For those who don’t know much about employer brand management and how this should be integral to the success of every business, it is definitely worth reading this book.
The author, Richard Mosley, executive vice-president of brand strategy at TMP Worldwide (New York) came from a background in customer and corporate brand marketing believing that by bringing both marketing and human resources together it would create a powerful combination to attract and keep great talent. Mr Mosley has led more than 50 employer brand development projects all over the world and much of his research, insight and new thinking is shared very eloquently in this book.
From start to finish you can feel the passion, and labour of love that has gone into writing this book. It is packed with rich data and research from a wide range of industries and global companies around the world, the case studies provided in the book give a rare and refreshing insight into the employer brand journeys from companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Allianz and The Lego Group.
In reading this book, the reader truly embarks on a full and colourful learning journey of exploration through the world of employer brands. There is so much analysis and information that you need to take time to absorb and reflect on the great advice and experience that Mosley shares. I looked forward to the start of every new chapter, which delved into an interesting historical story or famous person, from Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution linked to a chapter on brand hierarchy and adaption, through to Elvis Presley and his life story linked to a chapter on content marketing, making light and interesting comparisons between the past and now.
The book provides everything that a leadership team would need to take back into their businesses to build a new employer brand strategy. It walks you through the elements of building a business case, to help you reduce costs and add value, providing guidance on brand ideology and allowing the reader to join up the dots of vision, mission, values and purpose, through to corporate strategy and talent strategy giving a holistic business view.
In addition, the book provides an insight into the employee through the lens of different companies explaining what their perception of ‘the perfect employee’ is, which, of course, is very different for each. What is invaluable is how and why these companies defined their perfect employee and then how they approached building an employee value proposition to successfully drive talent attraction, employee development and performance management and diversity.
The book delves into all of the different theories and approaches to managing and retention of talent and describes the evolving requirement to adapt approaches as a result of the fast-changing technological world around us, through communication, social media, exploring the expectations and needs and wants of a workforce of the future.
I found Richard Mosley’s book thought-provoking and insightful, enjoyable and quirky. You would expect nothing less from an author whose own employer brand education began with the Nuba tribe in the Sudan, and who has captured his knowledge and expertise from experiencing and studying different cultures from around the world. A must-read for leaders of people and businesses.
Lisa Winnard is HR Director of Sesame Bankhall Group
