Learning from others

In this chapter, we look at practice: how do other organizations successfully build their employer brand? You'll see examples of organizations that stand out with their employer branding approach. Their stories will help you generate new ideas for your own organization.

IKEA: employees as best ambassadors

At IKEA, they know: a strong employer brand starts with your own people. The Swedish home furnishing store is known for its clear brand identity. You can see this identity reflected in how they position themselves as an employer.

The company sought to discover what employees truly value in their work. Through conversations and research, IKEA gathered insights about their motivations, values, and needs. The brand involves employees in telling their employer story. They share their experiences on social media and during recruitment events. This results in authentic stories that show what it's really like to work at IKEA. The company provides employees with the space and tools to do this – such as guidelines for social media use.

This approach works: IKEA's employer brand is considered credible. That's because the employee stories are genuine. Employee engagement also increased since they allowed them more space to share their work stories.

What you can learn from this

Involve your employees early in developing your EVP. They know better than anyone what makes working at your organization valuable.

• Give employees clear tools for sharing their stories. Think about example posts, dos & don'ts, and technical explanations.
• Be prepared for critical voices when you ask employees to share their experiences. This openness is what makes your employer brand credible.
• Measure the impact of your ambassador program. Look at social media reach, but also at internal engagement.

Spotify: join the band

Spotify chose its own path in employer branding by using music as a common thread. With their slogan "Join the Band," they invite people to become part of their musical organization. A clever choice that directly connects to what the company stands for.

The music metaphor appears everywhere. Just like in a band, teams work together on new ideas and solutions. They encourage people to experiment and explore new paths. At Spotify, you get the space to develop your own 'sound'.

Employees themselves tell what it's like to work at Spotify. They share stories about their projects and the atmosphere within the company. This gives applicants a good picture of what to expect. These aren't polished stories, but honest glimpses into daily practice.

This approach works well for Spotify. They attract people who love innovation and creativity. Through the band metaphor, new employees quickly feel at home - after all, they're part of the same 'band' with a shared goal.

What you can learn from this

Find a metaphor that fits your organization. This helps you tell a coherent story.

• Share concrete examples of how your company culture looks in practice. Avoid vague terms like 'innovative' or 'dynamic'.
• Ensure your employer brand aligns with your commercial brand. At Spotify, these perfectly reinforce each other.
• Stay realistic: too distinctive an employer brand might also deter people who would actually be a good fit.

HubSpot: building a culture code that resonates

HubSpot demonstrates how a tech company can create an exceptional employee experience from first contact through the entire employee journey. The company's employer branding starts with their innovative onboarding program, "HubSpot Academy," where new hires spend their first month immersing themselves in both the technical and cultural aspects of the organization.

Each new employee is paired with a "Culture Guide" - an experienced colleague who helps navigate the initial months. This mentorship program exemplifies HubSpot's commitment to their "Grow with HEART" values (Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, Transparent). The company's radical transparency extends to publishing their Culture Code deck online, giving potential candidates deep insight into their work environment.

Even candidates who don't receive offers experience HubSpot's thoughtful approach. They receive detailed feedback and professional development resources, maintaining positive relationships with potential future talent or customers. The company reinforces its culture through continuous learning initiatives, including tuition reimbursement, free books, and employee-led "HubTalks."

What you can learn from this

• Start building relationships before day one - consider pre-boarding activities that introduce company culture.
• Structure your mentor program with clear guidelines and regular check-ins.
• Ensure your onboarding reflects your core values - HubSpot's transparency shows in everything they do.
• Create value for all candidates, not just successful ones.
• Document and share your culture publicly to attract aligned talent.
• Invest in continuous learning to demonstrate commitment to employee growth.
• Empower employees to become culture ambassadors through knowledge-sharing.
• Practice transparency to build trust and attract candidates who share your values.

MI6: transforming intelligence service recruitment through inclusive branding

MI6 (the British Secret Intelligence Service) launched a groundbreaking employer branding strategy in 2024, challenging traditional stereotypes and winning gold for "Best Employer Brand Innovation" at the Employer Brand Management Awards. Their approach focused on transforming the organization's image from a "white, middle-class male organization" to an inclusive employer of choice.

The organization implemented comprehensive diversity campaigns, featuring authentic stories from diverse employees, including "Kwame," a Black director who shared insights about career opportunities on BBC Radio 1Xtra. MI6 modernized its recruitment methods, moving away from traditional "tapping up" approaches to more inclusive strategies. They incorporated advanced technology, including automated psychometric testing and video assessments, to evaluate candidates objectively based on emotional intelligence and technical skills.

This innovative approach yielded significant results, increasing applications from underrepresented groups and establishing MI6 as a progressive employer. The organization effectively challenged the James Bond stereotype while emphasizing exciting career opportunities accessible to people from all backgrounds.

What you can learn from this

Always tell your employer brand story from the employee's perspective - what does it mean for them?

• Challenge industry stereotypes through authentic employee stories.
• Modernize recruitment processes to eliminate bias.
• Use technology to ensure objective candidate assessment.
• Target underrepresented communities through relevant channels.
• Balance tradition with innovation in employer branding.

Patagonia: sustainability as the core of employer branding

Outdoor brand Patagonia proves that a clear social mission forms the basis for a strong employer brand. The company has been committed to nature conservation since its founding in 1973. This vision attracts employees who want to contribute to a better world.

The employment conditions align with this mission. You determine your own working hours, so you can surf when there are good waves. Annually, you can do volunteer work at a nature organization while keeping your salary. And if you get arrested during a peaceful climate protest, Patagonia pays your legal costs.

The company encourages employees to commit to a sustainable future outside work hours as well. You get time and resources to participate in activist networks. Patagonia also organizes workshops on civil disobedience and training in nature conservation.

This authentic approach works. Employee turnover is minimal, and open positions attract hundreds of applicants. People consciously choose Patagonia because of the combination of meaningful work and progressive employment conditions.

What you can learn from this

An employer brand becomes stronger when it stems from your organization's reason for existence.

• Dare to distinguish yourself with different employment conditions that match your identity.
• Follow through: if sustainability is important to you, facilitate employees' personal contributions as well.
• Be authentic - people see through a superficial green image.
• A strong employer brand doesn't necessarily attract the most candidates, but rather the right ones.

Teach For America: inspiring young talent through purpose-driven employer branding

Teach For America (TFA) demonstrates excellence in employer branding targeted at young professionals. This non-profit organization has developed an innovative approach that strongly resonates with emerging talent while advancing its mission to ensure educational equity.

TFA's strategy centers on meeting potential candidates where they are - primarily on social media platforms like Instagram. They share authentic "day-in-the-life" content created by current corps members and staff, giving candidates genuine insights into the organization's culture and impact. Their career website features compelling statistics demonstrating the tangible difference candidates can make by joining TFA.

The organization leverages its current members as brand ambassadors, creating authentic content that showcases real experiences. This employee-generated content builds credibility and demonstrates that TFA delivers on its promises. Their consistent messaging across platforms emphasizes both personal growth opportunities and societal impact, appealing to young professionals' desire for meaningful work.

What you can learn from this

Know your target audience - where can you find them and what appeals to them?

• Understand your target audiences’ preferred communication channels and habits.
• Share authentic, employee-generated content that gives realistic job previews.
• Quantify your organization's impact to demonstrate meaningful outcomes.
• Maintain consistent messaging across all platforms.
• Empower employees to become brand ambassadors.
• Balance highlighting both professional development and social impact.
• Use multimedia content to showcase workplace culture and daily experiences.
• Focus on platforms where your target audience spends their time.
• Create opportunities for potential candidates to engage directly with current employees.

KPMG: personalization on the career website

KPMG is a global organization of independent professional services firms. The company uses personalization to welcome applicants uniquely on their career website. When visiting the site, you're greeted by a hostess in a video. She asks for your name and then addresses you personally. Afterward, you can choose from different work areas to discover more about.

KPMG picked this approach to distinguish itself from other large accounting firms. Research indicated that candidates often saw the company as formal and hierarchical. In reality, new employees noticed a personal approach once they started working at KPMG. Through the video introduction on the website, KPMG now shows their human side from the first contact.

After choosing a work area, you can watch various videos about the function and department. This gives you a good picture of the work and atmosphere. KPMG thus uses video to welcome visitors personally, offer the right information, give a realistic picture of the work, and show their human side.

What you can learn from this

Video is a good medium to make your employer brand personal.

• Ensure your online experience matches what it's really like to work for you.
• Think about the first moment of contact - this is where your employee journey begins.
• Dare to innovate in your employer branding, even as a large company.
• Personalization makes the difference between a standard and a special experience.

David Allen Company: revolutionizing work through holacracy

The David Allen Company, renowned for the Getting Things Done® (GTD) methodology, demonstrates how innovative organizational structures can enhance employer branding. Their implementation of holacracy over the past years showcases their commitment to employee autonomy and workplace satisfaction.

The company has eliminated traditional management layers in favor of self-organizing teams ('circles'). This structure emphasizes roles and responsibilities rather than hierarchical positions, with regular tactical meetings ensuring efficient team coordination. The approach has yielded significant benefits: smoother organizational changes, increased transparency in financial communications, faster decision-making, and heightened employee engagement.

Their holacratic system has proven particularly effective during restructuring, enabling changes with minimal internal politics. Financial information flows more accurately, and decision-making authority is clearly defined. Employees report feeling more connected to the company's mission due to their increased influence over work processes.

What you can learn from this

A different business vision can distinguish you as an employer.

• Use organizational structure as a key differentiator in your employer brand.
• Balance employee autonomy with clear processes and accountability.
• Create transparency in communication and decision-making.
• Implement regular feedback systems for continuous improvement.
• Measure and communicate the impact of structural changes.

Wegmans: building a strong workforce through employee networks

Wegmans, a family-owned supermarket chain in the northeastern United States, has developed a highly successful recruitment strategy leveraging existing employee social networks. Their approach combines traditional referral programs with modern social media engagement to create a powerful employer brand.

The company actively encourages current employees to recommend friends and family for positions, offering bonuses for successful referrals. They complement this with a strong social media presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where employees share behind-the-scenes content and authentic workplace experiences. The simplified application process, especially for part-time and entry-level positions, makes it easy for interested candidates to join the team.

Their emphasis on workplace culture and "family feeling" has yielded impressive results: an annual turnover rate of just 17% (significantly below industry average) and consistent recognition in Fortune's "Best Companies to Work For" list for 25 consecutive years. The company's focus on creating a positive, social work environment particularly resonates with young employees.

What you can learn from this

• Leverage existing employee networks through structured referral programs.
• Create an accessible, streamlined application process.
• Use authentic employee content on relevant social media platforms.
• Build a strong family-oriented workplace culture.
• Maintain focus on employee retention through a positive work environment.