The power of a multi-team approach – A winning formula for successful employer branding

In today’s dynamic work environment, employer branding goes beyond mere marketing – it’s a holistic approach that demands collaboration across various departments. Our response to this challenge: an Employer Branding Multiteam.

As someone who’s been laying down the bass lines in a band for over ten years, I’ve experienced firsthand the magic that unfolds when diverse talents unite through a shared passion for music.

It’s this appreciation for diversity and collaboration that resonated deeply with me when I joined ING as an Employer Branding professional early last year. Here was a chance to be part of another ensemble, not of musicians, but of professionals from various departments coming together for a shared purpose.

In this article, I’d like to give you insight into the behind-the-scenes of our employer branding symphony at ING Germany. I’ll share the practices that have made our collaboration harmonious, the lessons learned from the occasional off-key moments, and how we tune our strategies to the changing rhythms of the job market.

How we built our Multiteam at ING Germany

We gathered the team—a vibrant mix of talents from External Communication, Internal Communication, Brand Experience, Recruiting, and Talent Management. Each brought their own unique spice to the table and finding our rhythm took a moment. Imagine trying to harmonize different music genres – or in our case different departments with different goals and different ways of working together. Not always easy

The secret sauce of our strategy

The HR marketing leadership duo: a partnership for success

At the heart of our Multiteam’s groove, it’s my colleague from Brand Experience and myself from HR. Together, we form the backbone of our Multiteam. We manage timelines, project tracking, and organize numerous stakeholder engagement sessions. Despite our different areas of expertise and occasionally divergent departmental goals, we’ve realized that our collaboration is crucial to addressing employer branding comprehensively.

Our distinct focuses – communication and candidate experience – complement each other, contributing to a comprehensive approach along the candidate journey funnel. Open communication and a shared understanding of each other’s goals and challenges are pivotal in our collaboration.

Creativity through collaboration

The collaboration of employees from different departments brings forth a multitude of perspectives and ideas crucial to the success of our employer branding initiatives. Although we faced challenges in standardizing our processes initially, we found that leveraging diverse skillsets leads to a fertile ground for innovation and creativity. Through our varied viewpoints and competencies, we’ve been able to develop innovative ideas that surpass conventional approaches.

Another advantage of diversity in our Multiteam is the ability to swiftly respond to changes and trends in the workforce. Furthermore, within the framework of our agile work culture, we’re inclined to experiment with new ideas.

Behind the scenes: our teamwork in action

So, how do we turn the concept of collaboration into the soundtrack of our day-to-day operations?

It’s all about syncing up with each other’s needs and aligning our goals. Here’s a look behind the scenes at how we bring our collaboration to life:

We’re in constant dialogue with our recruiters, closely listening to their needs and challenges. This goes beyond mere conversations; it’s about thoroughly understanding the nuances of open roles, areas with the greatest demand, and the complexities involved in attracting the right talent. Gaining these insights is crucial, allowing us to focus our efforts where they will have the most impact along the candidate journey, ensuring our initiatives resonate with our target audience.
We focus on content creation, finding that much of what we produce for external audiences may be equally effective internally. We act as a bridge, ensuring that our content engages both potential hires and our current employees. This approach not only economizes our resources but also strengthens our messaging across all fronts.
We place great importance on participating in career fairs and company events, using these platforms to showcase our brand. These events offer invaluable opportunities for direct engagement with potential new talent. They also provide content that enhances our presence on social platforms like LinkedIn, highlighting our culture to the broader public. So, we work together with the team both in planning these events and in generating post-event engagement. With this collaboration we ensure that our presence at such events is maximized.

Leveraging expertise outside the Multiteam: navigating departmental collaboration

Crafting messages that hit the mark with specific audiences requires not just creativity and alignment with our brand’s core values but also a deep understanding of the nuanced needs across different departments. Recognizing that our team doesn’t hold all the answers, we lean heavily on the specialized knowledge within various segments of our organization. This collaborative spirit becomes especially critical as we navigate the complexities of a tight talent market, aiming to attract candidates for very specific roles and skill sets.

To put this into action, we kick off each new project by distributing questionnaires to gather detailed insights from the relevant departments about our target demographics. This step ensures that our efforts are not just shots in the dark but informed strategies tailored to the real needs and opportunities identified by those who know their sectors best.

Moreover, we don’t shy away from bringing these departmental experts directly into our Employer Branding Multiteam. By inviting them to our planning sessions, we are able to gain perspectives that sharpen our initiatives and make them more impactful.

Our collaboration also extends to maintaining a strong connection with HR Business Partners, who serve as critical bridges between the broader business and our HR efforts. Their ability to translate the divisions’ needs and challenges into actionable insights for our employer branding campaigns is invaluable. This approach not only enriches our strategies but ensures that the initiatives we roll out bring tangible benefits to the organization.

Interested in building a Multiteam yourself? Here’s how you can cultivate a team synergy

With a team as diverse and sizable as ours, finding the sweet spot for effective collaboration is key. We rely on a few core practices that help us stay organized and cohesive. A tidy digital workspace, with clearly labeled folders and a well-structured collaboration tool, sets the foundation. But the real magic happens when we bring our meeting culture into play.

Our cornerstone is the bi-weekly team meeting, where we touch base on ongoing activities across the board. These sessions are crucial for maintaining the delicate balance of input and expertise from every corner of our team. In these gatherings, everyone – from any department – has the floor to shine a light on their current activities. It’s also a chance for my colleague from Brand Experience and myself to share updates on our key initiatives.
Beyond our regular meet-ups, we’ve broken down into smaller working groups focused on specific missions, such as content creation, strategic planning of our content plan or recruiting young talents. This setup not only sharpens our focus but also lets us leverage the unique skills each team member brings to the table.
Our highlight of the year is our annual retro and planning workshop. It’s a full-team gathering where we look back to celebrate our wins, reflect on the lessons learned, and set the strategic course for the coming year. Brainstorming sessions spark ideas for new projects, but what’s equally important is the open forum it provides for everyone to voice their thoughts on how we can enhance our teamwork moving forward.

This layered approach to collaboration with regular check-ins, specialized task forces, and comprehensive annual plannings ensures that we’re all aligned with our collective goals, driving the success of our employer branding journey.

Conclusion:

Reflecting on our journey, it’s the richness of our multi-team setup – drawing from a wide array of departments and their unique insights – that’s truly set the stage for our employer branding strategies in the last few years. It’s sparked innovation at every turn, allowing us to weave our narratives more thoughtfully and reach out in ways we hadn’t thought of before.

However, besides that working as part of our Multiteam has had other advantages for me personally: Thanks to the many different perspectives, I have learned a great deal of specialist knowledge and feel like I don’t become stuck in a silo as much. I have become more sensitive to compromises. And I believe that all of us in the Multiteam have truly been growing from the diversity in each other.

This approach has become more than our strategy; it’s our strength, reminding us daily that when we bring our diverse talents together, there’s almost no limit to what we can achieve.

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