Employer branding is not just an HR topic; it forms the foundation of your corporate identity and translates core values and brand story into reality. “Your employer brand reflects who you are as a company, and that needs to be felt by every employee,” explains Maud van Vught, CEO and Creative Director at HLO Branding Agency.

For HLO, this means that employer branding is much more than sticking values on a wall.

“People need to feel: this is who we are”, Maud emphasizes. “That is the power of a strong employer brand.”

At HLO, a strong employer brand therefore starts with collecting and sharing stories within the organization. Brand Strategy Director, CEO Isabella van Reeuwijk adds:

“Many companies know what their vision and mission are, but the employer brand follows. You want current and potential employees to become fans.”

According to her, this only happens when values and culture are clearly and consistently communicated both internally and externally. Isabella: “The basis lies in how you interact with each other internally. That is the core of your employer brand. We show this by making employee stories central to the brand story, making them feel connected to the mission.”

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For broad support, HLO retrieves stories from within the organization through employer brand value workshops. “It's wonderful to see that employees can often already name essential values themselves that have drawn them to the company,” says HLO. These values are an integral part of the branding process and are an essential link for support and uniformity. This is an important part of 360° brand building.

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HLO sees that companies use core values as separate concepts. “It's often very abstract. But how powerful is it when those values are actually woven into daily practice?” explains Maud. She mentions an example of a client that initially communicated its social commitment only from management. When they changed this and allowed employees to choose local goals, it became a shared mission that really started to live in the organization.

This type of authenticity forms the basis of employer branding and makes employees proud of their workplace.

The consistency of a strong employer brand should be felt throughout the entire organization, from job postings to daily work experiences.

“You have to keep telling your story, both within and outside the organization,” says Isabella.

“When employees understand what you stand for, they can act as ambassadors.” The importance of employer branding becomes especially apparent during times of change, such as mergers or succession in family businesses. “In those moments, you want your vision and values to resonate throughout the organization. Your people are your most important brand ambassadors. Values shouldn't be rigid; they should allow for growth and improvement.”

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Employer branding is more than an HR task; it’s an extension of the company’s identity that comes together internally and externally.

“The clearer you are about who you are and what you stand for, the better you attract and retain the right people.”

Do you want to know even more about employer branding? Read our other insight.