How authentic is EB authenticity today? Show don’t tell – it’s time for employers to get immersive with their candidate experience

Let’s play word association. I give you a term, what do you immediately think of?

EVP and EB? 

For me, it’s authenticity. 

I can’t remember a conversation, a meeting, a presentation, a whitepaper touching on EVP which hasn’t referenced the idea of authenticity. The two seem very nearly synonymous. In essence, ours is an industry which strives to ensure that the working reality articulated through employer branding is captured with unswerving authenticity. 

It’s the industry equivalent of motherhood and apple pie. Hard to argue against. 

Let’s put aside for a moment that apparently authentic employer branding rarely mentions redundancies, scandals, internal politics, over-looked promotions, jammed printers, too hot offices, too cold offices, the leader who never says hello, the elusive bonus, the colleague who’s always sick on a Friday. And that list could have been a lot longer.

I’m going out on a limb here, but there’s a tendency for authenticity to be over-used and under-delivered.

It feels more like a polished authenticity, an enhanced reality.

“Authenticity in employer branding often feels like an overused term and ironically inauthentic, and this disconnect fosters cynicism and distrust. Candidates are attracted to the image a company presents—whether it’s a focus on learning, inclusivity, or flexibility—but the gap between expectations and reality can be significant”. Adele Swift, Talent Attraction and Recruitment Manager, Toolstation.

The question mark over the actual delivery of authenticity is made clearer through recent research from Gartner, which suggests that just 33% of employees report that their organisation is consistently delivering on the employee value proposition promises it makes. And 75% of HR leaders felt they were not doing a great job of communicating their EVP internally.

But should we go further than authenticity? Should we aspire to immersion?

Should we attempt, as best we can, to really open up an organisation to candidate audiences? Should we not allow these audiences to immerse themselves in our working culture before they decide whether this is the sort of environment they’d feel comfortable working in or not? 

“The key to long-term success for any employer brand is to ensure that what it promises and what it delivers are one and the same. That promise speaks to the organisation’s culture, values etc. Delivery is the actual experience of working there. Nothing good comes from an absence of alignment. What’s not reported in the Forbes and Robert Half statistics below, but possibly even more damaging, is the impact on existing employees. If the external portrayal of the organisation is true to their own experience, then that alignment will reinforce the psychological bond they feel. If it doesn’t, it can lead to cynicism among employees who are more likely to become employer brand saboteurs rather than ambassadors”. Mike Heal, MD, WDAD Communications.

Careers websites can feel very top down and corporate. Employees feel hidden away in the mix. Incidentals. The employment experience is happening to them, rather than them living it. They are passive. Personified in a few generic talking head videos, in which it’s hard to grasp real identity and differentiation. 

I’d much rather see them centre stage. Not bit players, but taking the lead. 

Right now, are they really conveying the true working environment an individual is going to find themselves in and part of? 

Do they immerse candidates in the working reality they may soon walk into? 

Your induction initiatives act as a form of immersion – but is that too late? 

Is the working culture communicated openly, effectively and honestly?

“Every workplace has its ups and downs, but these are easier to manage if the culture you were promised is actually present. For instance, if a company promotes a robust learning environment, you should notice signs of that within the first week or two. If the company claims to have an open and inclusive atmosphere, but no one engages with you socially, it’s easy to feel out of place. These initial impressions are critical”. Adele Swift.

Are organisations making the most of the technology available to bring their offer, their office, their people, their culture to life?

I’d rather we saw more employee ownership of the careers site. An organisation’s people should be the narrators, leading candidates through what they might expect – the challenges, the opportunities, the development, the culture, the communications, the personalities, the ups and the downs. 

Don’t tell people how authentic you’re being, show them. Immerse them in that authenticity, if you like.

Making a career move shouldn’t be a leap of faith, rather it should be a considered, well-informed decision. One made after real immersion into what a new organisation is really like. There shouldn’t really be surprises when a new employee walks through the entrance on day one. They should know what they’re signing up for.

“My first job interview, fresh out of college consisted of an all-day interview, with the other shortlisted competition for the role. Future managers and employees were present to answer questions and explain the culture. I was immersed from Day One. Got the job and loved it.

Where else can future talent seek informed information and understand more of what they are letting themselves into? Employee-generated social media may provide a better solution for immersing candidates. Often used to showcase culture and demonstrate real working life. If those employees utilised are really authentic, then perhaps give candidates the opportunity to communicate with them too”. Andy Hendon, Global EB Consultant (Formerly of Syneos Health & KPMG).

And, if such immersion isn’t happening, then we shouldn’t be surprised at some of the statistics around premature resignations. Forbes suggests that 30% of new hires leave their employer within their first three months, with a sizeable chunk departing within 45 days. Robert Half suggest that no less than 91% of new joiners actually consider leaving within their first month, with 28% carrying through. 

“Some sobering statistics here, indicating a stark mismatch between employer branding vs. the actual, lived employee experience. The word authentic is frequently used, but rarely does the employee experience reflect that. Trusting employees to lead and co-create employer branding, using a more immersive candidate approach, might be the way forward. Hearing right from the horse’s mouth about what it’s really like on the inside – warts and all, would not only build trust and clarify expectations, but also increase the likelihood of a better candidate/employer match in the end. Naomi Blackwell, Founder, Change Now Consulting.

Because of this lack of immersion, people are wandering haplessly, accidentally into new employers – for some it works, for the sizeable percentages above, it doesn’t. With all the actual and reputational cost to the business that this involves. 

“Immersive employer branding comes from being fully transparent with candidates – acknowledging that, while the company may be a great place to work, there are challenges. A hands-on, supportive candidate and onboarding process is key to helping new hires feel appreciated and committed from the start and how that is delivered is the true test of your employer brand”. Adele Swift.

The more open and immersive your organisation is about bringing new hires on board, the more such people are likely to embrace an employer they already know a lot about. 

Don’t tell people you’re a great place to work, show them.