Wastewater treatment is not just a piece of cake

Default Author • Oct 12, 2021

Remo Schulz, MD of Saxlund Group’s German operations, discusses German-led changes in European legislation for phosphorous recovery, and how innovation is supporting sustainability goals in wastewater recovery.

It makes sense to put the status of the industry in context. Specifically in Europe there is continuing debate on the appropriate handling of sludge as the defined solid waste produce from wastewater and sewage treatment.


Safer methods

The late 20th-century drive to clean final effluent discharge into rivers and seas means that sludge cake must now be safely utilised and disposed of. Putting raw or lime treated sludge cake directly onto agricultural land does not have a long-term future, while land filling is costly and a lost opportunity. Methods to safely utilise sludge cake are major drivers for wastewater companies. Dewatered sludge cake is generally 18 – 35% dry solids, and a non-free flowing material that can be variable in its mechanical handling properties due to process, location and / or season.


Pollution control at source is crucial

The wastewater sector is under pressure due to the presence of degradable and nondegradable pollutants entering our sewers and from the increased flow to sewers caused by climate change and urban development.

The sector is being asked to deliver clean water by removing these pollutants from wastewater; however, this process generates an increasing amount of urban wastewater treatment sludge (UWWTS) and treatment efforts, as well as carbon emissions and higher costs to customers. Improved control of pollution at source is urgently needed for all non-biodegradable pollutants if we are to truly embrace the circular economy. The new EU Zero Pollution Action Plan is based on a ‘zero pollution hierarchy’.


This is outlined by research from organisations such as EurEau (the European Federation of National Associations of Water Services), representing national drinking and wastewater service providers from 29 countries. The Position Papers are of particular note: ‘Enabling the circular potential of sewage sludge within the EU legislative framework’ and further analysis in ‘Waste water treatment – sludge management’.


Innovative business models such as asset management and sludge retail followed by disruptive applications like hydrogen fuel from sludge will drive the circular economy of the European sludge treatment systems market.

It may be an established market in this respect, but many of its utilities suffer from ageing infrastructure where retrofits and rehabilitation will be key, along with technologies addressing micropollutants in sludge. The European Commission has approved fertiliser generated sludge, a key driver to minimise waste, lower energy consumption and reduce the risk of phosphorus shortage.


The market is broadly classified into two systems: sludge treatment and sludge recovery. The former include sludge thickening & dewatering, sludge digestion and sludge drying. The latter consist of nutrient recovery and alternate materials. The sludge treatment systems and recovery market are expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.51% from 2019 to 2025.


Processing methods

There are currently three main methods of utilisation / disposal:


ADD sludge

Widely seen in the UK and across Europe, this method generates additional anaerobic activity, boosting energy recovery in Anaerobic Digestion AD plants. There are currently two main technologies:

Thermal hydrolysis, where sludge is heated to a high temperature under pressure, and subjected to rapid decompression causing the solids fraction of the sludge to disintegrate.

Enzymic hydrolysis, where the sludge is broken down into small components which are acidified, before the material is transferred into the anaerobic digestion plant.


EfW sludge

Sludge cake is used widely in EfW plants and cement plants to dispose of material, and when having a high dry solids content, gain beneficial energy. It can be combusted when mixed with other waste fuels or mono-combusted on its own. Drying sludge cake using waste heat turns it into a valuable fuel.


Sludge for Phosphate Recovery

Recent European legislation, most notably in Germany, means that Phosphate recovery is a driver for change, with a move away from co-combustion to the building of new mono-combustion plants.


Germany – leading the way?

Since the German Sewage Sludge Regulation was introduced in 2017, sewage sludge must be recycled to recover phosphorus. The aim is to gradually close the phosphorus cycle and reduce Germany’s dependence on phosphorus imports, saving resources and reducing soil contamination.


Phosphorus is primarily used as fertiliser. Germany – as with most other EU states – depends almost entirely on imports of mineral-based phosphorus fertilisers. If the new regulations are complied with, 50% to 60% of imports can be replaced by phosphorus recovered from sewage sludge. To achieve that aim, operators of larger sewage plants (population equivalent of > 50,000) are required to recover phosphorus from sewage sludge.


Transition periods are allowed to help develop and optimise recovery processes. Large sewage plants (population equivalent of > 100,000) have 12 years to comply with the new regulation. Transition for smaller sewage plants (population equivalent of 50,000 to 100,000) is 15 years. However, sewage plant operators of the above sizes must submit their phosphate recycling concept to the regulatory authorities by the end of 2023.


The war in Ukraine has left the world short of fertilisers, and prices are skyrocketing. Previously Russia and Belarus provided about 40% of the world’s exports of potash, according to Morgan Stanley, but sanctions have sent prices increasing at an exponential rate.


Rationale for German approach

Scientists from Cardiff University estimate that between 31,000 and 42,000 tonnes of microplastics (or 86 – 710 trillion microplastic particles) are applied to European soils annually, mirroring the concentration of microplastics found in ocean surface waters. Their study estimates that microplastics removed from raw sewage at wastewater treatment plants make up roughly 1% of the weight of sewage sludge, commonly used as farm fertiliser. The UK has potentially the highest amount of microplastic contamination in its soils, with 500 – 1000 microplastic particles per sq m of agricultural land applied per year, followed by Spain, Portugal and Germany.


The study took samples from the Nash Wastewater Treatment Plant in Newport, which treats combined sewage from 300,000 people. Analysis revealed that the treatment plant was 100% effective in removing large microplastic particles, 1 – 5mm in size, from incoming sewage that would otherwise be released into the aquatic environment. Each gram of sewage sludge was shown to contain up to 24 microplastic particles, roughly 1% of its weight. This data was used to assess the impact of the use and application of sewage sludge as a fertiliser across Europe. Microplastics less than 1mm in size weren’t analysed, so the overall concentrations are likely to be a lot higher than their estimates.

The German approach of incineration eradicates microplastics as they are combusted in the process, allowing the resulting ash to be used for phosphorous recovery.


Phosphorus Recovery from sewage sludge

Currently phosphorus recovery from sludge cake ash is only practical from mono-incineration plants where just sludge cake is combusted. Sludge cake is used widely in a supplementary fuel in Energy from Waste plants but contamination from other materials in the ash means recovery is not possible.

Existing capacity in mono-incineration plants is about 450,000 mg dry solids/a, equivalent to roughly 25% of the total dry sewage sludge mass produced, thus new plants are needed.

An additional plant is required to extract phosphates from the ash. The new German Sewage Sludge Regulation requires a recovery rate of 80% in relation to input, so commercial plants are coming into operation (phos4green.glatt.com/projects/seraplant-haldensleben/)


Sludge satellites and processing hubs

The drive for innovation means projects are delivered as Satellite and Hubs. Smaller water treatment works will install sludge dewatering systems and Truck Loading storage silos, with 3 – 5 days of storage on each site. A larger water treatment works, with its own large indigenous sludge, will install a Sludge Cake Reception and Storage system that feeds the AAD or EfW process.


Future proofing

Germany has around 10,200 wastewater treatment plants which use approximately 4,400 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year (35 kWh/population equivalent per year), and account for around 0.7% of the power consumed in the country.


aerzen.com/applications/water-and-waste-water-treatment/adviser/water-treatment-in-the-future.html. Aeration is by far the main consumer for almost all the wastewater treatment plants with sludge processes; while power consumed by plants with aerobic sludge stabilisation is between 60% and 80%, it is still around 50% for plants with sludge digestion. Renewable energy sources to power efficiency include hydroelectric power in the inlets and outlets, depending on available fall height.


Particularly in the case of larger plants with sludge incineration, it is recommended to use bar screen debris as an additional fuel source. However, this technology is limited using bar screen debris washers, which reduce the accumulation of debris and also possible ash contamination.



Needless to say, a spectrum of new and emerging solutions is being tested, but they must be both safe to operate and offer a valuable return on investment.

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How VMware Attracts and Retains Tech Talent

By Default Author • 24 Oct, 2022
Long before COVID-19 made working from home the norm, this software company was experimenting with remote work and exploring its impact on employer brand. This unsung hero of the B2B technology space was powering some of the busiest and most visible brands of the early months of the pandemic, all while supporting a globally distributed workforce. Keeping a watchful eye on these experiments was Global Employment Brand Manager Price Peacock, whose team is responsible for showcasing that employee experience to the public. Embracing Remote Work Embracing the distributed team model benefits businesses in several ways. Chiefly: It allows hiring managers to recruit from a larger pool, and it makes you a more attractive employer to the staggering number of workers who now prefer telecommuting . The move to a distributed team helped VMware address its top talent challenge: standing out in the competitive local tech talent market in Palo Alto, California, where VMware’s headquarters sit. “From a talent perspective, we’re enabling our recruiters, sourcers, and hiring managers to look for people in areas not near VMware offices. That’s allowing us to remove some of those challenges that we historically faced and hire more diverse talent,” Peacock says. Prioritizing the “Why” Every year, Peacock’s employer brand team sits down for a “gut check.” They reevaluate their priorities and check their efforts against their larger relevance to the company. “It’s allowed us to be nimble, learn, and evolve our employer brand strategy,” Peacock says. VMware’s internal EVP reflects this commitment to employees’ development: Own your future. Its employer brand team also maintains a close relationship with the corporate brand team to ensure the message they promote internally stays aligned with the values VMware professes externally. Centering the Employee Perspective One of the most direct, meaningful ways to keep your employer brand messaging aligned with employee perspectives is to center those perspectives in your content. “Employee referrals today are our number one source of hire. Knowing that, we recognize the importance of our people’s perspectives and voices,” Peacock says. “We actively partner with the 33,000+ employees that work at VMware to create, share, and participate in the content and experiences we’re creating for prospective employees.” In foregrounding employee storytelling , Peacock is allowing VMware’s culture to speak for itself. “VMware’s brand is the sum of the emotions and attitudes that people have with us, whether it be our employees, our customers, or the broader community,” she says. To follow Price Peacock’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn . For help identifying the values and culture you want to create in your company, get in touch .  Source

STC INSISO ACQUIRES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) PRODUCT FROM LLOYDS REGISTER

By Default Author • 17 Oct, 2022
Aberdeen-based performance improvement specialists, STC INSISO, has acquired, for an undisclosed amount, the intellectual property and software of a revolutionary Artificial Intelligence (AI) product created through a successful joint venture partnership with Lloyds Register. COMET Signals, an AI driven tool that scans HSE data to deliver clear, immediate, and actionable insights, was co-developed by STC INSISO and Lloyds Register, the world’s premier trusted advisor to marine and offshore industry participants. STC INSISO are now sole owners of the product following the acquisition, which allows them to drive an ambitious product roadmap to build out a series of new features and improvements that will continue to push what’s possible in the AI Data Analytics space. Lloyds Register and STC INSISO will continue to work together to support clients in the oceans’ economy. COMET Signals is currently in commercial pilots with a number of major global companies including Coca Cola, Network Rail and McDermott. The COMET Signals technology is deployed across the organisations, to enable them to manage and analyse all their leading and lagging indicator data using one comprehensive platform to ensure they are maintaining the highest HSE standards. It analyses the natural language in large volumes of HSE data from observations, near misses, and incident reports to identify trends in Hazards and Topics, analyse Severity, and perhaps most importantly predict the presence of latent root causes with the potential to cause future incidents. Mark Rushton, CEO at STC INSISO, said “This is a truly exciting development in our business. Having full ownership and control of the COMET Signals product allows us to surge forward with our ambitious plans to further develop the tool. We will continue to diversify, growing early progress in the Rail, Construction, Marine and Retail industries with a further push into the Oil & Gas, Renewables, and Utility sectors. “We have a fantastic, long-standing relationship with Lloyds Register which we are immensely proud of. This latest development is absolutely not the end of this but quite the opposite. It is about new ways of working to ensure both businesses are creating most value add to the industries we support.” Following the acquisition, COMET Signals will imminently transition into STC INSISO’s flagship COMET Safety Performance System, a collective suite of tools to support businesses improve performance through root cause learning.  For more information go to https://www.cometanalysis.com/comet-signals Source

How the Automotive Technology Space Is Attracting New Talent

By Default Author • 13 Oct, 2022
Big changes in the automotive technology space have inspired a renewed focus on attracting tech talent and workplace diversity for this company’s employer brand leadership. That focus is just one of the creative challenges Joanna Babiarz faces as Aptiv’s Global Employer Branding Director. Your Candidate Messaging Should Evolve with Your Industry Recent and rapid tech innovation is rendering certain skill groups obsolete while placing others in high demand. This is especially true of the automotive industry, which now courts very different talent pools than it did a decade ago, according to Babiarz. At first, Aptiv’s employer brand messaging wasn’t focused on tech. However, after clocking the industry shift toward being a tech-centric space, Babiarz and her team reshaped their candidate messaging to grab the attention of tech talent and position Aptiv as a competitive employer to this sought-after demographic. Today, roughly one-third of Aptiv’s engineers are software developers and ship over 40 billion lines of code each day. To Achieve Workplace Diversity, Start Early Refurbishing your employer brand is an ideal time to ensure your messaging reflects your values. During a recent rebrand, Babiarz and her team realized they had an opportunity to disrupt an automotive industry trend with Aptiv’s employer branding: its male-dominated workforce. Aptiv employs a diverse team of workers from many backgrounds, but like most other companies in the space, it still struggles to reach women and other demographics underrepresented in STEM. “We are trying to change this ratio. We are trying to show that this space is a fantastic opportunity for growth for anyone, regardless of gender or ethnicity,” Babiarz says. What Candidates Really Want Today’s candidates don’t just want to collect a paycheck; they want their work to hold meaning . Babiarz observed this when talking to Aptiv employees who’ve stayed at the company for five years or more, as well as those who returned after leaving for a different job. She noticed a theme among employee responses: “They have a purpose here. It’s not that they’re working on another software app; they’re helping save lives and mitigate the risks of accidents. They offer solutions that reduce emissions.” No matter the nature and scale of the shifts occurring in your industry, Babiarz’s advice to employer brand leaders is the same: Ask your employees about what needs to change. “It’s not always about the market trends or what the stakeholders expect from you,” she says. “You have to talk to your employees!”  To follow Joanna Babiarz’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn . For help gathering data and insights you can act on to improve your company, get in touch . Source

Activating Employer Brand as a Science and Technology Company

By Default Author • 06 Oct, 2022
Successful employer brand activation is all about thinking globally for this 352-year-old, progress-driven science and technology company. Merck Group has dedicated itself to furthering human progress through science and technology. It’s a lofty mission and one its team takes very seriously, particularly employer brand leader Chris Dinwiddy. You Value Curiosity Merck Group’s EVP, “Bring your curiosity to life,” carries two meanings for Dinwiddy. It invites employees to nurture their curiosity, but it also encourages employees to direct that curiosity toward improving life on earth. Curiosity isn’t just a trait of a great hire; it’s a skill that helps Merck Group make the world a better place. Curiosity also motivates the employer brand team’s investment in its ambassador network. With so many markets worldwide (including China, the US, Germany, and others), Dinwiddy has realized the importance of nurturing one-on-one relationships with regional heads of recruitment and demonstrating an interest in their unique region. You Stay Innovative When courting an in-demand demographic, filling a specific role type, or launching a campaign, the employer brand team relies on SAP SuccessFactors tools and custom landing pages. They keep a close on their Google Analytics and other sources of quantitative data, while also tracking more qualitative feedback (candidate comments like ”I didn’t know much about you before I applied” or “I’ve seen your brand around”) to measure success. The team is also trying out a new tool that’s been instrumental in gathering employee-generated content : an app called PathMotion, specifically designed to help candidates connect with employees. You Prioritize Humans “The recruitment industry’s drifted in the last few years away from corporate and polished , ” Dinwiddy observes. Now, candidates are responding more to honest, authentic, and candid messaging. For Dinwiddy, this human-centered and end-user-focused culture is key to what makes it a great place to work and such an easy employer to promote. In describing his experience at Merck Group, Dinwiddy offers the same kind of candidness he encourages in brands: “My job’s really special. I work for a brilliant company—and I’m not just saying that because they pay my salary!” To follow Chris Dinwiddy ’ s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help gathering data and insight that you can act on to improve your company, get in touch . Source

Advanced course on biological wastewater treatment

By Default Author • 18 Oct, 2021
The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer an IChemE Approved online CPD Course, Biological Wastewater Treatment and Anaerobic Digestion: Theory, Design and Practice, which is aimed at professionals and PhD students working in the areas of biological wastewater treatment and anaerobic digestion. We take enrolments all year round and you can access all materials right from the start with up to 6 months to complete the course. Biological wastewater treatment is essential for the environment and for public health by avoiding the spread of diseases. Anaerobic digestion is a key technology in the handling of organic waste and in many renewable energy scenarios for a sustainable society. However, if not properly designed, operated and optimised, these processes may use large amounts of energy, occupy large areas of land and convert the organic matter in an inefficient way, at high economic and environmental cost for the society. This advanced course describes how to use concepts of chemical reaction stoichiometry and kinetics to design and optimise biological wastewater treatment and anaerobic digestion processes in order to maximise treatment efficiency while minimising the capital and operating costs. The course starts from the fundamentals of the biological processes relevant for wastewater treatment (e.g. kinetics and stoichiometry, COD balance, aeration and settling) and moves to their application to the design and optimisation of the following processes: activated sludge (carbon and carbon and nitrogen removal), anaerobic digestion, sequencing batch reactors, attached growth processes. What is covered: Fundamentals of biological wastewater treatment Kinetics and stoichiometry of biological reactions Step-by-step process of how to develop and solve the mass balances and design equations The main processes used in the industry are described and the corresponding design equations are developed The course includes numerical examples and design problems, solved by the course lecturer using Microsoft Excel. Why study online? Study in your own time – this CPD course does not require you to engage at specific times, giving you the freedom to choose when you study within the framework of your course. You choose where to study – at home, on the go, in the park… the choice is endless. And chosen by you. As long as you can access the internet, you can study with us – meaning you can get the same CPD certificate as our campus students without having to travel or commute. You will be supported – when you study online with us, you can expect a first-class support structure that means you are never alone in your studies. You can achieve your potential – studying with us will help you reach your goals. Studying online shows employers that you are self-motivated, can manage your own time and are dedicated to your own development. Don’t delay and register now for the chance to further your career Visit the course website HERE for more information: Email us: cpdservices@abdn.ac.uk Source

Adsorbable organically bound halogens analysis as per new DIN 38409-59

By Default Author • 18 Oct, 2021
DIN has published method 38409-59 describing the determination of adsorbable organically bound halogens by combustion ion chromatography (CIC) in different water samples. AOX and AOF analysis according to the new standard is performed in two steps, preconcentration of the adsorbable organic halogens on activated carbon, followed by direct combustion and subsequent ion chromatographic (CIC) analysis. A free Metrohm application note describes the new method and its application for the analysis of AOF, which provides a fast and economical solution for non-targeted PFASs screening. Organohalogen compounds are widespread, persistent, and potentially toxic for humans and the environment. However, the techniques commonly used to monitor adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) can only determine the sum of organically bound chlorine, bromine, and iodine. These techniques do not provide individual results for AOCl, AOBr, and AOI, respectively, nor on the organofluorine (AOF) content. DIN method 38409-59 describes a validated method for comprehensive AOX analysis including AOF by CIC. Analysis by CIC allows the determination of the sum parameter as well as the individual concentrations of adsorbable organically bound fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine in different waters.  Advantages of the new standard method: Selective determination of AOF, AOCl, AOBr, and AOI in waters AOF as fast non-targeted screening for PFASs Efficient and low-maintenance AOX determination Easy-to-use, robust, and efficient Further information on the application: Application Note AN-CIC-033 – Monitoring PFASs in water sources: Non-targeted adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF) analysis by CIC White Paper WP-078 – Adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF) – a sum parameter for non-targeted screening of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in waters Source

Building Employer Brand Awareness with Global Tech Talent

By Default Author • 17 Oct, 2021
Everyone’s looking for tech talent, and the competition within this highly in-demand market is steep. This is the challenge Liz Gelb-O’Connor faces as ADP’s VP/Global Head of Employer Brand and Marketing. Here’s how Gelb-O’Connor and her team are tailoring their employer brand strategy to attract tech talent specifically. Building Global Awareness  As a payroll services provider, ADP pays one out of every six workers in the US and is almost a household name. However, outside of the US, it doesn’t have the same level of recognition as major US consumer brands. The employer brand team spent 10 months researching the international talent markets that yielded the most candidates and nurturing relationships with partner organizations in other countries. The result was an EVP localized for each country—a monumental effort that turned out to be well worth it, Gelb-O’Connor says. Nurture Future Talent ADP’s employer brand team also devotes energy to the very top of the tech talent funnel, those that aren’t looking for work right now but may be strong candidates in the future. ADP’s tech blog , a first of its kind for the company, keeps future talent abreast of industry conversations and news while showcasing the brand’s innovation and the thought leadership of its tech employees. The results of this tech-tailored approach to employer brand have been powerful. In the five years since Gelb-O’Connor began leading employer brand, ADP has won industry accolades, and earned a strong NPS score for its candidate experience . Cost of hire has dropped, and the candidate conversion rate for the tech career site is twice the rate of its main career site (despite launching during the hiring slowdown of May 2020). This rapid change and growth around tech is one of the things that makes Gelb-O’Connor so excited to lead employer brand at ADP. “It never gets old,” she says. “That’s been the most rewarding thing: seeing how far we’ve come.” To follow Liz Gelb-O’Connor’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn . For help identifying the values and culture you want to create in your company, get in touch . Share this post: Source

Webinar: Competency Assessment in the Water Industry

By Default Author • 16 Oct, 2021
Water industry professionals are invited to join a free-to-attend webinar , which will provide an introduction to the leading OCG system and how it enables water companies to accurately measure the knowledge and competency of their workforce. What is OCG? OCG is a competency assessment system from Watertrain (an RSK Group company) and provides the most comprehensive suite of assessment pathways to measure competence on offer anywhere in the UK water industry. OCG’s pathways provide a comprehensive competence structure across the entire function of the water industry – including the principal functions of the water cycle, water treatment, water network, wastewater network and wastewater treatment. In addition, OCG assesses competence in key industry support functions, such as ME and I and Operations Control. If you are interested in learning more, register your place on the webinar via the link below.  Webinar Details: Date: Monday 26 September 2022 Time: 12:00 PM Registration link: https://mailchi.mp/ebb175a9f31f/ocg-walkthrough-webinar Source

Employer Brand at a Booming E-Commerce Company

By Default Author • 16 Oct, 2021
This pet care brand is building an exceptional culture while growing rapidly, thanks in part to its successful employer brand strategy. And though stay-at-home orders certainly played a role in Chewy’s success, it isn’t just the convenience of online shopping that’s driving its transformation. Its employer brand is helmed by Senior Employer Brand Manager Kara Hendrick, who has played a crucial role in helping Chewy keep pace with a season of rapid growth. Internal Champions The employer brand function at Chewy grew out of the company’s goal to raise awareness of the growing number of diverse roles it needed to fill. Chewy’s HR department was one of its first champions, which kickstarted company-wide enthusiastic support for Hendrick’s work. Hendrick knows that finding these internal champions is key to employer brand success, and she prioritizes building relationships with stakeholders in PR, talent management, branding, and social. These relationships are especially beneficial for employer brand projects with vast scope but limited resources; they help Hendrick avoid getting too “in the weeds.” Culture Investment This attention to the personal pervades Chewy’s culture beyond its customer service strategy. Team members aren’t “employees” but “Chewtopians,” and Chewy’s operating principles include statements like “Act like an owner.” When lockdown restrictions forced Chewy’s corporate offices and customer service centers into home offices, the company’s talent management and employee experience teams met with its CHRO and CEO to revisit and recommit to its values.  No One-Size-Fits-All Strategy Chewy recruits for corporate customer service, tech, and fulfillment center roles, all while maintaining a unified message and navigating each talent segment’s unique challenges. Hiring for a diverse array of roles, Hendrick has learned, demands diverse strategies. “What attracts a software engineer in Boston isn’t the same as what attracts an operations manager in Dayton, Ohio,” she observes. Designing an employer brand strategy that will be successful for all these markets demands careful listening. This fact hit home in Hendrick’s early days at Chewy when she met with the Head of Fulfillment Center Recruiting. After listening to Hendrick present her grand plans for targeting fulfillment center candidates, he asked, “Have you ever visited a Chewy fulfillment center?” Hendrick admitted she hadn’t yet. But after her first visit, “It all made sense.” To follow Kara Hendrick’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn . For help gathering the right data and developing strategies to make real change at your company, get in touch . Share this post: Source

Attracting Talent to a Tech Company with French Roots

By Default Author • 15 Oct, 2021
This tech company with French roots has a unique way of framing its EVP—or, as Talend says, its JNSQ, or “je ne sais quoi.”“ Talend was on a mission to put words to what were necessarily undefinable qualities of its brand and culture. What its people marketing team, led by Global People Marketing Manager Jonathan Hehir, uncovered was the importance of culture, diversity, and company-wide EVP stewardship. Why Culture Is Key “It’s tough for candidates to truly understand what their next business looks like and the type of culture they’re interested in ,” Hehir says. “I can understand why candidates when they’re looking at their job search, are behaving more like consumers. Everyone’s edging for that little bit of attention.” According to Hehir, the people of Talend are close collaborators and united by love for their field. To succeed, Hehir’s team has to demonstrate that supportive culture to the rest of the tech world. What Makes a Unique Workplace Like many companies, the pandemic spurred the company to revisit its commitment to diversity and its employer brand. Led by its new CEO Christal Bemont, Talend sought out new ways to own its core values (agility, integrity, passion, and team spirit) and reexamined its “je ne sais quoi” (or JNSQ, as the team says). Among the many positive results of this self-reflection was a recommitment to making Talend an inclusive workplace : “An environment where people feel safe and feel a sense of belonging; a place where they can be themselves, even if they may not be visiting offices or their coworkers,” in Hehir’s words. Public reception was positive as well. According to Hehir, “People enjoyed the idea that we were celebrating people’s differences from the outset.” Revisit Your Culture’s Roots This sense of shared stewardship of the EVP, or JNSQ, has had a major impact on the success of Talend’s employer brand activation efforts. “Remember where your culture stems from,” Hehir advises fellow employer brand leaders. Remembering the people behind the brand, he says, is what gets him excited to tell Talend’s story—and welcome new faces into it. To follow Jonathan Hehir’s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn . For help with your own EVP, get in touch . We help you identify the values and culture you want to create in your company. Share this post: Source
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