Boosting Employer Brand: SiteOne’s Innovative Use of Employee Video Content

SiteOne knew they had to rethink their approach to talent acquisition when faced with the challenge of hiring 2,000 specialized roles annually in a field with a massive talent shortage. As the largest national wholesale distributor of landscaping products in the U.S. and Canada, they needed a strategy that could resonate with hourly-working drivers, who are constantly on the move and have unique preferences. These candidates, with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), prioritize opportunities, salary and benefits, and are often too busy to engage with traditional employer branding efforts.

Michele Posehn, SiteOne’s senior manager of diversity and early talent initiatives, recognized that an innovative solution was necessary to create authentic and meaningful connections with potential candidates. The answer was closer than imagined: their own employees. By partnering with iCIMS, SiteOne harnessed the power of employee-generated content to humanize their recruitment process. Through authentic video testimonials from real employees, leaders and hiring managers, SiteOne was able to engage even the most passive candidates, transforming the talent experience and boosting their employer brand. This innovative approach earned SiteOne second place for Best Use of Employee-Generated Content in the 2024 Rally Awards!

In this blog post, we feature a Q&A with Michele Posehn and dive into the video strategy that SiteOne employed to overcome their recruitment challenges. You’ll learn:

• How SiteOne leveraged storytelling to attract hard-to-find talent
• The role of authenticity in creating relatable candidate experiences
• The efficiency of using video technology compared to traditional videography

Meet Michele Posehn

Michele Posehn brings over two decades of expertise in Talent Acquisition, with a strong focus on team management, ATS projects, employer branding and talent acquisition communications. Her extensive experience spans various industries, including Finance, Sales, Marketing, Food and Facilities Services, Hospitality, and Customer Service, recruiting for roles from entry-level to senior executive positions. Since joining SiteOne Landscape Supply in 2018, Michele has excelled as a Senior Recruiting Manager, focusing on Diversity and Early Talent Initiatives. She leads projects in Diversity and Inclusion, University Relations, and partnerships to enhance female and minority candidate engagement. Her innovative programs, such as a mentorship initiative and internal training for CDL hires, have strengthened SiteOne’s employment brand and increased diversity. Her career includes previous roles at Aramark and Sodexo, beginning as a recruiter in 2000.

Let’s get started!

Challenges in Recruiting CDL Hourly Drivers

1. What specific challenges does SiteOne face in attracting and recruiting specialized talent for your hourly-working driver roles?

I think like all companies that seek out CDLs, it’s the shortage of those with this certification. However, I believe SiteOne has an advantage if candidates out there with this certification want to use these skills without the downside of being away from home and family. Our CDLs are home every night and are able to have a great work life balance.

2. Why have you decided to focus on employee-generated content as a solution to these recruiting challenges?

Our industry is not one many are familiar with, so this content is eye opening for our candidates. They may have an idea of what a customer service role is but then to see it in action or hear straight from our workforce brings the role to life. We can take our candidates immediately to our locations as they sit at home. They can hear the excitement and dedication our associates have.

3. How do you identify which employees to feature in your videos, and what criteria do you use to select them?

We asked our leaders to think of associates that embodied our DNA, values of professionalism, accountability, talent, customer focused, safety, and always looking for ways to improve. We wanted our videos to showcase associates who, across regions and job titles, represent the best of us. I always say our people are our best product and by having them as our brand ambassadors, candidates can see our values are not just words on a computer screen – they are the tools we take with us to work each day.

4. We know how important authenticity is in Recruitment Marketing. How do you ensure the authenticity and relatability of the videos produced by employees?

I think the thing that has ensured authenticity is that we ask first if they are willing. This is not something that we approach as required. We understand many may be uncomfortable to be online or not comfortable with speaking on camera. Once we know that, we just simply ask the question. There is no telling them what answer we want to hear or guidance with words we want included. These testimonials are truly theirs.

Leveraging Employee-Generated Content for Recruitment

5. Can you describe the process of how you partner with iCIMS to create your employee-generated videos?

We work with the iCIMS Video Studio tool, and working with them has been great. I love that their expertise is solely focused on the many aspects of Talent Acquisition because so many vendors look to get into other aspects of HR. iCIMS takes TA and its many fingers and ensures the customer has the ability to improve all of them.

6. What specific content do you include in the videos to address the unique needs and priorities of your hourly job seekers with CDLs?

Our CDLs roles differ a bit from your traditional OTR role so our associate testimonial on what to expect is key to setting the expectations for the role. While some CDLs are responsible for the driving aspect, ours takes that on as well as the handling of the material and an element of customer interface at the delivery site.  Being able to hear this aspect helps our candidates understand that our CDL roles will give them a diverse experience that can lead to other roles within our company.

7. How do you integrate these employee-generated videos into your careers site and social recruiting strategy?

When we revamped our careers site 2 years ago, we wanted it to be a place where candidates could not only read about SiteOne but hear from our best ambassadors…our associates. We have incorporated them into job descriptions to help illustrate a day in the life and benefits that come with employment. We have asked members of our Associate Resource Groups to give insight into the impact our people make not just within SiteOne but in the community at large. This type of information, when it is communicated in this way, is given life when it comes directly from an associate. You can see the belief in what they are talking about, the excitement they have to belong here, and the passion they come to work with every day.

8. Can you share any insights or feedback you received from candidates who viewed these videos?

We have actually used these videos in many recruiting efforts for interns at the collegiate level and students in high school and middle school as we look to inspire the next generation in the green industry. Gen Z looks at video testimony on social media for recommendations when it comes to products and TV shows so why not when it comes to an employer. These videos have given us voices from all over our company to present to students in a way we never could before. They have been able to get advice from an associate from 1,000 miles away on what it means to be professional. They’ve heard from a student who interned with us even after that student has returned to campus. We have even employed these videos into our presentations to high schoolers to educate them on the different paths SiteOne associates have taken to get to their ultimate career path. Our audiences have told us they were presented with ideas and valuable thoughts they never considered before, getting needed exposure to many diverse viewpoints to help them make a decision.

Strengthening Employer Brand with Authentic Videos

9. In what ways have these videos helped you build a stronger employer brand among your target candidates?

SiteOne isn’t a brand you may not immediately know if you’re not in our industry, but it’s a brand that you may have indirectly had exposure to, so we have a unique opportunity when it comes to employment branding. On the surface it may seem as if you need to have a background or interest in plants or hardscapes, but these videos give voices to the many different opportunities such as finance, supply chain and IT. We pride ourselves in values around professionalism, being part of a team, and holding ourselves accountable and what better way to project those qualities of culture than have the ones who do it every day demonstrate it through their own words. In the last few years, we have created efforts around expanding our candidate pool, reaching out to different majors at the university level, attracting military talent, and sourcing talent outside our industry. These videos welcome in those unfamiliar with same give them firsthand accounts of what their experience will be as an associate.

10. How does using iCIMS Video Studio compare to traditional professional videography in terms of cost, time, and resource efficiency?

This couldn’t have been easier to do.  It allowed us to capture a variety of stories, from different locations and viewpoints all in the matter of days. Traditional videography would have required travel and the time in which we were able to capture this feedback would have been drawn out. This tool allows us to be more reactive in capturing testimony, recording almost on demand, and ensuring the voice of the associate can be heard immediately.

Expert Advice for Companies Using Employee-Generated Videos

11. What advice would you give to other companies facing similar recruitment challenges who are considering using employee-generated videos?

The best testimony comes from those who are living the experience. It’s why platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok are so popular with videos, stories and reels being the new office watercooler of the virtual world. If you have a great story to tell with associates who are excited and representative of your culture, these videos make your candidates feel part of that. They can relate to someone sharing their personal story in a way traditional video wouldn’t allow them to. 

Key Takeaways for Leveraging Employee-Generated Content in Recruitment

Congratulations to SiteOne for winning second place in the 2024 Rally Awards for Best Use of Employee-Generated Content. They’ve shown all of us an innovative approach to overcoming recruitment challenges in a niche market by harnessing the power of authentic employee stories. By focusing on employee-generated video content, SiteOne effectively connected with CDL-certified candidates, showcasing their commitment to a balanced work-life experience and diverse career opportunities.

Key takeaways:

• Embrace Employee Voices: Empowering employees to share their stories through video content can create authentic and meaningful connections with potential candidates. This approach humanizes the recruitment process and gives a genuine glimpse into the company culture.
• Highlight Diverse Opportunities: Showcasing real employee experiences not only strengthens your employer brand but also attracts a diverse range of talent by highlighting the various career paths and growth opportunities within the organization.
• Utilize Efficient Technology: Implementing video technology allows for efficient and scalable content creation, enabling you to capture and share employee testimonials quickly and cost-effectively, without the need for traditional videography.
• Enhance Candidate Experience with Storytelling: Relatable storytelling and insights from current employees enhance the candidate experience, making your organization more appealing and relatable to both active and passive job seekers.

SiteOne’s journey demonstrates that embracing authenticity and leveraging storytelling can transform recruitment marketing efforts. A well-crafted strategy not only fills positions but also builds a compelling employer brand that resonates with candidates. Remember, your employees are your best ambassadors, and with their stories, you can inspire and engage the talent your organization needs to thrive. The power to innovate and succeed in recruitment is in your hands!

If you have a Recruitment Marketing strategy that made a big impact on your talent acquisition strategy, considering entering your work in the 2025 Rally Awards!