Building Inspirational Brands: The Secret to Attracting and Retaining Top Talent – interview with Monique Elliott

Welcome to the latest instalment of Pacific International’s Leadership Insider Series. In this conversation, we delve into the fascinating world of branding and its pivotal role in shaping organizational success. Today’s guest, Monique Elliott, SVP, Brand and Communications at Schneider Electric, shares her insights drawn from over two decades in the industrial technology industry, including her current leadership role at Schneider Electric.

In this wide-ranging discussion with Margaret Jaouadi, Monique sheds light on how a brand goes beyond its visual identity to embody purpose, trust, and cultural values. She highlights Schneider Electric’s commitment to being a purpose-led organization, emphasizing sustainability and people-focused initiatives. From the nuances of storytelling to the importance of stakeholder engagement, Monique provides actionable strategies for brand leaders aiming to foster authenticity and trust in an ever-changing global landscape.

Whether you’re looking to refine your branding strategy or gain fresh perspectives on leadership in today’s complex business environment, this conversation is packed with practical examples. Join us as Monique Elliott offers a masterclass in building brands that inspire, resonate, and endure.

Margaret Jaouadi
To set the stage for this conversation, I recently ran a poll on LinkedIn asking, “How important is a company’s brand when making career decisions?” The results were quite interesting: only 11% of respondents said the brand doesn’t influence their choice at all. On the other hand, 60% indicated that the strength of the brand is either a key factor or a significant factor in their decision-making process when considering their next career move. Are you surprised by these findings?

Monique Elliott
These results resonate with me on multiple levels. Let me start from a personal perspective. What attracted me to Schneider Electric is that we are a purpose-led brand—an organization aiming to create impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. It was this focus on people and sustainability that deeply resonated with me. Schneider’s brand also stands for being a trusted partner in sustainability and efficiency, which aligns with my own values. Trust, in my view, is the foundation of any successful relationship and is essential for driving meaningful change.

The data you’ve shared aligns with what I see firsthand. I interview several candidates each month, and Schneider Electric does an excellent job of identifying and nurturing talent, particularly with succession planning. Almost every candidate I speak with highlights the company’s purpose and mission as major factors in their decision to apply. And these reasons to join become reasons to stay with the company, reflecting the strong influence of our brand.

I think this trend spans across generations, but it’s especially prominent among the next generation of the workforce. They increasingly seek out purpose-driven companies where they feel they can make a meaningful impact. So, no, I am not surprised by your survey results. They reinforce what I’ve seen both personally and in conversations with others.

Margaret Jaouadi
Looking beyond your time at Schneider, has a company’s brand played a role in your decision to join other organizations throughout your career?

Monique Elliott
I’ve spent over 20 years in the industrial technology industry, and my early career was with a company known for its strong brand—General Electric. Joining a company with such a well-established brand brought tremendous value. It created a sense of connection and promoted a strong cultural DNA among employees. A powerful brand is something people can rally around and take pride in.

That said, a brand is far more than just its look, feel, logo, or tagline. It is about guiding the company’s purpose. To some extent, a brand also shapes behavior—it defines who we are, why we exist, and what we aim to deliver to our customers. For me, working for companies with strong brand values has always been a priority. It’s not just about the prominence of the brand itself but the values that underpin it. That’s what truly draws me in.

Margaret Jaouadi
Brands are often considered intangible assets. What role does a brand play in a company’s success and why is it important?

Monique Elliott
That’s a great question. For me, there are two key aspects to consider. The first is identity. As I mentioned earlier, a brand personifies the organization—it gives it a distinct identity. The second is reputation. A strong brand is fundamental to a company’s long-term success because it plays a critical role in building and maintaining its reputation.

A reputable brand enhances customer confidence and loyalty, fosters trust, and promotes collaboration – all essential for achieving organizational goals. While brands are often considered intangible assets, they deliver very tangible benefits. They provide both a clear identity and a strong foundation of trust and reputation.

Margaret Jaouadi
What are the core principles and elements that are essential for building a strong and authentic brand?

Monique Elliott
It’s important to note that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. I believe consistency is key, namely maintaining consistency in messaging and tone across all channels once you’ve defined your brand identity. Consistency helps build recognition and trust. If your look and feel vary too much across different channels or audiences, it can undermine that trust. Of course, nuance matters, but consistency in your messaging is vital to building that strong foundation.

For me, a people-centric approach is essential. It’s about understanding and meeting the needs of your customers. A brand that listens and responds to its audience—whether that’s customers, employees, or other stakeholders—resonates. Listening and adapting to what people want, while remaining true to your brand essence, is crucial.

Finally, engagement makes the difference. You can have the most amazing visual identity and a well-crafted brand persona, but if you’re not engaging with customers and stakeholders in a meaningful way—whether that’s through social media, events, web or other touchpoints—you’re not moving the needle.

Margaret Jaouadi
How important is storytelling in shaping an inspirational brand? How to develop a winning story, and how to ensure that it resonates with all the stakeholders?

Monique Elliott
I’m glad you asked about storytelling. This past year, we established a critical capability within our brand and communications team specifically focused on brand storytelling. While some of the activities within this team aren’t entirely new, creating a dedicated space and appointing a Head of Brand Storytelling has been a significant step forward. As we know in communications, words matter, and simply using the term storytelling signals our commitment to this approach.

Storytelling is vital for shaping an inspirational brand, and I’d like to share an example to illustrate this. Recently, we launched our Impact Maker campaign, which is what we call a brand-business campaign. It highlights leaders—our customers and partners—who are choosing action to enable a more resilient, electric, and sustainable world. Through this campaign, we’re sharing their stories to inspire and encourage other organizations and individuals to join us on this journey. It’s a way to celebrate those who turn ambition into action and bring our shared mission to life.

An important aspect of this effort is how we’ve synchronized it with our own internal people values. While the campaign highlights customers, it also connects with our employees, creating an emotional and relatable narrative, with employees as key ambassadors of our brand. By highlighting achievements from around the world, we’re promoting a sense of pride and inspiration among multiple stakeholder groups and empowering our employees to share their own stories. It all starts internally, with the values we embody in our day-to-day behaviours and practices.

Storytelling is central to how we connect on a deeper level, and I hope this example provides a clear picture of how we’re using it to shape our brand today.

Margaret Jaouadi
We grew up listening to stories, they are a universal way to connect. I completely support your approach – it’s inspiring!
Now, could you share how the company communicates its values both internally and externally to build an authentic brand image? Additionally, what role does leadership play in reinforcing and supporting those messages?

Monique Elliott
Building on the power of connecting with stores, this past year, we launched our employee value proposition, Impact Starts with Us, which is designed to guide our culture and represent the DNA of our behaviors. Internally, we’ve embraced storytelling to bring these values to life. This includes news articles, a values handbook, global and local events, and visuals that exemplify our IMPACT values through… again, stories.

It’s a significant undertaking for a large company like ours, so we empower local communication leads with deployment kits that include tools like team workshop templates and examples of employee stories to build on. In fact, in addition to the customer-focused Impact Maker stories I mentioned earlier, we’ve also sourced powerful employee stories to align with our IMPACT values. At sites around the world, we’ve rebranded with digital posters and assets, so when colleagues come into the office, they see these values brought to life.

Externally, we’ve leveraged more traditional channels like social media, employee testimonials, and career pages to share these stories and values with the world.

You asked about leadership’s role in supporting these initiatives, and I cannot overstate how critical their involvement is. From the CEO to our Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, leadership has been actively involved from the beginning. They were instrumental in creating the Impact Starts with Us employee value proposition and IMPACT values, and they’ve continued to participate in events and communications to reinforce these across the company.

Given that we are such a people-focused organization, these topics are taken very seriously, and leadership plays a hands-on role in ensuring the values are not only defined but truly embedded across the company.

Margaret Jaouadi
Did you ever come across any resistance among the leadership team to actively support those messages?

Monique Elliott
In any organization, when there’s a significant change, it can feel overwhelming. Recognizing that updating our values and employee value proposition would be a substantial shift, we approached it thoughtfully and deliberately.

We took what I’d call a “cadenced, slow burn” approach rather than trying to implement everything all at once. It started with communicating that a change was coming—giving people a clear sense of timelines and ample opportunity to ask questions. This ensured that employees had the time and space to absorb the change, reducing any potential friction.

So, rather than resistance, I’d characterize it as a need for careful change management. By rolling things out gradually and thoughtfully, we aimed to avoid missteps or misunderstandings, focusing instead on a smooth evolution rather than a sudden revolution.

Margaret Jaouadi
How does a company’s brand influence its ability to attract top talent? You mention some excellent examples at the beginning but are there any specific brand attributes or values that resonate with potential hires?

Monique Elliott
Every potential hire has unique reasons for either wanting to switch companies or join a new one, especially after university. Beyond what I’ve already shared, there are a couple of key points worth mentioning.

First, people want to envision themselves contributing value and building a career within a company. It’s crucial to tell stories that highlight how individuals at various stages—whether fresh out of university, mid-management, or senior leadership—have joined the company and played a role in its success. In practical terms, this could mean showcasing real examples of employees’ journeys and facilitating conversations with those who’ve experienced this growth firsthand.

Fundamentally, I believe that people want to feel valued and know their contributions matter. Seeing examples of longevity and clear career paths within the company reassures potential hires that this is a place where they can grow, develop new skills, and continuously learn.

At Schneider Electric we place value on continuous learning, collaboration, and empathy, and these brand attributes resonate with many candidates as they consider their next career move.

Margaret Jaouadi
Absolutely, and it’s true that the idea of spending 20 or more years at a single company is much less common now. That said, there are still inspiring examples of individuals who’ve built incredible, lifelong careers within one organization for example Elliott Hill, President and Chief Executive Officer at NIKE Inc. These people grow and evolve alongside their company, navigating its changes while developing themselves.

But today, I agree that people are seeking more dynamic opportunities. They want to learn, contribute, acquire new skills, and feel part of something bigger than themselves. It’s not just about the paycheck—it’s about making a meaningful impact, whether through professional contributions, civic participation, or supporting organizations that drive positive change for the planet.

Monique Elliott
You make an excellent point, and I completely agree. Some individuals actively seek out companies with a clear purpose and a strong mission. For some, that purpose might center on addressing climate change; for others, it might be about prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some might look for organizations grounded in empathy and collaboration, while others may focus on opportunities for continuous learning.

Ultimately, I think it’s a combination of all these elements. The weighting of each factor may shift depending on where someone is in their career journey—for instance, early-career individuals might prioritize learning opportunities, while mid-career professionals might focus more on a company’s mission or culture of collaboration.

Margaret Jaouadi
How do you measure the impact of the brand on talent retention and attraction?

Monique Elliott
While I’m not an HR professional, I can share our perspective as we work closely with our HR colleagues, particularly on our employee value proposition. One concept we’ve developed is what we call Brand to Hire. This integrates employer branding with recruitment marketing to ensure we’re building and maintaining a strong, attractive brand.

We also have partnerships with platforms like Glassdoor and Indeed, which provide us with detailed reports on how our employer branding efforts are contributing to our hiring goals. For instance, we analyze metrics such as the amount of time candidates spend engaging with our online content. Additionally, we track our brand awareness rankings in specific categories and evaluate our ratings compared to other companies.

The Brand to Hire concept effectively maps out the hiring funnel—from the initial outreach to the final hire. By examining conversion rates at every stage of the funnel, we gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of our strategies.

Margaret Jaouadi
What trends do you see affecting marketing strategies in the near future?

Monique Elliott
Isn’t this such a complex question? It’s funny because after being in the industry and the workforce for some time now, this question feels inevitable. It always comes up, right? Honestly, I’ve thought about doing a kind of post-mortem on how I’ve answered this over the past 20 years just to see if any of my predictions held up!

Looking at where we are now and the trends shaping marketing strategies, there are a few big ones to highlight.

First, the obvious: AI. The ways we can leverage AI, particularly for storytelling, are incredible. It’s all about creating personalized and engaging brand experiences at scale, and I think that’s a huge technological shift we’re grappling with right now.

The second big one, which I know is mentioned a lot, is big data and data-driven insights. We’re in the era of even more data than, say, five years ago, and the challenge is turning all of this into actionable insights. The question is: how do we use this data to build strategies that truly resonate with audiences?

On the consumer side, we’ve seen more progress—point-of-sale information, tracking buying behaviors, and so on have advanced significantly. But on the B2B side? There’s still so much untapped potential here. I think we’ll see this area influencing marketing strategies a lot more in the future.

And speaking of B2B, as more interactions shift online, one of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—is creating a seamless, online-centric experience. For me, coming from the industrial tech space, this is a huge focus. How do we deliver that kind of smooth, digital-first interaction that feels as engaging as an in-person one?

Margaret Jaouadi
All these changes do keep us on our toes, Monique. Marketing evolves so quickly—it’s wild to think how different my work is now compared to when I started.

I’m sure you feel the same—it’s like we’re constantly reinventing ourselves just to keep up.

Monique Elliott
I might add one more thought here.

You mentioned how the job feels quite different now compared to the past, and I think a lot of that comes down to the global environment we’re navigating today. It’s complex. Though to be fair, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s more complex. I think previous generations might argue their worlds were just as complicated in other ways.

But as a brand marketer and communicator, I do think the role we play has become a bit more challenging to navigate because of the interconnected, fast-changing world we live in. Social changes to shifts in cultural expectations, require brands to be more agile in their response and communication.

What you said about the role feeling so different now really resonates with me. For me, it’s because branding and communication are becoming even more critical as the world changes rapidly around us. It’s an exciting space to be in, but it requires us to adapt in ways we might not have had before.

Margaret Jaouadi
I’d also add the importance of trust to that. In a world with so much questionable news, videos, and photos, it’s more important than ever to tell authentic stories.

When you involve employees, clients, and other stakeholders in your storytelling, it adds an extra layer of trust. It shows who you truly are, and that truthfulness resonates—whether it’s with potential employees, current teams, or your broader audience.

Monique Elliott
Right, I completely agree. Trust is a core value for us—not just internally with our colleagues, but also as a key brand attribute. Being a trusted partner for our customers is central to who we are.

Margaret Jaouadi
And now the final question. Reflecting on your experience, what advice would you give to other brand leaders looking to strengthen their brand? Are there any key lessons or guiding principles you think are essential?

Monique Elliott
You know, I’d love for someone to answer this question for me, too! It’s always nice to take advice, not just give it. There are three key things I’d share.

First, strong brand conviction. This ties back to the consistency we discussed earlier—staying true to your brand’s core identity. Conviction is crucial. Staying authentic to your core builds trust, which, as we’ve talked about, is fundamental. It’s the anchor for all your efforts.

Second, consideration for all stakeholders. This is something I frequently discuss with my leadership team. Your brand doesn’t just serve customers and employees, though they’re critical; it also impacts the financial community, analysts, policymakers, and students entering the workforce—all of them interact with your brand in meaningful ways. A truly holistic and inclusive brand strategy has to take all these perspectives into account.

Finally, passion for what you do. You need to feel passionate about your brand and your work. As we’ve said, we spend so much of our lives at work—you should enjoy what you’re doing and the people you’re doing it with.

Margaret Jaouadi
Thank you, Monique, for your time and the masterclass in brand building!

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