“I will always call the reference so I can ask questions and delve more between the lines,” says Cissy Pau, principal consultant at Vancouver-based Clear HR Consulting. “I can almost ‘interview’ the reference that way,” she says, adding that she doesn’t give much weight to letters of reference on their own.

More and more, social media is being used to replace the letter of reference. Prospective employers being sent a candidate’s LinkedIn recommendations is one example of that.

If you are going to provide a letter of reference, than remember that the reference will likely still be called:

“You’d be surprised how often I have called references and the person that I’ve called doesn’t recall the employee,” [Ms. Pau] says, referring not just to references provided in letters but also those for which the candidate has submitted a phone number. “I find that just appalling. If you’re going to give someone as a reference, you should be preparing that person for a phone call in advance.”

Providing and checking references is still an important piece of the hiring process. However, a letter of reference on its own, without any follow up with the reference, is of limited value to determining the suitability of the candidate for your position.

Bringing kids to work depends primarily on the culture of the company.  It may make sense for a flexibly-oriented office environment, but be completely inappropriate for a construction site due to safety issues. Business owners and managers will also be very concerned with productivity issues for their staff, as well as the impact on their customers. Again, corporate culture will dictate what is appropriate or not.

How should companies handle this situation?  Our discussions with our clients show there are a few options that companies are taking when it’s not possible to bring kids to work.  Employees can get approval from their manager to use vacation time to take time off to care for their kids.  Some other companies have a personal leave policy where staff can take time off to care for relatives.  Some others promote remote work arrangements and having staff work from home.  Other clients are firmly against remote work arrangements because they are concerned about lost productivity – they think the staff won’t be able to work with young kids underfoot.

The corporate culture as it relates to flexible work arrangements, workplace productivity, safety, and impact on customers will determine the appropriate response for bringing kids to work during the BC teachers’ strike.

In the recently released authorized biography, Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson, the Apple co-founder is quoted as saying, “We at Apple had forgotten who we were. One way to remember who you are is to remember who your heroes are.” Thus began one of the most memorable marketing campaigns of all time.

Originally intended to remind customers of the distinctiveness of the Apple brand, the “Think Different” campaign went beyond that. The “Think Different” commercial, one of our favourite videos of all-time, clearly communicates Apple’s employer brand as well.

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

An employer brand describes the essence of what it means to be an employee of your company. Your employer brand sets your company apart from all the other employers out there. The purpose of an employer brand is to describe the type of employees who will be successful at your company, and the kinds of employee traits you want your employees to encompass. It also serves to describe why your company is a great place to work.

The “Think Different” commercial presents an emotionally compelling story, clearly identifying Apple’s employment brand. Who fits in at Apple? Those who have a rebel streak. Creative people who take risks. People who do things against the grain, somewhat counterculture. Those not defined by failure. Essentially, people who think different.

With all of Apple’s success to date – the company recently announced its best quarter ever with revenues of $46 billion and net profit of $13 billion – we believe the clarity of the employer’s brand played an integral part in that success. Despite the passing of its chief visionary, leader and spokesperson, Apple employees were able to carry out the company’s vision, remain highly profitable, and continue to set new standards for innovation with the reinvention of textbooks through the launch of iBooks 2 for iPad. From the outside looking in, it certainly appears as though the company has attracted the kind of people who will continue to fulfill the “Think Different” mantra.

Employer branding lessons that all companies can learn from Apple are:

1) Create a sense of belonging

Identify the traits of the types of people who will fit in with your company. Don’t simply identify personality traits, skills, experience and qualifications, which is what most companies do. Rather, identify the core values, the motivators and the inspirations that drive successful employees in your company. You want to attract those that can identify themselves with those characteristics, those who, when they hear what you’re looking for, will think, “These are my people”.

In Apple’s case, it’s “the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo … They change things.” They attract the geniuses who will change the world.

2) Be clear on what sets you apart as an employer

Creating a compelling vision for your company will set you apart. Employees want to work for a company that has a purpose and a set of beliefs that matches their own. An emotional connection with the company is critical to solidify your company’s reputation with your staff. They want to know how you’re different than all the other places they can work. They want to know what’s in it for them to join your company.

The “Think Different” campaign epitomizes this concept of creating your vision and building that emotional connection. Apple employees “push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

One only needs to look at Apple’s innovations over the past decade to see how they have changed the world. The iPod has changed the way we listen to music. iTunes has revolutionized the music industry. The iPhone has changed the way we communicate. The iPad has changed how we consume information. iBooks 2 for iPad reinvents the textbook industry, changing the way students learn.

Whether you “disagree with them, glorify or vilify them,” there’s no doubt that Apple products have had and will continue to have a global impact. And, if your personal vision is to make a difference and change the world, Apple may just be the place for you.

3) Employer brand must support customer marketing message

The beauty in Apple’s “Think Different” message is that its marketing brand and its employer brand are very closely aligned. The Apple message is that its customers are unique, cutting edge, counterculture and destined to do great things. It just so happens that the type of employees it hires are also this way. Starting at the top with an eccentric CEO in Steve Jobs and supported by a talented, quirky, driven cast of thousands, the employees of Apple are truly the only ones who can deliver on the promise to its equally talented, quirky and driven customers.

Spending time, money and effort on your marketing brand, without corresponding effort on your employer brand, will lead to less success since, ultimately, it’s the employees who will deliver the product or service you are marketing.

Most employers want to be recognized as a great employer. The path to achieving that “employer of choice” status starts with having a clear employer brand. Knowing how to tell your story and communicate your unique message to attract the right people to work for your company will set your apart from the hundreds of other companies out there.

Note: The original “Think Different” commercial from 1997 was narrated by Richard Dreyfus. At the time, a Steve Jobs’ narration was also created but never aired. After his death in 2011, this remixed version of the commercial with Steve Jobs’ narration was released by Apple.

We’re sure you have other employer branding videos that you’ve enjoyed too. Please send us your favourite videos and we’ll be sure to share them and add them to our library!

Some of the expert tips that Cissy Pau discussed included:

• Provide feedback on a regular and informal basis, and don’t limit it to an annual performance review;
• Have a normal, relaxed conversation – it’s supposed to be a performance discussion, not an investigation;
• Look forward, not just backward – set goals and targets for the upcoming review period (whether it be week, month, quarter or year);
• Share your long-term vision with your staff, and explain to them the role they play in directly influencing the overall success of the organization.

For more human resources expertise on how to effectively turn performance reviews into employee development tools for your business, please contact Clear HR Consulting for more information.

Cissy Pau, Clear HR Consulting’s principal consultant, offered some tips and suggestions on how to handle an employee with problem behaviour:

• Ensure the employee’s manager is setting the proper example.  Is the manager contributing to the problem by something they are doing or not doing?
• Provide timely feedback.  If the employee is late, tell them today, not two weeks later. Give them specific examples, and convey the consequences of what impact the behaviour has on co-workers, the project, and/or the client.
• Use incentives to encourage the desired performance.  Not everyone is motivated by the same things; different people could be motivated with money, time off, or even a trip.
• Consider termination if the behaviour is impacting the company’s bottom line or morale. Once you’ve set the expectations, given the employee feedback, provided them with a reward or discipline, and the behaviour still isn’t changing, then the employee may not be a good fit.

In the first article, Cissy Pau shared 5 questions a small business owner should ask prior to hiring a new team member:

1. Do I have the cash flow?
2. Is there a sustainable workload?
3. What is the return on investment?
4. Do I have the time?
5. Do I have systems in place?

Some human resources expert advice that Cissy Pau shared on why and how employers should document their dealings with their employees included:

• Documentation acts as an accountability for building the case for firing an employee, because without documentation, nothing can be proven;
• When conducting a performance review, it is important to have a document to share with the employee, as it gives the employer something concrete to refer back to when they want to follow up on the employee’s progress in meeting their job expectations;
• Review personnel files to ensure other employee’s information aren’t included in someone else’s file to maintain confidentiality and privacy.

For more information on how to properly document the case for firing an employee for your small business, please contact Clear HR Consulting for a complimentary initial consultation.