HR branding may be considered a relatively new idea but the reality is HR is already branded. Ask anybody in any organisation and they will have an opinion about HR and not one that is always flattering.
Common complaints from HR people are that they are undervalued and not taken seriously; looked at as a cost centre rather than one that adds value. If these are the complaints then these are the perceptions of the workforce and that’s the brand image they see. Your job is to change that perception through brand management.
Like any branding process, you firstly need to clarify your brand characteristics; what do you represent; what is your brand promise?
You then need to consider interfaces and communication channels. What are the points of contact between HR and other parts of the business? All activities, systems and F2F encounters are the contact points and these need to be managed so that they are consistent with the brand image. It’s useless claiming a brand identity of a workforce enabler if your performance review system is so complicated that everybody loathes it. Similarly, it’s no good claiming you care about people if you don’t know anybody’s name and it’s futile to consider yourself a strategic partner if you don’t understand the needs of sales and production.
Therefore, the message is that it’s not enough to create a branding platform based on rhetoric which is not backed up by clear productive outcomes that reinforce the brand message.
Having got those factors aligned, you can explore your communication channels to ensure that you are including all means at your disposal including SMS’s but always remember the importance of real, personal contact. Be proactive and build relations, offer constructive suggestions beyond the core boundaries of HR and then you will not be perceived as a peddler of internal HR products created for the glorification and justification of a bloated HR department. If you have a bad internal press, you have only yourself to blame. The good news is, with the right approach, you really can rebrand HR. Get cracking!
There's a lot of stuff on branding on Youtube and I decided against a 'how to' video in favour of this more thought provoking piece - one you've thought, you can do the 'how to!'
