When we – as an industry and as practitioners – talk about best practices for employer brand, we tend to dwell on the feel-good side of things: better candidate experience, more brand ambassadors, improved employee engagement. But what if the secret to improving your employer brand actually lies in the practices and processes that we try to avoid, because they feel taboo? In this exclusive #SmartTalkHR webinar with Kyle Lagunas, Principal Analyst at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, we’ll discuss the implications of making the taboo an afterthought, including: Organizational Transparency Relocation Practices Performance Expectations Outplacement Resources He’ll also discuss how you can take proactive steps to improve your employer brand around these processes and events, so make sure to reserve your seat.

1. TABOO TOPICS IN EMPLOYER BRAND
AFTERTHOUGHTS &
IMPLICATIONS
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas

2. About Us
Kyle Lagunas – Principal Analyst & Founder - @kylelagunas
An analyst specializing in talent acquisition, Kyle keeps tabs on key practices in sourcing,
recruiting, assessing, hiring and retention strategies and technologies. Through primary
research and deep analysis, he keeps today's business leaders in touch with important
conversations and emerging trends in the rapidly changing world of talent.
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /about us
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#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas

3. About Us
Lighthouse Research & Advisory is a modern analyst firm building a standard of excellence in talent
acquisition. Compelling research and actionable insights for recruiters, hiring managers, and business
leaders, we navigate the rapidly changing tides of human capital management in order to support
today’s talent advisors.
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /about us
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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4. 4
Approachable. We’re professionally curious, purveyors of the land. We value
work that is relevant for our target audience in talent acquisition, but also
meaningful to technology leaders and enterprise HR executives as well.
Credible. We’ve come down from the Ivory Tower to focus on vetting research —
from benchmark data to industry perspective — with in-the-trenches recruiting
leaders and global talent executives alike.
Agile. We value free thinking, timely execution, and quality work. Our analysts
focus on quality research that doesn’t take six months to deliver. At Lighthouse, we
want to provide value for our clients every day, not once a year.
Our Values
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /about us
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5. Agenda
Here’s a breakdown of what we’ll be discussing today
Taboo Topics
What’s Taboo in Employer Brand?
Employer Brand
101
What it is – What it isn’t – Why it
Matters
Hiring Process
Messaging, communications, and
interview fatigue
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /agenda
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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6. Closing Remarks
A word from RiseSmart
Outplacement
A New, Unlikely Value Proposition
Open Dialogue
Key Takeaways, Questions and Answers
New Hire Onboarding
A Critical Juncture in the Employee
Lifecycle
Relocation
Costly mistakes and opportunities for
improvement
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /agenda
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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7. 321
What It Is
Employer brand has taken
center stage in talent
acquisition of late, but many
are still trying to figure out
what, exactly, employer
brand is.
What it Isn’t
While forward thinking hiring
organizations are going all in
on employer brand, many are
still on the fence about its
importance.
Why It Matters
Like it or not, employer brand
has become a cornerstone of
high-performance talent
acquisition. And for some very
obvious reasons.
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Employer Brand 101
Beyond the Buzzword
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /employer brand 101
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8. Employer Brand – What It Is
Employer brand has quickly become a core component of high-performance talent acquisition – and a key driver of
success. But many hiring organizations are still trying to wrap their heads around what, exactly, employer brand is. As
we see it, employer brand is the sum of two parts:
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /employer brand 101
Image Reputation Brand
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
Aspirational: Your ‘About Us’,
messaging, brand promise,
social campaigns and
presented EVP.
Perceived: Public opinion of
organization as an employer
of choice, employer reviews,
brand sentiment.
Reality

9. Employer Brand – What It Isn’t
While some hiring organizations are trying to figure out what employer brand is, others are charging ahead without much
thought for the implications of getting it wrong. Worth noting: In employer brand, “Asking forgiveness rather than
permission” is the wrong approach.
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /employer brand 101
• Employer Brand is not cover-up for an otherwise toxic culture.
Brand promise is a very real thing – and not something
candidates take lightly. Beware of well-intended, but inauthentic
messaging.
• Employer Brand is not a buzzword du jour. While it certainly has
gained traction in recent years, it’s far more than feel-good HR.
It’s a cornerstone of hiring success.
• Employer brand is not something you can afford ignore.
Competition for talent is fierce, and your ability to distinguish
yourself as an employer of choice is critical to attracting top
talent.
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas

10. According to
CareerBuilder’s
2015 Candidate
Behavior report,
61% of employed
candidates are
open to new
opportunities.
Competition for
talent is high, and
recruiters have
never had a
reputation for
being shy about
jobs they need to
fill.
With the rapid
pervasion of social
and mobile, there’s
an endless amount
of white noise
candidates need to
filter through in
order to find the job
that fits.
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Employer Brand – Why it Matters
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /employer brand 101
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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11. Taboo Topics in Employer Brand
Afterthoughts & Implications
Hiring Process Relocation OutplacementNew Hire Onboarding
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /topics
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12. Relocation
With competition for talent so
high, employers are recruiting
beyond their backyards. But
relocation is still an afterthought
for many – and a major hassle for
new hires.
Hiring Process
Candidate experience continues
post-application, and from bad
employee referrals to interview
fatigue, pre-hire process can be
frustrating.
New Hire Onboarding
A new hire’s first days in an
organization are critical to
longterm success, but onboarding
is still largely administrative.
Outplacement
One of the more taboo topics in
HCM – and employer brand in
particular – outplacement is one
area ripe for innovation.
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /topics
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas

13. 13
Quality of Hire
39%
Quality of Hire is
consistently rated the most
valuable performance
metric for talent acquisition
Time to Hire
57 days
From application to offer
acceptance, candidates are
spending an average of 57
days in the hiring process.
Hiring Process
Setting Expectations, Maintaining Momentum, Consistently Communicating
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /hiring process
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52% of Candidates
had previous
relationship with
prospective
employer
<46% inform
candidates what to
expect next
91% made no
contact beyond the
automated
acknowledgement of
application receipt.
32% reported that
they received no
information to help
them prepare for
interviews
61% of candidates
were never asked to
provide feedback on
their screening or
interview experience
50% of recruiters
found the hiring
managers
in their company to
be average or below
average in their
hiring capabilities
overall
The Post-Application Candidate Experience
Key Findings from The Talent Board’s 2014Candidae Experience Report
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /hiring process
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For Employees
DisruptiveRelocation is often a
disruptive, stressful life
event. Lack of
experience,
unanticipated costs can
quickly derail plans.
For Employers
ComplexFew employers take the
time to understand cost
versus benefit in
relocation, and don’t fully
understand risks –
including tax and
compliance issues.
The Reality of Relocation
Failure to plan is planning to fail.
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /relocation
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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Relocation is a unique experience.
The cost of moving a renter averages $15,000 to
$30,000. The cost of moving a homeowner costs
$50,000 to $100,000. Personal (unforeseen)
circumstances can add or subtract 50% from these
numbers
It’s not something people often go through.
An incredibly stressful life event – full of unexpected
costs (social, emotional, financial). Few organizations
have taken the time to think through relocation, and
ensure new hire has support he/she needs.
Bad relocation has real repurcussions.
It is important to understand that relocation within the HR
environment: Is not an employee benefit – it’s a form of
compensation. Tax law treats relocation expenses as
income to the employee. As such, taxes have a
significant impact on cost
Some relocations are not worth the cost.
Matter of fact: Some relocations are not worth the cost
(or the effort) for the employer – or for the employee.
Failure to at least gauge relocation needs in the
recruiting process can cost you a first choice candidate.
The Reality of Relocation
Failure to plan is planning to fail.
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Completed Forms
Online
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standar
Spoke with
Hiring Manager
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New Hire Onboarding
Place your subheading here.
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /new hire onboarding
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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18. 18The New Hire Journey
A Critical Juncture in HCM
Onboarding is a critical juncture in HCM, as it’s how new employees acquire the knowledge, skills and behaviors needed to become
effective members of an organization after accepting the job offer. Research demonstrates that effective new hire onboarding can lead
to increased employee performance on day one while reducing a new hire’s intention to leave the organization within year one of
employment.
Candidate
New
Hire
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /new hire onboarding
Employee
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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When will
onboarding start?
Don’t leave
everything for Day 1.
Pre-boarding,
wherein new hires
complete paperwork
ahead of time has
quickly become best
practice.
How long will
it last?
This varies from one
organization to the
next, but the reality is
that new hire
onboarding extends
far beyond the first
day – even beyond
the first month.
What kind of impression
do we want to make?
An employee’s first
day is one the most
important in their time
with your
organization. How do
you want them to feel
– challenged?
Appreciated? Amped
up?
How will we support
socialization?
Getting new hires
connected to an
organization’s
mission, vision, and
values is important –
but so is fostering
meaningful
connections with their
coworkers.
What role does
everyone play?
Traditionally, HR has
owned all of
onboarding. But as
new hire experience
broadens in scope,
consider what role
hiring managers,
business unit leaders,
and executives may
play.
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /new hire onboarding
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Job Openings
14-Year High
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standar
Layoffs
Up 13%
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standar
Outplacement – The Unlikely Value Prop
A
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /outplacement
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Protects employer brand
Show both impacted and
remaining employees that you
have their best interests at heart.
Tools for career transistion
Best-in-class outplacement
provides impacted employees
with tools that help manage
career transition.
Impacts future hiring
Demonstrates caring and
consideration for employees
past, present, and future.
Affects brand sentiment
Clients, partners, and employees
bear witness to treatment of
impacted employees.
Career coaching & branding
Focus is finding a new job, but
career coaching and professional
branding helps define their new
course
Shortens length of unemployment
Gets impacted employees back
to work sooner, reducing
financial and emotional burden.
Outplacement & Employers of Choice
Impact for Employers and Employees
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /outplacement
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas
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Key Takeaways
Things to consider when evaluating employer brand in 2016
You can’t afford to ignore employer brand.
More people are employed and skilled candidates are
even harder to come by. This creates a new reality for
employers and means we need to know what these
qualified employees want and how to attract them to
new jobsTackle taboo topics head on.
Everything discussed today is an opportunity for you
to distinguish your organization as an employer of
choice – but you have to tackle these things head on.
Optimize onboarding for positive new hire experience.
New hire onboarding is a critical juncture in HCM –
the beginning of an employee journey. You only get
one shot to make a good impression.
Don’t shy away from layoff blowback.
Layoffs aren’t pretty – but that doesn’t mean they
have to be ugly. If a candidate asks, be prepared to
give them straight answers… because they’re going
to ask.
Leverage best-in-class outplacement.
Traditional outplacement is a dying breed. Consider
the options available for your organization – and how
they can give you a competitive edge.
Consider post-application, pre-hire experience.
Candidate experience only begins at application.
Don’t underestimate the value of clarity, consistency,
and timely execution in the hiring process.
Address relocation as soon as possible.
Relocation is more and more common these days,
and you should be prepared to discuss – and deliver
– before you move a candidate forward.
Balance talent assessment with talent engagement.
Quality of hire is important, but interview fatigue is
alive and well thanks to extensive assessment
practices. Balance these out by checking in with white
glove treatment.
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Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /key takeaways

23. Open Dialogue – Q&A
Taboo Topics in Employer Brand /open dialogue
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24. Contact Us
w.
t.
e.
lhra.io
@kylelagunas
kyle.lagunas@lhra.io
#smarttalkHR@kylelagunas