n WORTH NOTING
buzzwords
READERS SOUND OFF
IN THE COMMENTS
thefuncompany
Talent Brand
\ ˈta-lənt ˈbrand \
An employer’s public-facing identity that
reflects what it’s like to work at the company
BY Vanessa Labi
Growing More than Grapes
Mary Smith: So pleased to hear about your ex-
pansion and hard work with your family bringing
wonderful services to the community. I love your
bakery goods and look forward to do some tast-
ings in the future. Well done.
thefuncompany Another day at the office... #talentbrand
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Lewis
N
THE BUZZ
Flying High
Roger Baccigaluppi: As a frequent airport user,
as well as one who talks with a lot of people
arriving here, I would say that more parking (in a
structure) is very high priority as is a more user
friendly car rental system. One you can walk
to (perhaps in new parking structure) rather
than being bussed which is definitely NOT user
friendly. On site airport hotel would also be high
priority.
Reviving a Legacy
David Weldy: Feels very cool to support local
business. Proud of you both (and your families)
for what you are doing.
Have something to say? Email us.
[email protected].
20
comstocksmag.com | August 201 9
Digital Deployment’s CEO Mac Clemmens (Clemmens also is on Comstock’s editorial ad-
visory board) considers a company’s talent brand “culture as a competitive advantage.”
His Sacramento-based web-design firm has recruited top talent from the Bay Area
(Google, AncestryDNA) who wanted to relocate to Sacramento to “do their family thing”
but still work for compelling companies.
Clemmens advises against misinterpreting “talent brand” to be an easy fix, like hiring
a “head of engagement to keep everyone from being pissed off.” Warning against a well-
intentioned but ultimately shallow approach, he says, “It takes more than an affinity group
to save it. It can be a Band-Aid if the company doesn’t care and there’s not a fundamental
commitment to the human capital.”
THE WORD
So what are best practices for a company who just wants to appear cool, noble and sup-
portive, and wants to go steady for a long time? Well, be cool, noble and supportive, ide-
ally. But even more, establish a company ethos by focusing on a centralized leadership
from the top down. Clemmens advocates for integrating solid principles into the culture,
like trust and transparency, and considering what truly motivates people.
For example, health-centric values can go beyond lifestyle offerings (fancy gym pro-
grams, healthy snacks) by establishing a mentally healthy work environment via boundary
setting. Clemmens says he protects employees by having “no tolerance for abuse (from
the customer) or other things that make the work environment toxic.”
That type of culture reflects a deeper value of the team members as opposed to being
narrowly focused on the customer the company serves. Supporting employees’ happiness
and mental health (unlimited vacation, for example) and encouraging employee growth
(education) are forward-thinking ways to invest in people and can breed trust, loyalty and
genuine enthusiasm for the workplace.
Clemmens credits focusing on people’s autonomy and well-being as paramount to
sustainable success for the company and the people who work there. “The usage of the
term ‘talent brand’ accepts the strategy of putting people first as a means to sustainable
long-term value, as opposed to quarter to quarter.”
ot unlike online daters, it’s common for job seekers to check out a potential employer’s
Instagram page to suss out a company’s culture. Although companies may try to ap-
pear glossy and appealing on that platform, it can still be informative to gauge the com-
pany’s values, perks and just how genuine the smiles on employees’ faces may be.
Beyond the social media facade, companies know that to attract top talent, they bet-
ter provide benefits that go beyond the basics. That’s because their talent brand — an
employer’s public-facing identity that reflects what it’s like to work at the company — can
work to attract strong candidates and, just as important, keep them.