For years, HR leaders have embraced marketing mindsets to attract top talent. We've refined our employer brands, invested in recruitment marketing and polished candidate experiences. But once the offer is signed, the marketing stops.

In consumer marketing, the relationship doesn’t end after the purchase. It deepens. Brands continue nurturing loyalty and driving engagement throughout the customer life cycle. So why should marketing be any different for employees?

Enter employee life cycle marketing (ELM). It's the strategic application of modern marketing principles—segmentation, personalization, automation and journey mapping—across every stage of the employee experience. It ensures that from preboarding to offboarding, your people feel seen, supported and aligned with the organization's mission and values.

Talent Acquisition Is Just The Beginning

There’s a lot of excitement at the end of the recruiting process when a candidate accepts your offer. But typically, from that point until their first official day, there's silence. When comms drop precipitously, pending new hires may feel confused, which disrupts the enthusiasm and momentum built. Without a warm handoff from recruiting to onboarding, this uncertainty can turn into real doubt and leave space for competing offers or cold feet. This can delay productivity and early contributions. Taken one step further, new hires who experience a disconnect early may disengage quickly.

A thoughtful preboarding journey can ease anxiety and affirm the decision to join. According to Gallup data from 2021, employees are more likely to be satisfied with their employer after a strong onboarding process. Preboarding communications could be as simple as a personal note from the hiring manager or team and sharing practical details for Day 1, including a detailed agenda, a map of facilities, instructions for parking, etc. More tailored communication could discuss their particular role, including training plans, team structure or tech setup. Finally, sharing content that describes the company values and mission or includes employee stories can give new hires a sense of belonging before they arrive.

Still, many organizations are stuck in a legacy mindset, treating talent acquisition as the finish line instead of the starting point. Without a life cycle marketing approach, employees often miss out on the full value of the benefits and support available to them. Key moments that should strengthen the employee experience, like onboarding, promotions or returning from leave, pass by without the guidance or recognition they deserve. High-potential individuals may feel overlooked or disconnected, causing them to disengage and look elsewhere for growth. This is more important than ever, especially when you consider that  only 21% of respondents to a 2023 Gallup survey strongly agreed that they trusted their organization’s leadership.

Over time, a lack of intentional engagement erodes retention, weakens performance and puts company culture and brand reputation at risk. Just as customer churn threatens revenue, employee attrition threatens innovation, continuity and morale.

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