Increasing employer brand – the key to successful recruitment for engineering SMEs

~ New HR manager joins SolutionsPT ~

Cheadle based industrial automation specialist SolutionsPT has appointed Louise Potts as People and Culture Manager. Potts will be focusing on increasing the company’s employer brand and achieving Best Companies and Investors in People accreditation for 2012. 

Louise Potts - New People and Culture Manager at SolutionsPT

Employer branding describes how an organisation markets its offering to potential and existing employees. Marketers have developed techniques to help attract customers, communicate with them effectively and maintain their loyalty to a brand. Employer branding involves applying a similar approach to help attract, engage and retain people working within the company.

SolutionsPT has been included on The Sunday Times Best Small Companies to Work for List for the last three years. In addition, the industrial automation specialist has also been voted one of the Best Companies in the North West every year since 2008.

Potts hopes to continue this tradition using experience drawn from her most recent role with Freedom Finance, one of the largest loan and mortgage brokers in the UK.

SolutionsPT’s newly appointed manager started her career in the Manchester HR office of Boots the Chemists.  After that, Potts moved on to manage match day staffing and HR activities for conference and catering divisions at Manchester United Plc.

“The focus of my work with SolutionsPT will be on employee engagement and development,” explained Potts. “My goal is to help people become aware of their potential within the company. It is very important to make sure you have the best people in the right places. Also, having a strong employer brand and high levels of employee engagement translates to a low turnover of staff and greater employee commitment,” she concluded.

Phil Gillard, managing director at SolutionsPT added, “As proven time and time again, we are committed to ensuring our employees work in a pleasant environment. Building the right organisational culture helps individuals reach their potential and feel fulfilled. Louise will drive this and work towards the ‘best employer’ accolade for the fifth year running – so no pressure there,” he joked.

Coming from a family of musicians, Potts studied music in London before deciding to pursue a career in Human Resources. She still plays viola and enjoys listening to music in her spare time. Mother of two little girls, Potts loves outdoor activities with her family and is a keen runner.