Keeping It Real

Today’s social trends and workforce dynamics can no longer be looked at separately. As the line between the workplace and the larger social environment continues to blur, connecting the internal with the external has become increasingly essential to leading organizations.

For the past four years, Trendspotting@JWT has published an annual trends forecast. This widely disseminated and cited report identifies the key trends that will shape the world in the coming year.  JWT INSIDE, the employee relationship marketing arm of JWT, collaborated with Trendspotting@JWT for the first time this year to connect these societal trends with the current Human Resources landscape in order to develop a set of actionable insights for 2009.

This article focuses on a single trend - Authenticity - that JWT INSIDE believes will shape both internal communications to employees and external communications to candidates in 2009.

Why authenticity matters
In the wake of the financial crisis, brands once considered unquestionably reliable have lost their dependability capital, leaving consumers clamoring for truth and transparency.
While this trend is most apparent in the financial sector, it will surface across a range of categories over the next year. The ongoing revelations of corporate greed and misdeeds in the media have made the public increasingly skeptical of any brand’s claims, whether it peddles shampoo or retirement packages. People are demanding reliability and accountability and marketers will need to work harder to prove their brand is the authentic one - particularly since “authentic” has become so misused a term.
 
Use Web 2.0 technology to leverage this trend
To fully grasp how authenticity is determined, it is important to understand Web 2.0 technology and the role it plays. Let’s start with a short overview of key Web 2.0 characteristics
• It promotes sharing, dialogue, connection and collaboration – not just of facts, but of insights, experiences and opinions.  
• It is predominantly user-generated.
• It is about connecting people and distributing information in new and efficient ways.
• It can’t be controlled, but it can be influenced
Web 2.0 functionality has created a virtual authenticity test for brands that simply wasn’t possible in the past. Whether it’s the ability to record and post video, write a blog, or instantly express resentment or admiration for a brand to a network of thousands, the voice of the individual is more powerful than ever before.

Many companies’ slow uptake of social-based media is rooted in concerns over lack of control of their brand and message. Instead of being paralyzed by fear and a perceived lack of control, smart companies need to embrace this change. The dialogue may at times be uncomfortable, but ultimately it will lead to a better understanding of the organization and a stronger corporate identity.

Using employee-generated content is very cost-effective; however, it needs a solid strategy behind it. If companies can provide their employees with interesting material to share, discuss and collaborate on - and invite their participation in brand building,  the result is not only an engaged workforce, but also valuable content that can be leveraged in many places. An organization’s story should stem from thousands of unscripted conversations. No single story will define a company, but stories taken collectively will create an unmistakable employer brand.   
 
Encourage employee-generated content
Open dialogue and collaboration must first be developed internally to provide a means for the most passionate and talented employees to gain exposure to - and further educate and inspire - the workforce.  Identifying these internal thought leaders is the first step in   organically “mining” the authentic voices within your organization that will prove the most influential to external candidates.

In late 2007, Deloitte, one of the world’s foremost accounting and consulting firms,  launched its first-ever online Film Festival using  What's Your Deloitte?" as the theme. More than 2,000 employees participated, submitting more than 370 films expressing the organization's culture and values.  For Deloitte, this was a huge leap forward from its traditional approach to communications. Cathy Benko, Managing Principal of Talent, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, said of the Film Festival, “With the explosive growth of social networking sites and the mass democratization of film making, it’s very clear to us that the integration of self-expression opportunities through film and other media are essential to recruiting and retaining top talent.  Plus it's a heck of a lot of fun!" Deloitte went on to be named by BusinessWeek as number one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career” in 2007.

The Deloitte Film Festival was a wildly successful initiative in 2007 and helped earn them the top spot in BusinessWeek’s “Best Places to Launch a Career.”

Authenticity is not only derived from how organizations communicate, but also from where they communicate. However, the decision to use social media platforms for recruiting purposes should never be based solely on reach.  While media can place a message within a social networking environment, this approach is akin to placing a billboard on the side of a bus. However, if the message is well-targeted and executed correctly, your recruiters can be on that very bus, sitting next to a potential candidate, having a one-on-one conversation.

Step to the beat of your own drum
As described in the analogy above, in order to achieve the best results, recruiters must immerse themselves into targeted networks. However, treating social networks as a standard source of hire will not work because many companies fail to realize that in order to develop a social networking strategy they must first agree to be social themselves. The most successful recruiters are those who actively participate within the Web 2.0 community and develop a personal relationship with prospective candidates.

Keep in mind that every social network community needs to be approached differently. Sites such as LinkedIn are business/networking-focused, and immediate contact regarding professional opportunities is commonplace. Where appropriate, recruiters can further personalize their recruiting efforts by referencing a specific shared connection. Communities such as Facebook and MySpace require a somewhat more destination-oriented strategy for successful employment marketing.

Sodexo balances individuality with a cohesive brand on Twitter.

Another company leveraging social media in a holistic way is EMC. In a recent Web cast for the Human Capital Institute (www.humancapitalinstitute.org), Polly Pearson, EMC’s VP Employment Brand & Strategy Engagement talked about how the company became a leader in this space with a minimal budget and a large global organization to navigate.

EMC’s social media strategy relies heavily on a very engaged workforce to spread the word that “Exhilaration Lives” at EMC.

Ultimately, authenticity driven by the adoption of Web 2.0 platforms can make every one of your employees a part-time recruiter. The conversation is already happening. You need to be a part of it.

Pete Price and John Duffield, are digital strategists with JWT INSIDE, a WPP company specializing in employee engagement and recruitment communications. Tanya Krochuk is SVP, Marketing & Digital, for JWT INSIDE. For more information, please visit www.jwtinside.com.