Meet ohappa's new Chief Operating Officer - Olof Vestling

Hello, Olof. Please tell us briefly who you are.

- My name is Olof Vestling; I live in Hudiksvall with my wife and three children. I am active in Hudiksvall's sports organizations in my spare time, mainly in football and handball.

What did you work with before joining us?

- I most recently came from a role as market area manager in the recruitment and staffing sector. This role included personnel responsibility for consultant managers, recruitment consultants, and job consultants with a particular focus on skills provision.

- Over the years, I have also had time to work with B2B sales in both products and services. I have also worked as a recruitment consultant, mainly recruiting managers and specialists in most industries.

What is your experience with employer branding and employer brands?

- In my previous role, I often had in-depth discussions with companies about employer issues - how to attract labor, how you want the outside world to see the company as an employer, and so on. This has given me a good insight into employer branding - both from a marketing perspective and the value of a healthy corporate culture.

What does it mean to strengthen your employer brand?

- Strengthening your employer brand is, first and foremost, about making conscious choices about how you want the outside world to perceive your company, i.e., the opposite of becoming a victim of circumstances. Once you have defined the company's goals, vision, and, above all, its culture, you can then set the strategies for how this should be communicated and to whom.

- When discussing employer brands, you talk about corporate culture, profiling, positioning, and putting employees in focus. The employee focus must be vital whether you work with products or services.

Have you noticed an increased need to review the employer brand among companies?

- Absolutely. There are many successful companies out there with solid products or services, but at the same time, they are far too anonymous for potential employees. Many companies need to become more visible - both in the local market and to people ready to move for the right job.

Why is the need greater today than a few years ago?

- I see several dimensions to this question. One of them is the skills shortage in several professional categories due to increased competition in the labor market. In these industries, an attractive employer brand is a must to attract and retain skills in the future.

- Another apparent factor that is becoming increasingly important is the sustainability movement. It brings new requirements on, for example, sustainability reporting and how companies take responsibility throughout the chain. Social sustainability, such as the work environment and gender equality, also places greater demands on employers than in the past. The world is changing rapidly, and today, there is a need for increased awareness and more precise strategies to communicate with employers.

So, have the needs of the labor market changed?

- I would say this: current and future generations will make completely different demands on their employers than their parents. Here, companies need to keep up with the change to increase their future attractiveness. Attracting talented candidates requires thoughtful and proactive communication about how a company deals with diversity, the environment, and gender equality.

Finally, how can you help companies strengthen their employer brand?

- Since I have collaborated and consulted with many companies in different industries over the years, my toolbox has been filled with experience. It is very much about having an organizational understanding of a company. By creating a safe and close relationship with our clients, I and my colleagues at ohappa can understand their challenges and work together to develop thoughtful strategies for their communication.

Contact Olof if you need help strengthening your employer brand.

Olof Vestling

COO

+46 76-768 40 98 olof.vestling@ohappa.se