Employer Brand – Help employees realize their dreams with responsibility, innovation and care
Usually at the end and beginning of a year, many HR service firms launch their “Best Employer Awards”. As companies are competing for talents, “Employer Brand” seems to become a more influential factor in job hunters’ decision making.
Reviewing the evaluation criteria of various awards, we found that salary and benefit are no longer placed at the center. More attention was given to employees’ personal development, corporate culture, and organizational management, etc.
Zhilian Zhaopin (智联招聘) announced the top five features of “2013 Best Employer” identified by the public. They are benefit improvement, employee dignity, fair play, opportunity for enhancing individuals’ core skills, and harmonious interpersonal relationship. Meanwhile, ChinaCampus.Org set up five dimensions in 2013 to assess Best Employer – salary and benefit, working environment, training and development, corporate culture, and organizational management. Additionally, China’s Top 100 Best Employer made its judgment based on nine standards, which include increasing rate of salary from the previous year, staff composition, salary, benefit, career path, increasing rate of recruitment, staff turnover, working environment, and corporate culture. Moreover, China’s Excellent Employer defined its criteria as salary, benefit, training and development, career development and corporate culture management.
“Responsibility”, “employees’ dream”, “innovation”, and “care” are frequently mentioned at the “ 2014 Best Employer” award ceremony. Let’s take a look at how the award-winning employers are turning these words into action.
Help employees realize their dreams by offering a variety of trainings, career developing paths, and localized talent development strategies.
Starbucks has excellent performance with regard to this aspect. The company always views its staff as partners. Starbucks(China) opened its own university in November 2012. Since then, it has constantly improved its Retail College, Leadership College and Professional Development College. In 2013, the average training time for an employee reached over 50 hours. There are more than 400 courses including coffee and culture, retail management, leadership and professional skills. Starbucks has also made tremendous efforts in upgrading the learning conditions for its staff. For example, it has developed online learning courses, micro-class learning, and seminars of how to manage the 90s generation. Currently, the construction of its WeChat learning platform and development program of high-potential talents are under way.
In addition to Starbucks, some local companies also perform well in this aspect. For example, JD.com has partnered with Continuing Education College at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics to launch “Studying in JD” Program. Its curriculum includes E-commerce supply chain management, E-commerce marketing and management etc. This program has attracted over 30,000 employees working in JD.com because it is convenient for them to have classes online and they can acquire a College degree within two and a half years.
Undertake corporate responsibility by promoting philanthropy and volunteer culture
Amway has long been strengthening its team cohesiveness through establishing volunteer culture. With 212 volunteer teams, 74,000 volunteers recruited since 2003, Amway has the largest corporate volunteer team in China. Amway provides a platform for its staff to unlock potential and exploit talent. Its staff can not only help others but also enrich their own life and strengthen team cohesiveness.
In addition to Amway, Atlas Copco finds a good way to connect philanthropy with Employer Brand. It set up scholarship program in Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology and Xinjiang University because these two universities have extraordinary scientific research strengths in mechanic design and manufacture. This is highly relevant to Atlas Copco’s business. In recent years, Atlas Copco has recruited many high-qualified talents because of the scholarship program. All of them have delivered excellent performance at work.
Care about staff by helping them balance work and life with innovative HR management mechanism
Shanghai Volkswagen has paid special attention to the innovation of HR management in order to increase employee satisfaction. Take their “breath strategy” as an example. When facing an increased market demand, Shanghai Volkswagen relieves work pressure and increases production by breathing in – adding shifts and workdays. When facing a shrinking market demand, it breathes out by staggering employees’ work hours. Shanghai Volkswagen also designed a 1-minute survey to understand employees’ feelings – how satisfied they are with the company and products; how pressured they feel about work; how much fun they are having at work.
Additionally, Degussa China has long been advocating for the balance between happy work and happy life. It actively promotes staff communication outside of work by organizing events such as dance class, fitness training, badminton, table tennis, tennis, basketball, karaoke competition, cooking competition, happy family day and new-year party, etc. Other than that, Degussa China values the children of its employees very much. It offers them medical insurance and invites them to join happy family day event. Some qualified children can even get an opportunity to join “ New Vision” International Exchange Program and International High School Scholarship Program.
In summary, “Best Employer Award” goes to those who pay attention to employees’ personal development, corporate culture and organizational management, etc. They take corporate responsibility, help staff realize their dreams, emphasize innovation and care employees to a large degree.