Upon winning Excellence in Employer branding Award At BW People HR Excellence Awards 2024, Ruchi Singh, Head – Communications & Employer Branding At NEC Corporation India got into an exclusive interaction with BW People journalist and explained as to what makes their organisational practices different from the rest and how do they maintain it amongst all employee base.
1. What are some key components of your employer branding strategy that have contributed to its success?
NEC Corporation India’s employer branding strategy is centred around our core purpose – ‘Orchestrating a brighter world’. Employer branding begins and ends with our employees, with a belief that our people are the foundation of our innovative strategy and global growth. We rely on authentic storytelling by the employees – for the employees, making them our brand ambassadors. Additionally, continued focus on talent development, employee well-being, and diversity & inclusion has resulted in increased employee engagement, reduced attrition, and a surge in diverse talent. At NEC, Talent development initiatives like the LEAP leadership program EMPOWER ensure continuous skill development and leadership growth. Employee well-being is another critical component, supported by comprehensive wellness programs, mental health support, and remote/flexible work policies. Diversity and inclusion are also inherent to NEC and active Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) promote a diverse workplace. This emphasis on inclusivity has resulted in a 23% increase in female new joiners, with 58% in revenue-generating roles, and an 80% rise in ERG participation. Lastly, global alignment through programs like ‘One NEC Global Ways of Working’ enhances cross-regional collaboration, supporting NEC’s vision of becoming a global organisation.
2. How do you measure and track the effectiveness of your employer branding efforts?
NEC Corporation India evaluates the effectiveness of its employer branding efforts through a variety of metrics, including annual employee engagement surveys, social media analytics, and internal data around various employee engagement/pulse check programs.
This year, our annual employee engagement survey achieved an impressive 95% response rate, revealing a 5% increase in overall scores, leading to an outstanding employee satisfaction rate. Notably, we saw considerable improvements in Diversity & Inclusion and communication effectiveness dimensions. Our social-first campaign, #WeThinkEqual which highlights our commitment to DEI principles, has amassed over 6 million impressions and garnered 2 million engagements, reflecting NEC’s commitment to sustaining as an ‘employer of choice’ in the technology sector. Ideation and collaboration platforms like the NEC Ignite invite positive and healthy dialogue to solve some of the trivial challenges in the world around us, with a whopping 170 ideas around innovation that will have a larger impact on society. These accomplishments are further evidenced by a significant reduction in attrition rates, as employees act as co-creators of the future, they see for themselves and the world around them. These metrics highlight NEC’s success in fostering a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with our broader business objectives.
3. Can you provide examples of specific campaigns or initiatives that have significantly enhanced your employer brand?
NEC India’s achievements in employer branding stem from initiatives such as:
Empowering Lives, Building Tomorrow – NEC India’s common purpose statement helped connect employees with NEC’s core values, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission.
We Hear You which promotes transparency and trust through consistent updates and engagement from leadership. This effort has resulted in a 5% boost in employee satisfaction.
We Think Equal campaign has significantly increased applications from diverse candidates, leading to a 23% rise in female hires, with 58% of them taking on revenue-generating positions. This initiative has also contributed to a 25% increase in innovation output from diverse teams.
Grow with NEC program emphasizes career development, with 85% of employees participating in initiatives like LEAP and EMPOWER, resulting in 18% of participants receiving promotions. These programs have been vital in upskilling our workforce and enhancing the leadership pipeline.
NEC Champions at Work program acknowledges employee accomplishments, uplifting morale and reinforcing the company’s dedication to excellence.
4. What challenges have you faced in building and maintaining a strong employer brand, and how did you overcome them?
Building a strong employer brand at NEC Corporation India has been a journey of continuous improvement and creating new benchmarks by challenging the status quo. Employees need freshness and consistency – both at the same time, which poses an ever-evolving challenge in front of the teams responsible for this cause. We have relied on clear, consistent, and transparent communication across a diverse workforce, particularly in fostering strong connections between employees and leadership. This alignment, nurturing a culture of openness where every employee feels heard and valued has led to greater participation by employees, also attracting the right talent from the external world.
A purpose-driven culture and consistent messaging toward the values forged a sense of deeper connection and fulfillment among employees and infused everyday work with deep meaning. Purpose at NEC acts as our north star, and aspires to be a catalyst for personal and collective growth.
5. How do you ensure that your employer brand aligns with your organization's core values and culture?
At NEC Corporation India, aligning our employer brand strategy is designed to reflect and reinforce our Purpose, Principles, and Values, while ensuring that every employee, regardless of geographic location, feels connected to our global vision. NEC Way serves as a conveyor and custodian of our core values and culture, through which we endeavour to percolate NEC’s legacy of 125 years and purpose across every artery of the organization, resulting in a unified understanding of our shared values. By encouraging cross-regional and cross-functional collaboration, we have created a truly global workforce and built a global culture of being One NEC.
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