Why Marketing may be the Newest Skill a HR Manager must Master
HR have a lot on their plate - and we're not trying to add something else. However, read this article to understand how marketing skills could make HR's job easier and more fruitful.
After reading the title of this article, I already know what you’re thinking: no thanks, I have more than enough to do. And that’s true. HR professionals are overworked and underappreciated; they have to balance a plethora of tasks whilst being the office’s support system. Yet, for better or worse, marketing and communications are becoming increasingly important skills to master. Whether it's drafting a sensitive internal memo or making the final touches to a pitch deck, being able to express yourself clearly and with grace is essential. So, in this article, we’ll explore two situations in which marketing skills could make your job easier and more fruitful.
Selling sunsets, selling success
In an age of high staff turnover, the great resignation and a lack of employee engagement, attracting and securing the right talent is crucial. But this is only possible by advertising the role correctly.
We must find the balance between fostering excitement for the company and role, and accurately presenting the day to day duties. You may work for a super cool startup that wants to change the world, but will most of this job consist of data entry? If so, it's important to be honest about both these realities.
While you may worry that job descriptions have to be a siren call to attract talent, you may find that a more realistic approach leads to more engaged employees. When potential employees feel that the interview process is honest, and even better, when the job matches up to their expectations, they’re more likely to be engaged and stick around long term.
Brick by brick: building a company brand
Part of attracting talent and protecting the company’s success is building a realistic yet appealing company brand. Granted, the bulk of this work is down to the marketing and PR teams. But, a few notable pieces from HR could work wonders.
Take, for example, the benefits package offered at your company. Sure, it would be easy enough to list that employees get 25 days annual leave and medical insurance, but how much better would it be to say that employees “get the chance to explore the world and reconnect for 25 days a year” or are “protected by all life throws at them with private medical insurance”. Perhaps you could even write a short blog post on why those benefits were implemented in the first place.
In a market where benefits are being held at a premium, use this opportunity to elevate and build the company’s brand.
Wrapping this up
To conclude, we’re not telling you to go back to school and get a marketing degree. We’re also not saying that marketing is a superior department (though this is written by a marketer, so who knows). Instead, we’re encouraging collaboration across teams. Ask your marketing team to read over the job spec- they’re literally being paid to make content that appeals to people. And spend some of what little free time you have, learning to hone your personal writing style - who knows where that could lead.
