How a company is perceived as an employer directly affects its ability to attract and retain top talent, while the presence of quality talent is essential to fueling innovation and maintaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
There are many distinguishing features of the company where I work, but one in particular made it immediately attractive to my eyes: the ability to recruit and retain international talent, not only as employees in the Group’s 7 foreign offices, but also as resources in the work teams of the 3 Italian offices.
About my meeting with this company.
My collaboration with Roncucci&Partners began in the last quarter of 2018, upon returning to Italy after 4 years of living and working in Dubai, UAE.
After immersing myself in one of the most inclusive multicultural realities – just think that 97 nationalities were represented in the schools my children attended and more than 50 languages were spoken in the company I worked for – I would move to an Italian reality. I was convinced that I would completely miss the cosmopolitan dimension and the confrontation, so enriching and stimulating, with cultures different from my own.
Hence the surprise of finding in a business consulting firm, established in Bologna in the early 2000s, an impressive quota of non-Italian colleagues, selected and valued regardless of their level of proficiency in Italian, but rather for the skills and content they would bring to our internationalization projects.
Since then I have had the good fortune to deal on a daily basis with colleagues from India, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, Iran, France, America, South Africa, Japan, Korea, and Spain. Together we have worked, compared and grown.
Secrets to retaining top talent in the company: do they exist?
This past month we have been reflecting on the topic of Employer Branding, or a company’s reputation and image as an employer, stimulated in part by two days of suspension of regular activities that we called R&P Collaborative Pit Stop and R&P Futurist Pit Stop.
During the first day, Ecolojoy guided us, through the playful dynamics of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY method and role-plays, to reflect on our vision of R&P, individual mechanisms for responding to critical issues, and the network of relationships within the company. In an ideal play space, we understood how different parts of R&P affect each other and simulated, in a safe environment, how changing one dynamic or activity reverberates and affects the whole system. Beatrice Facchini, on the other hand, stimulated us, during the second day, on the deepening of the role of communication, which is a way to take care of people in the company by giving them the same attention we give to customers. Involving them in decision-making processes, keeping them informed and engaged, valuing their opinion.
During these two days dedicated to us, we were able to take an in-depth look at our corporate identity. It was such a profound time of introspection that it offered each of us the opportunity to outline not only who we are, but also who we want to become.
Of course, we cannot deny that Employer Branding is actually much more than a couple of days of activity. But from this starting point, we can say that there are no secrets that can attract talent to the company. Rather, it is an imprint that permeates the entire corporate culture: a reflection that captures the essence of the company and projects it outward, thus turning into a lure for talent and individuals seeking direction and meaning in their work.
Employer Branding and innovation: a link to attract global talent
The link between Employer Branding, talent, and innovation is deeply intertwined: when people feel an integral part of an environment that reflects their values and aspirations, they are also more likely to fully express their creativity.
We could say that Employer Branding is like an incubator for bold ideas and revolutionary visions.
Think of competitive differentiation as no longer just a game of products or services, but increasingly a competition of identity and values. Companies differentiate themselves by what they do and even more so by who they are and what they stand for. When an organization embodies authentic values by projecting them into actions, it enriches its value promise with tangibility, consequently capturing the attention of talent.
An interesting thought emerges here: it is no longer just companies that seek and attract talent, but it is talent that seeks companies that reflect their beliefs. It is a paradigm shift that is pushing organizations to examine their identity in depth and make it visible in the eyes of those looking for a place to contribute meaningfully.
In this context, the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also becomes crucial: it is not just about attracting talent, but creating a bridge between the company and society. When corporate values are translated into concrete actions, when commitment to sustainability and social impact becomes an integral part of corporate identity, that’s when a magnetic attraction is created for global talent who share the same vision.
3 information we learned about Employer Branding
The concepts outlined in the previous section are also reflected in our corporate experience. Our commitment to innovation, our inclusive culture, and the values we promote are an integral part of our Employer Branding narrative. It is how we present ourselves to the world, it is the essence that permeates our operations and becomes the invitation to join us in our mission.
3 are the cornerstones of our daily actions:
📚 Always study.
We need to be avid readers, passionate about learning and always open to new ideas. The world changes rapidly, and only by studying can we stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices.
🤝 Share without reservation.
We are a team and our success depends on the open sharing of ideas. We create an environment where everyone feels free to express their opinions and contribute to our collective knowledge.
🚀 Put our ideas on the line.
We must be willing to question the status quo, explore new approaches and take calculated risks. Only then can we overcome limitations and create solutions that truly make a difference.
So returning to these two days dedicated to Employer Branding, what we experienced goes beyond an isolated event. It is a stage in the articulated dance between the search for talent, the building of an authentic corporate culture and the aspiration for innovation. It is the realization that beyond the products or services we offer, what truly differentiates us is the story we tell and the community of individuals we engage on our journey into the future.
At Roncucci&Partners we help companies develop themselves and their business, embrace change and evolve to thrive in a world that is increasingly complicated, insidious and requires great expertise. We do this by applying punctual methods and rigorous strategies, the result of many years of experience and the richness of the numerous success stories we have conducted all over the world. Passion and method are indeed our guides to enhance the present and build the future.
