Employer branding is a major challenge for agencies. A challenge both to attract new talent and to retain their employees. While many initially focus on their presence on specialized employment and work platforms, today this is no longer enough to make a difference.
85% of the agencies surveyed affirm that a candidate’s decision to join one agency over another will be determined by the agency’s reputation. An agency’s reputation encompasses many criteria: clients and budgets, its commitment to CSR issues, the spirit and overall atmosphere of the agency, and management style. We are Social puts it very well, “the true game changer for candidates is the agency’s reputation, word of mouth, and this also includes the famous ‘Call out your agency’ trend”. It is therefore crucial to develop your employer brand. Hopscotch Group places considerable importance on this and strives to develop projects as much as possible. “We try to constantly monitor employer branding topics”, explains Audrey Guillemain, HR Manager and Head of Employer Branding for the Group. “We are currently thinking about a project on the theme of freedom of time and space, always with the aim of improving working conditions for our employees” she adds. For now, Hopscotch won’t reveal more about the subject as it is still in the reflection stage. However, the Group has already implemented other projects, such as a solidarity day that gives employees the opportunity to spend a day working at an association. This day is not deducted from their salary and allows them to contribute to a cause close to their heart.
One of the essentials of employer branding is CSR. Today, CSR has become a priority for candidates and we are seeing far greater expectations on this subject. Agencies have understood this well and are developing CSR strategies to meet new environmental and social requirements. For example, the ODW agency is currently working towards obtaining the “Active Agencies” label. For its part, Hopscotch established its position on this issue 15 years ago and was the first agency to be certified as an eco-responsible agency. The group is redoubling its efforts to have a positive impact on environmental and social issues.
Now let’s look at the case of Dentsu, an agency that has become a purpose-driven company. Dentsu tells us about the beginning of this project. “The initial idea came from a young talent who was very committed to environmental and social issues” explains Marie-Laure Monet, Head of Strategy at Dentsu. “For this project to work, all employees had to take ownership and be full participants”. This is why 200 of them will be consulted to find the agency’s reason for being. Teams will be created to co-write and bring this purpose to life: “Choosing to design communication as a vector for social and environmental harmony”. This leads to 3 objectives: contributing to making communication more responsible, empowering each employee to be an agent of change at their level, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the sector. Dentsu now has the mission to honour these objectives, both internally and with their clients. This large-scale project should respond to the aspirations of candidates seeking meaning in their work and commitment in terms of CSR.
Most agencies also highlight the location of their premises, the setting of the workplace, and internal events (seminars, happy hours, etc.). This is the case with OP1C, which chose to establish itself in Roubaix but in an original setting—a large townhouse with a garden and a pétanque court. Lionel Damm, founder of OP1C, explains the agency’s deliberate choice, even though he is aware that Roubaix versus Lille could be perceived as a drawback for candidates, just as Pantin versus Paris might deter some Parisians. Overall, agencies agree that location and premises are definite assets for attracting talent. And that there is sometimes a delicate balance to strike to find the right combination of address & working environment that will win over candidates and employees.