EasyJet’s employer branding has been critical to its business success, the airline’s head of people and organisation development claimed at a conference last week.
The employer branding is closely tied to its business strategy and mission statement, and Chris Goscomb believes it shows the airline is "fun and different" and provides services at "a price otherwise not conceived of".
Its business strategy highlights people, quality and customer service as its three main drivers. Its mission statement is to provide safe, low cost, reliable service through developing employees.
Employer branding has also been driven forward through the airline’s pay structures. Every staff member is encouraged to become a shareholder, a new bonus structure for management performance has been implemented, pilots now receive loyalty payments and sales agents are paid on a commission basis.
Personal ‘thank yous’ from managers and regular social events are also used to promote brand and loyalty.
Speaking at the CIPD’s Reward conference, Goscomb claimed EasyJet has turned away quality job candidates who did not fit in with the employer brand.
He said: "The low-cost airline is a simple formula, yet is a very hard thing to deliver… We use our people as a positive differentiator. If you are able to do it well it can affect the bottom line."
