How does your office space help your employer branding

By Lodha

Branding is an important marketing tool for any business organization. However, it is not limited to external factors like a website, advertising, etc. Your workspace is also an integral part of your branding efforts especially when you are looking out to hire new talent. Various studies have shown how office design affects the way businesses are perceived by potential employees and clients.

Extending your branding strategy to your workplace can help you deliver the right message to your prospective clients and help gain new businesses. However, branding is one space that has to be done thoughtfully to ensure a successful outcome. There is more to it than painting office walls or adding posters and danglers. In order to get the correct approach, one has to understand how this mechanism works.

Being authentic and transparent

A business leader brings his experience and insights on the plate when the team is planning to redesign the office space. The new design has to reflect his vision for the organization. Your branding efforts should put the spotlight on how real and transparent the work culture is at any given point of time. Every brand has a philosophy which should resonate through the office architecture so that a potential client or employee can get a clear picture of the business.

Keep a human approach

One of the first things that a job-seeker notices about an organization is its ability to think human. A company's approach towards human resource management can't be mechanical anymore. Asking for employee feedback is one of the right ways to understand what factors drive your employees' office behaviour. This 'employee first' approach is one of the key takeaways for potential employees and clients.

Think functional

Picture this: Your prospective client visits your office for the first time. He would expect it to be comfortable and spacious. A future employee would have similar expectations with his workplace. One must note that while employee comfort is of utmost importance, you can't overlook other aspects of an office space. Contrary to popular belief, a huge office space may not necessarily improve employee productivity. Likewise, A cluttered workstation could immediately put people off. Therefore, as a business leader, you must look into your office aesthetics with a keen eye. Think of incorporating a layout that turns your workspace into a spacious and functional unit. This layout must take into consideration various facets of an office unit like smart storage, optimal lighting, office traffic management patterns, etc. These could be highlighted as the unique features of your branding initiative.

Narrate a story

Every business has a unique back story. You could try to integrate this story into your office branding strategy. One or two office walls could be used to show the journey of your organization from its conception until today. You could also ask your employees to share some memorable moments within the office through a picture or story wall memoir. You could use a room or a small space within your office to display your achievements to motivate your current workforce. The way you portray your company vision could say a lot about your work culture.   

Accentuate employee experience

Employee experience is one aspect that is overlooked by many organizations. This could affect your employee retention rate too. Therefore, try to use different tactics to improve their experience with your company. Think about how you could add fun elements like a creational gaming zone or a small gym to help them let off some steam and show their competitive edge to their colleagues. You could also incorporate a flexible workstation design that fosters collaborative efforts and also reduces distractions when needed.

Workspace branding not only helps to differentiate you from your competitors but also internally boosts your workforce morale. It is something that will happen over a period of time and will help you bring out your distinctiveness.  

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