HR Professional - December 2007/January 2008 - (Page 29)

Mike Symington, easy on the cologne. We all know you are here. We take care of our employees. ﬂexible hours • scholarships • discount card Be in demand ©2007 McDonald’s. MCDONALD’S CANADA FOCUSED ON WHAT IT IDENTIFIED AS IMPORTANT TO ITS TARGET AUDIENCE. ee segment, and then used that knowledge to appeal to potential candidates. Recently, McDonald’s chose to target young people; but it had to close the gap between young peoples’ perception of work at McDonald’s and the reality. McDonald’s identified factors that were important to its youthful target, such as a sense of individuality and belonging. It then matched their findings to the attractive aspects of working at the chain, such as uniform choices, schedule flexibility and scholarships. Tracking results, McDonald’s saw a surge in the number of young people who recognized the company as a great place to work. Creating the right media mix With a compelling employment brand and solid understanding of target employee segments, the key to reaching the right audience is a strategic use of channels. Integrating mediums like out-of-home, print, online job sites and events can effectively reach the right candidates, many of whom may not be actively looking for a job. When Southland Transportation created a candidate profile to build their employment brand around, they identiﬁed employee segments they wanted to reach: parents with young children and recent retirees. Southland recognized that in many cases, candidates in these segments are not actively seeking employment, so w w w .H RThought L e ader . c om they knew they would have to ﬁnd innovative ways to reach them and convince them of the benefits of working for Southland. To do this, Southland developed a campaign that communicated tailored beneﬁts to different target groups over a variety of platforms. Radio ads highlighted the advantage to young mothers of bringing their child to work. Print ads featuring the slogan “plenty of time for hobbies like golfing and curling” were placed in local newspapers and specialty magazines targeting groups such as retired police ofﬁcers. Beyond traditional advertising media, Southland also hosted a free barbecue, spoke with journalists about the campaign, and went to community events, such as mom and baby shows. Retention and employment branding The Conference Board of Canada estimates that the average replacement cost for an employee earning $50,000 presently tops $50,000. This means that, assuming an eight per cent turnover rate, a company of 1,000 has to budget $4 million annually for this expense alone. In a tight labour market, a compelling and effectively communicated employment brand can create a sense of belonging and loyalty among employees that is more powerful than monetary incentives. The result is long- Register today De 1 349316_Psychometrics.indd ce mb e r 2 0 0 7/J a n u a9/24/07 8:08:57 PM ry 2 008 29 http://WorksForMe.ca http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - December 2007/January 2008

HR Professional - December 2007/January 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Website Did You Know By the Numbers Technology Study News: Ontario Regulatory Enforcement Compensation News: Postponing Retirement Legal Compensation On Message Public Image Ltd. Building Brand Equity Research Strategy HR 101 Interview with Marshall Goldsmith Off the Shelf The Last Word

HR Professional - December 2007/January 2008

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