Not for the first time over the last three years, the UK economy is entering troubled waters. The British Chamber of Commerce has announced a third downgrade of its forecast for UK GDP growth in 2011. And, just last week, the ONS revised UK economic growth down from a slender 0.2% to a positively emaciated 0.1% for the second quarter. At the same time, the Government is facing a stick or twist dilemma as it seeks to cut the deficit without choking off any recovery.
If that wasn’t enough, even the apparently very welcome recent hot weather has seen the population sunning itself rather than shopping. Great for the tan, a less positive outcome, however, for the nation’s retailers.
So, how should UK organisations respond? Batten down the hiring hatches and withdraw from the recruitment market as the economy goes through another thin patch? Or tough things out and remain committed to communicating a strong, confident, but realistic employer brand?
If the recession has taught us anything, it’s that consistency of message will benefit not only an employer brand but also business performance. If we contrast the fortunes of competitors such as BA and Virgin, Google and Yahoo!, it is those organisations who have remained true to the values and pillars of their employer brands, rather than viewing the employee value proposition as a tap to be turned on and off at whim.
Getting to the heart of your employee mindset 