Singapore - After divesting from Bayer in 2004, Lanxess has reinforced itself as an employer of choice through good employee communication and an inclusive management style.

After the chemical specialty company spun-off from Bayer, one of its top concerns Lanxess faced was reassuring existing employees and potential candidates of the company’s future.

Being transparent about its performance and future direction since the beginning has helped Lanxess establish credibility and integrity among the employees. Hence, the company's senior management regularly conducts communication sessions to share insights on the company's strategies, performance and growth directions as a strategy for long-term retention.

“Being involved convinced many employees to stay on and contribute to the company’s successes which we are reaping today,” says Alice Leong, human resources manager for Lanxess.

The company also held informal gatherings and team-building activities which helped build greater trust and cohesiveness among the various business and service groups.

Leong says, “Our employees have a sense of 'we are one' and that we are working together to make positive changes.”

Leong says an organisation that lacks market credibility can hinder it's ability to attract top candidates and retain its key talent.

She adds, “Employee morale and sense of belonging are also likely to be low. This will likely affect employees’ commitment to their jobs, which, in turn, impact the quality of the deliverables to customers.”

According to Leong, successful employer branding is about first walking the talk internally. Her advice for companies is to dedicate time for employee communication and engage them on the company’s successes and challenges.

Leong says, “Openness, transparency and engagement create trust among our employees and this approach has been fundamental to our rapid growth over the past four years.”