All companies, large or small, are currently under pressure to find talented people and engage them in achieving company objectives.
Many of them need to undergo a process of organizational introspection to achieve clarity on their vision as a company and to better understand the people within their organization.
Among the main challenges in employer branding is clearly defining where we are inviting the talented individuals we want to join us and what mission we present to them. This is why a branding agency can claim to have been doing employer branding even before the term became a daily buzzword. Essentially, the process a company undergoes during an organizational culture audit and corporate branding overlaps with employer branding, sharing a crucial target audience—internal stakeholders—and a common goal: creating and strengthening reputation.
While a corporate branding process is often considered complete after delivering a new brand platform and implementing new design elements, the employer branding process extends far beyond this. It involves translating strategy into reality through internal communication, HR initiatives, PR campaigns, leadership development, and other actions aimed at making the strategy actionable.
A case study involving the Romanian engineering services company Pipe Design, which has over 20 years of market presence, demonstrates that the results of a proper employer branding process are often most visible 5–7 years after the need arises. Transforming an organization’s culture and building a solid employer reputation takes time.
The transformation of Pipe Design:
- From seven employees and difficulties attracting young engineers to over 25 employees and a coherent, desirable image for passionate young engineers.
- From a company known only through the manager’s reputation and direct recommendations to a recognized and relevant name in Romania’s and the international construction industry.
- From a company with no communication presence to one that maintains its own channels and has built a new communication platform, benefiting all engineers.
- From a company lacking a feedback culture and with introverted management to a community of passionate engineers of all ages.
Key Ingredients for Success
This transformation required several critical components.
- Organizational Introspection
Through a brand audit, we conducted one-on-one discussions with all stakeholders, identifying the company’s real values and 360-degree brand perception (from employees, partners, and clients).
By the end of this stage, we had a clear answer to the question: What defines Pipe Design? The answer: Pride in being an engineer. - Pride in Being an Engineer
This became a guiding platform, action plan, and anchor for the company’s new visual identity and employer branding plan.
Actions included redesigning the company’s offices and developing recruitment and internship strategies based on the truths of younger engineering generations, as revealed through our discussions with them.
This focused approach not only solidified Pipe Design’s internal culture but also positioned the company as a desirable workplace and a recognized name in its field.
2. Honesty in Management and Commitment to Change
Honesty from management was crucial in identifying dilemmas and setting goals. It brought important questions to the forefront:
- What are young engineers fresh out of university like?
- What motivates them in this profession?
- How do different generations of engineers compare? What unites them, and what separates them?
- What can Pipe Design offer them?
- What defines Pipe Design?
Employer branding often necessitates change—changes in management style, internal communication, and external messaging. Pipe Design’s founder, Eugen Mandric, recognized that he first needed to adjust his own leadership style and commit to a long-term plan to achieve meaningful results.
“Perhaps the hardest step in the beginning was accepting that I couldn’t clearly see what was happening inside the company without outside help. Once I made that decision, I found a trusted partner in the Noeland team who guided me through each stage, step by step. Now, we have an identity that represents us and is appreciated by both our internal and external partners. We have a website, visible case studies, and internal communication processes. We are installation engineers, but we now present ourselves as professionally as our architect partners. While I’m still the same person, cautious with my words and choosing to speak only when I have something important to say, I’ve learned to communicate with my team and to pay attention to their needs.
New generations now fascinate me, and I’m happy that we have the internal resources to train valuable engineers at any age.”
– Eugen Mandric, Founder & CEO, Pipe Design
3. Consistency and Perseverance in Execution
The third critical ingredient is the persistence to consistently implement internal communication, external communication, and HR actions that align with the company’s vision.
Transitioning from ideas on paper to real-world practices requires steadfast commitment. While a creative flash campaign might quickly solve the need to hire young talent, sustained effort is necessary to nurture and develop these hires into skilled engineers, which takes time.
Seemingly simple actions, like informing employees about exciting company projects, require both context and dedicated time.
“This is a process all companies should undertake at some point, regardless of industry or size. We often discuss employee mental health, benefits packages, or work-life balance, but we sometimes forget the essential connection between a company’s needs, direction, and vision—this has the greatest impact on building a healthy relationship with employees.
Beyond being employers and employees, we are human. As humans, we dedicate our time and skills to achieving a company’s objectives. The more aligned our values are, the greater the mutual benefit.”
– Andreea Lupu, Brand Consultant, Noeland Consultants
A Shared Journey of Growth
Noeland, founded in 2008, has consistently focused on creating meaningful brands in the Romanian market. The collaboration with Pipe Design demonstrates how introspection, honesty, and perseverance can transform a company’s internal culture and external reputation, creating lasting value for both employees and the business.nia, într-o comunitate creativă care înțelege importanța research-ului și a strategiei de brand și comunicare.