Show’s Introduction

Welcome to a brand new episode of the Digital Adoption Show, your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and innovative strategies in today’s dynamic work environment. I’m your host, Abhirami Prakash, Team Lead for Sales Development at Whatfix. In this episode, we’ll get inside the mind of an employer branding guru, Bryan Adams.

Guest’s Introduction

We’re so excited to have Bryan on our podcast today. Bryan is the CEO and founder of PH Creator, a top employer branding agency known worldwide. With over 19 years of experience, Bryan has shaped the way we think about employer branding, working with big names in the industry like Apple, American Airlines, and Blizzard Entertainment.

His fresh and sometimes bold ideas have made him a key figure in the industry, always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in employer branding and employer value propositions. Bryan is more than just a leader in his field; he is a best-selling author, a podcaster, and a speaker who knows exactly how to engage and inspire his audience.

His books, “Give and Get Employee Branding” and “Geothic Boost Funds” explore the deep connections between brands and people. His talks are full of energy and insights, whether he’s discussing marketing, attracting talent, or creating unforgettable customer experiences. Bryan’s work and ideas have been featured in major publications, including the Financial Times, showcasing his commitment to helping organizations achieve great results by truly understanding the core nature of their people and business.

Bryan is behind the success of PH Creative, an agency that stands out for its dedication to understanding clients deeply, designing unique experiences, and delivering results that matter. They are known for building close relationships with their clients, following Bryan’s belief in the “Jerry Maguire” strategy—focusing on fewer clients but with more personalized attention.

As we dive into today’s conversation, get ready to be inspired by Bryan’s passion, innovation, and dedication to making a difference in the world of employer branding. Welcome to our podcast today, Bryan.

The Digital Pulse:

Absolutely. Before we dive into our main discussion today, let’s kick this off with our new segment, the Digital Pulse.

This is where we try to connect the dots between passion and profession, uncovering how individual journeys shape visionary leadership. So, Bryan, is there a passion or activity outside of work that’s particularly close to your heart?

Uncovering Passion: Storytelling

Bryan: You know, thinking about what connects the dots, I’ve got to say it’s got to be storytelling. Outside of work, I’m a huge movie fan. I love going to the cinema and watching movies with my son. Not just being entertained by stories, but deconstructing them. And then, inside our company, storytelling is huge. The story structure and how to communicate effectively. So that’s a passion outside of work, and it definitely bleeds into my day-to-day business life as well.

Host: That’s really lovely to hear. It’s really hard to sometimes stop something that you’re passionate about and really draw the line at the end of a workday. So that’s great.

Rapid Fire: Triple Strike

Next, we move to our short rapid-fire round, the Triple Strike, as we like to call it, where we ask our guests three quirky questions and expect a fun answer to get a deeper glimpse into their minds. Are you ready to be Triple Striked, Bryan?

Bryan: I am ready.

Host: All right, let’s go.

Quirky Questions and Fun Answers

Host: So, Bryan, question one: If you could chat with any animal, which one would it be, and what is the first thing you would ask it?

Bryan: I think it would be a dolphin because they always look like they’re having fun and they zip around the ocean. I’ve been deep-sea diving a number of times, but I’d love to know, like, what is beyond the depths that humans go to? What’s down there? What are we missing?

Host: Yeah, absolutely. That’s a very interesting answer. On to our question number two: If you were to win a million dollars today in the lottery, how would you use it?

Bryan: I think I would immediately buy a vacation home in Italy, more specifically in the heart of Tuscany.

Host: Really smart thinking. And why Tuscany?

Bryan: Well, I was supposed to get married there a few years ago, and it didn’t quite work out, but we’ve vacationed there as a family a number of times. I just think it’s one of the most beautiful, magical places on earth. I absolutely love it.

Host: Oh, that’s lovely to hear. I hope you make it to Tuscany really, really soon. Last question: If you could have any celebrity as a best friend, who would it be and why?

Bryan: This is a tough one, but controversial. I’m going to go with Tom Cruise because I’m a secret, not-so-secret Tom Cruise fan. I love all of his movies, and I really admire how he goes about pushing himself in his career. And, of course, the Jerry Maguire strategy is part of our business: fewer clients, more personal relationships. So, definitely Tom Cruise.

Host: Perfect. I kind of had a feeling you might say that, given the Jerry Maguire ethos.

Bryan’s Journey: From Adversity to Success

Host: Bryan, why don’t you tell our audience a little more about yourself and also maybe the story behind what really inspired you to dive into the world of employer branding and start PHCreative?

Bryan: Yeah, absolutely. So, 20 years ago next month will be the day I started PHCreative. It all started spontaneously after I was treated quite mean and poorly by a boss at the time. Right. Who shouted at me in front of about 50 people and made me feel like I was about four inches tall. So I just spontaneously went home that night, didn’t go back, and started PHCreative.

Host: Wow. I think if your boss could look back now, I think over the years, that would truly be a huge moment right there. And I’m really glad that that spiraled your career and how.

Bryan: Absolutely, as am I.

The Birth of PHCreative

Bryan: The very next day, I was determined to prove that I could start a successful company and not be a horrible person in the pursuit of success. We started as a general design, branding, and marketing agency. It wasn’t until a good few years later that we began working with brands in the recruitment space. We found this more interesting than working with marketing departments. HR people tended to be a little bit nicer to us. They also answered the phone when we called them up. It was easier to win business. So we took the plunge and started to really niche down and focus specifically in this space. The day we made that decision was a very good day for the organization. We started to grow, and it took us on a weird and wonderful journey that has been fantastic.

Host: Perfect. So Bryan, you’ve been building your company for nearly 20 years, if not more. What would you give credit to really for the success of your company today?

The Pillars of Success: People and Mentorship

Bryan: I think the short answer to this is other people, but other people in many different forms. Early on in my business career, I nearly went out of business several times. It was different people coaching and mentoring me that helped me navigate tricky and dicey waters. The biggest thing I’ve always taken away from coaching and mentoring and having people around you is daring to think differently and stepping outside of the day-to-day to really spend time working on the business, not in the business.

Something I do every year now is write a plan for the year, usually around New Year or Christmas time. I’ll come back to that plan and try to think bigger, maintaining a mindset of thinking bigger and not being limited by limited beliefs. The big one that has always served me well over the last 20 years is surrounding myself with really smart, talented people that I can trust, listen to, take counsel from, and just focus on supporting them to do their thing. So, other people is the short answer.

Host: No, that’s really amazing. I think at the end of the day, an organization is as good as the people backing it. That truly speaks volumes right there.

Standing Out in Employer Branding: PHCreative’s Unique Approach

Host: Every company wants to be a great employer brand. What are you doing differently at PHCreative for your clients? How are you achieving success in this space?

Bryan: We’ve made a name for ourselves with a distinctive approach that’s served us well. Rather than approaching employer branding the same as every other agency in our space, we focus on the concept of a two-way value exchange. We’ve been around for a long time, and we’re one of the founding companies in this space. Instead of just highlighting the strengths, benefits, and opportunities of a workplace, we also clearly articulate what is expected in return.

The Give and Get Methodology

Bryan: By embracing the adversities and harsh realities inside an organization, candidates have more information to decide whether they have what it takes to thrive or survive. This give and get methodology allows candidates to make better career decisions. They can judge for themselves if the company is a good fit, envision themselves in the organization, and ultimately make better decisions. This approach sets us apart from other agencies. In fact, we’ve changed the industry, and now the give and get methodology is a standard approach in employer branding, which we are really proud of.

Host: That’s amazing. The loyalty of your clients over the years speaks volumes to that as well.

Effective Employer Branding: Attract and Repel

Host: Bryan, you’re also the author of two amazing books. One excerpt from your book, “Give and Get Employer Branding,” that truly fascinated me was: “The most effective employer brands don’t attract candidates; they repel them.” Can you elaborate on that?

Bryan: Absolutely. The more clear and confident an organization is about who they are and what they offer, the clearer it becomes who isn’t a good fit. Specificity in what it takes to grow your career and add value to an organization helps candidates understand the challenges, obstacles, commitments, sacrifices, adversities, and harsh realities that are part of the employee experience. Not everyone will be attracted to this proposition, and that’s okay.

We don’t aim to be generally attractive and increase applicants to the point where it’s difficult to maintain a good candidate experience. Instead, we see employer branding as a smart filter rather than just a magnet. For every candidate considering a role, there are likely more who aren’t a good fit. By setting a clear decision point for your talent audience, your employer brand adds value and helps both the company and the candidates. The idea is that you will repel more people than you attract, and that’s the secret to creating a compelling brand. It’s about not being afraid to turn off those who aren’t a good match.

Host: That’s really insightful. Thank you for sharing that directly with us.

Emerging Trends in Employer Branding

Host: You work very closely with big brands in defining their EVP strategies. What are some emerging trends in employer branding?

Bryan: Some of the trends this year are a carryover from last year. One major challenge organizations face is returning to the office. Maintaining positivity around your brand while forcing employees to return to the office is difficult, especially when this upheaval causes significant changes in their lives.

Another trend is the AI revolution. Leaders are under pressure to add shareholder value by replacing jobs with AI. They must do this with dignity, compassion, and empathy, ensuring their company remains a great place to work.

We’ve also seen a slight overcorrection in diversity efforts, leading to hesitancy in maintaining the brand equity built over the last two years due to political and social reasons. This makes maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion precarious for many organizations. On top of that, the economy’s volatility, civil unrest, and potential wars create an environment of change and uncertainty for many companies. The common theme is dealing with change.

Navigating Employer Branding Challenges

Host: Can you share an example of a potentially challenging situation in the world of employer branding?

Bryan: Imagine an organization mandates employees to return to the office after transitioning to work from home over the past two or three years. Employees may have relocated, their spouses might have jobs that require them to be local, and they might need to sell their house and uproot their children. This is a potential minefield for organizations, leading to the loss of employees who then need to be replaced.

Replacing thousands of people spread across an entire country and suddenly needing them in one city is a massive challenge. Through all this, maintaining relevance, attractiveness, and productivity is crucial, and employer branding plays a huge role. This is a significant real-life challenge many organizations face today.

Host: Is there a way you would advise to approach this challenge?

Bryan: Absolutely. Strategic decisions need to align with communications and there needs to be a plan from an employer branding perspective. Transparency, regular communication, and reminding people of the organization’s value are key. Highlighting stories of employees who have successfully navigated the challenge can be compelling. Aligning the company’s strategic decisions with effective communication can help bring people along on the journey.

Measuring Success in Employer Branding

Host: How do you measure the success of an employer branding effort? Are there specific metrics or feedback to look out for?

Bryan: Key metrics to track include quality of hire and the percentage of valued applicants. For every hundred or thousand applicants, how many are truly qualified and valuable? From an employee perspective, metrics like employee happiness, net promoter scores, engagement levels, and referral metrics indicate general happiness. Retention metrics, such as regrettable loss, tell you how many leaving employees you wish would stay.

Additionally, align employer branding metrics with existing business priorities. If hiring creatives or technical experts is crucial for innovation, measure the effectiveness of employer branding in attracting these candidates. The trick is to align with business metrics and priorities.

Refreshing or Developing an Employer Brand

Host: If a company is looking to refresh or develop their employer brand, what advice would you give them as a starting point?

Bryan: Everything starts with research. Ensure your employer brand aligns with the business direction and has longevity beyond three to five years. The EVP should reflect how it feels to be part of your organization and what is expected from employees. This involves pulse-checking themes and ensuring they remain relevant.

Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups with a diverse cross-section of employees. Ensure you include different levels of seniority, tenures, and geographic locations. Data tells you what, but people tell you why. Listen to employees to understand their preferences, priorities, and the attributes needed to thrive in your organization. This builds a meaningful and compelling employer brand.

Conclusion

Host: This has been a wonderful discussion. Bryan, your perspectives on employer branding have been incredibly insightful. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. To our listeners, explore these enlightening conversations on the Digital Adoption Show across all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, YouTube, and more. Whether you’re at home or on the go, our podcast is your gateway to learning trends and digital adoption. I’m your host Abirami, signing off for the day. Stay tuned for more engaging and informative episodes coming your way.