there is no way for your brand to stand out and attract a steady stream of top talent. In other words, we need to stop saying the same thing as everyone else or our words will get tuned out.

Mistake #2: Too removed from reality

The success of a company’s internal (and external!) branding is highly dependent on how committed it is to deliver on its promise. For instance, if you promise to be a company with an innovative spirit, what are the ways in which you are encouraging your employees to think innovatively in their work? And are they actually effective and sustainable? A good indicator of how effectively you’re living out your values will be to see if your employees can actually remember your employees’ values and articulate them.

The landscape of work is changing to one where workplace satisfaction and happiness have been more important to employees than ever before. This means that you can’t just slap on the shiny buzzwords as your brand values and hope that people will be inspired by it, but you’ll have to actually commit to tangibly delivering on what you promise your employees. Your people will either be your biggest advocate or biggest detractor and how successful you are at delivering on your internal brand promise will greatly influence what your employees say about you. 

Mistake #3: Too broad and vague

When we end up with the same set of positive values mentioned above, another issue is that it is too broad and might not address specific issues that your company faces. When done well, your brand should be able to garner positive brand associations and mitigate the negative associations and perceptions. For that to happen, it requires in-depth research and conversations with your stakeholders, customers, and potential hires so that your internal brand can work strategically for your business. (Note: This is also why Tangible’s process involves utilising market research and insights to inform our strategic planning for your brand!) 

Your employee value proposition should also be contextualised within the industry you are in. For example, if there are certain issues that are prevalent within your industry, this is a good time for your brand to strategically mitigate that with your employee value proposition.

Having the same broad set of values also means that there is a high chance that it has no relation to your external brand. This means that your brand will be perceived very differently externally and internally, forming a very incohesive picture. The implications of an inconsistent brand are more pervasive than you might think – it can cause confusion amongst customers and stakeholders, a lack of trust, as well as difficulty in building brand equity. 

This is why Tangible’s approach is to create a strong, consistent brand by aligning your internal branding with your external brand (think: your vision, mission and values). 

Most companies you see around would have their vision, mission and values already crafted and displayed for all to see on their website. However, many do not know the power that these seemingly common or normal “corporate phrases” have. When done well, a company’s vision, mission and values can be leveraged as strategic management tools for their business. And this is exactly what we endeavour to achieve with every single company we work with.

In other words, successful internal branding involves aligning your internal branding with your vision, mission and values so that you are able to deliver a strong and consistent brand throughout. And we help you accomplish this through our process, which also involves our proprietary Brand Pillars Framework.

Conclusion

Although it may seem like it sometimes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to internal branding. Every brand, every company, and every industry has different needs – which is why Tangible believes in working with you to create data-driven, tailored strategies for a powerful and cohesive brand that yields results, internally and externally.

In a nutshell, when it comes to internal branding, it goes beyond having a brand that speaks for itself; it’s equally important to pay attention to what your people are saying about you. 

The post Issue 43: Q1 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

With the series of redundancies by digital platforms (such as Meta’s Facebook, Snap’s Snapchat and most notably, Twitter) resulting from the decline in their digital advertising revenue, brands should be questioning if there is still any credit left in spending large sums of money on paid ads.

The truth is, the decline in digital advertising revenue is indicative of the increasing ineffectiveness of paid ads in recent years. In other words, brands who are still allocating high budgets for paid advertisements might be wasting money. Fortunately, there are better, more efficient methods in digital marketing which brands can, and should, look into to further their brands’ growth organically; the prime of which is to develop their in-house content marketing capability.

Understanding the decline of digital advertising industry 

So far, more than 20,000 employees were laid off in the slew of retrenchments by Silicon Valley in 2022. Among which, Facebook’s Meta had axed around 13% (11,000 staff) of its workforce, while Snapchat’s Snap dismissed 20%. Further job cuts, hiring freezes and other contingency plans were also executed widely across the Valley.

Meta and Snap are examples of some Big Tech companies in Silicon Valley, whose main source of revenue is generated from ad placements on their platforms. So the decrease in their revenue means brands are spending lesser for ads to be placed on Big Tech’s platforms. The seemingly obvious reason behind this is the threat of an imminent economic crisis; when companies tighten their belts in preparation for upcoming crises, advertising budgets are usually the first to be cut. But assigning blame only to the economic downturn seems too easy a way out. As with all things, there is more than what meets the eye. 

The fact is, the digital advertising industry already hasn’t been performing well since years before the looming economic crisis. Albeit yearly projected increases in revenue, a closer look at the number reveals that the industry’s growth rate is actually on a declining trajectory.

As 19th century businessman, John Wanamaker famously said: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted: the trouble is, I don’t know which half.”, a statement that is especially relevant in the age of digital ads. 

During the nascent stages of the digital advertising industry, companies jumped at the opportunities and potential it seemed to offer. But because the industry’s operation has always been opaque with its obscured metrics, the effectiveness of paid ads remains questionable. Therefore, it is difficult for brands to track the return on investment of their digital ad spend. To that end, brands are starting to realise the money pit they’ve been in, and have increasingly stopped betting on paid ads.

The situation for the digital advertising industry has been made worse due to the rise of privacy concerns in recent years. Paid ads can be accurately targeted the way they do because of data collection by Big Tech. Fearing that their privacy will be compromised, consumers have grown to be less receptive towards paid ads. Hence, when Apple introduced its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature– which gives Apple users the choice to stop apps from tracking their online activities– it was praised by users for taking a step in the right direction towards privacy protection.

Undoubtedly, the limitations placed on data collection have had a huge impact on the digital advertising industry, since advertisers would not be able to track critical data that make ad placements more accurate. With lesser accuracy, the industry loses its appeal and is unable to continue charming brands to spend on paid ads. Apple’s ATT has been estimated to result in a loss of USD 10 billion in Meta’s revenue, and USD 546 million for Snap. 

What’s next? Build an in-house content marketing team. 

In facing the decline of the digital advertising industry, it is crucial that brands venture into other aspects of digital marketing to ensure further growth for their brands. So, what should brands start doing? Instead of spending large amounts of money in paid ads with lost credibility, brands should start investing in building in-house content marketing through hiring and capacity-building. 

What is content marketing, exactly? Content marketing is the development and distribution of valuable and useful content and information that are relevant to target audiences through various means. These include emails, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc. Simply put, it is the creation of strong content that evokes the emotions of target audiences. 

The current shift of focus to content marketing is also timely, as the social media landscape simultaneously moves into a content-driven economy. The proliferation of social media and technology in the last few decades has placed consumers in the driver’s seat to decide for themselves the kind of content they wish to see. With the abundance of information users come across daily, they’ve developed mental shortcuts to sieve out only meaningful and impactful content deemed worthy of their time. Hence, information put out by brands must be meaningful and impactful– they need to tell stories that consumers can resonate with to boost brand loyalty and conversions.

Having an in-house content marketing team has several advantages that can greatly benefit brands (this article does a great job explaining them). But to summarise, an in-house marketing team does a better job at ensuring sustainable business growth, especially for brands with a strong customer base. Of course, building a strong in-house team takes time, effort and capital. But the investment in building in-house content marketing teams can certainly yield better results than paid ads.

What is also crucial is that, with an in-house content marketing team, the marketing process is made dynamic, and brands are able to better adapt to changes as the business needs evolve. 

Unlike paid ads hiding behind obscured metrics, in-house teams are able to embark on a process that lets them continuously see what are the strategies that work, adjusting them accordingly in the right direction to ensure brand growth. In other words, having in-house teams means brands are able to put out more dynamic content that can definitely connect with their ever-evolving target audience in a more effective way.

(Check out this article to find out the roles in an in-house team, areas of focus, and how to ensure efficiency of the team.)

Conclusion

Safe to say, the digital advertising industry has lost its grip on brands. While paid ads may have been effective for brands in the 2010s, the decline in its growth rate in recent years clearly indicates that it’s time for brands to stop relying heavily on paid ads. Instead, the future of brand growth calls for brands to start developing and strengthening their internal capabilities, and going beyond basic advertising to adopting a holistic approach for more sustainable and meaningful brand growth.

Tangible is a brand strategy and business consulting firm, synergising our consulting and creative offers to give clients comprehensive solutions. We believe brands are strategic management tools that should go beyond simply delighting customers. For more information on how Tangible can assist you with your branding, or other related digital services, please contact us here.

Issue 39: Q1 2022

Issue 32: Q2 2020

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