Building a Successful Employer Brand: The Siemens Case Study

In addition to creating a dynamic logo and developing the app, Siemens established a Medium blog dedicated to showcasing stories of employees worldwide engaged in various company divisions. This Medium blog serves as a meticulously curated hub for all 'Future Makers' narratives, spotlighting the diverse roles within Siemens. Weekly posts are featured on the blog and cross-promoted on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Siemens.com. Siemens places a strong emphasis on the individuals and their stories, emphasizing their valuable contributions to the company. The blog's editor note highlights this focus, stating:

“When our founder Werner von Siemens first scribbled down his electrical inventions in the 1800s, he couldn’t have known the impact his company was about to have on the world. More than 170 years later, we owe a lot to one individual. But we are also exceptionally proud to employ 351,000 of the world’s brightest minds who continue to create and progress ground-breaking products that shape the world we live in. That’s where Future Makers comes in. From helping to find the cure for cancer, to creating International Space Station windows, to teaching IT to thousands of young engineers in Mumbai, our people share what it’s really like to work with us. This is their platform, their voice, their story” (Future Makers, 2018).

Evaluation

The outcomes of the campaign were as follows:

• 99% of employees reported feeling more connected to the business and its overarching mission.
• 98% of employees emphasized that they now had a better understanding of the company, its culture, and values.
• 98% of employees stated that they felt more engaged at work.
• Siemens' Careers & Jobs portal experienced a 55% Month-on-Month surge in visits, along with a 67% increase in the average time spent on the Siemens Careers & Jobs website.
• The Medium 'Future Makers' blog garnered over 100k views.

Siemens successfully adopted a new strategy by placing employees at the forefront of discussions, leading to increased attraction, retention, and development of top talent. This shift towards a more inclusive and engaging corporate culture challenged traditional structures and conservative thinking, emphasizing the significance of individual employees and their unique stories within the company. Consequently, Siemens fostered a fresh environment where each employee had a voice and actively contributed to a culture of dialogue. Rosa Riera underscores this approach, stating, "We are a global company, but we have leaned on local employees and filmed different films for each region. People need to see themselves to really connect with the story" (Kemp, 2017).

Assessment and Management of Risk

The main concern with the ‘Future Makers’ campaign is that the company has to keep its promises made during campaign’s implementation. It would be frustrating both for the new employees and the company if, after experiencing a nice virtual Siemens reality, employees find themselves in a bureaucratic environment with long processes and traditional management structures. Riera stresses that talented young people enjoy autonomy and flat hierarchies, and that they prefer to work on interesting projects during which they can realise their ideas.

According to research conducted by Glassdoor, an employment website enabling individuals to anonymously rate their companies, a company's values and culture play a significant role in shaping its reputation as a desirable employer (Bersin, 2017). The study indicates that, beyond salary and benefits, employees emphasize the importance of investing in leadership, fostering a positive company culture, and promoting employee development when deciding whether to recommend their company as an appealing workplace. Additionally, many employees seek employment that provides personal value and meaning. Specifically, individuals under the age of 35 consider 'career opportunities' as the primary driver of an employment brand. The ability to advance and thrive in their roles stands out as the leading factor influencing job satisfaction and future earnings for this demographic. Consequently, companies fostering a culture of learning and career growth are poised for success in terms of innovation, sustained growth, and employee retention, outperforming peers that resist adaptation.

Hence, Siemens needs to formulate and implement precise procedures and processes aligned with the messaging conveyed in their 'Future Makers' campaign to prevent potential crises and protect their reputation. As a sizable corporation with diverse divisions worldwide, effective coordination is crucial to ensure clarity for both the employer and employees regarding their current standing and future direction.

Recommendations for Improvement

Drawing upon the examination and assessment of the 'Future Makers' campaign, the following recommendations aim to enhance it:

• Set SMART objectives – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound – as they contribute to more effective outcome measurement. The campaign is ongoing, but it is crucial to define a specific timeframe for assessing the results.

• Siemens operates in various locations with employees hailing from diverse cultural backgrounds, each with a unique approach to work. Therefore, it is essential to formulate objectives with cultural considerations in mind and assess outcomes accordingly. Additionally, both inputs and outputs should be evaluated from this cultural perspective.

• Following the campaign, existing employees have transformed their perception of Siemens, gaining a deeper understanding of its values and culture. However, there is no information provided regarding potential employees and candidates. Further research is needed to ascertain whether these individuals comprehend the company's culture, values, mission, and vision. Conducting a dedicated study on this topic will enable the company to identify potential employees, gather insights on their perceptions of the company and work environment, and understand their views on the application process, interviews, and overall recruitment procedures.

• The Medium blog was established to enhance the brand's visibility among both current and potential employees. During the evaluation phase of this initiative, it is advisable to employ more targeted social media metrics. Metrics such as likes, shares, and comments can offer insights into the resonance of the content with the audience. Additionally, tracking metrics like exposure, engagement, influence, and action can provide valuable data. Merely assessing the number of blog views is insufficient, as it does not provide insights into audience behavior.

• In addition to the blog, it is crucial to engage in social media listening to monitor any discussions about the campaign. Setting clear goals and outcomes, evaluating both quality and quantity, and analyzing the content are essential components of the evaluation process.

• Distributing press releases to pertinent journalists could be a valuable strategy to enhance awareness of the campaign and position Siemens as the 'employer of choice.' However, it's noteworthy that the company did not actively engage with the media during the campaign, leading to a lack of media evaluation.

• Communication and public relations professionals should employ transparent evaluation methods to demonstrate to both employees and clients the origin of the data and the analytical process applied.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the increasing challenge of attracting top talent has driven companies to prioritize and enhance their reputation as employers. The growing emphasis on job satisfaction and a motivating work environment has made employer branding a top priority for numerous organizations. The current case study sheds light on the strategies employed for successful employee branding, while also highlighting areas where further improvements in strategy and tactics could contribute to even greater success in attracting and retaining top talent.