How important are kanohi ki te kanohi interactions?

What’s is your competitive advantage? Is it superior products, unmatched service, enduring relationships, groundbreaking innovation, or all of the above. We’ll put having a mouthwatering brand strategy to one side for the moment.

Where does your employer brand sit with all this?

At the heart of an employee brand is culture – shared values, common behaviours, collective identity, social integration, a commitment to purpose. All held together by relationships, familiarity, and bonds.

So, a question, and we know you saw this coming. What impact does the current hybrid model of work have on your employer brand?

There is the view that use of online tools and platforms, clearly defined responsibilities, online participation in social and team building events, and more, can be used to preserve company culture.

The other view is that fewer kanohi ki te kanohi interactions result in a loss of those spontaneous moments that can lead to creativity and innovation, it becomes more difficult to maintain relationships and there is less commitment to values and purpose. In other words, culture is eroded.

In turn, the employer brand is compromised. It becomes more difficult to attract top talent, increase productivity and retain employees.

So, how important are face-to-face interactions? Bearing in mind that brands are built from the inside out, we think they are very, very, very important.