#the way too happy attitude and so very forward and zero social rules

[meltedhorror]

Fun fact, I'm not normally scared of clowns but meeting one always puts the fear of god in me

[oftenderweapons]

Small Town Swoons

Hello buttercups! Here is the big fat project I was talking about. I am giving you snippets and teasers of the whole thing, just to let you know what you’re all getting yourself into. 

There are some spicy tidbits here and there, so I would suggest only mature (18+) people read and/or engage with this post. 

I’ll be starting with Yoongi since his piece is really in the holiday spirit and I’m super hella inspired to write it, but don’t worry, Steamy waters is still coming (just know that I’m not done publishing stuff for the night 👀)

Let me know what you think about this project, what story you like the most and which one you really really look forward to reading 💕✨

Just in case you need it, here is my masterlist

Enjoy 💜

Apple of My Pie — Jin

In the bakery and café near the university many students barge in, desperate for coffee and the delicious apple pies served there once October comes. Some of them barge in for the sweet sight of the owner, still mysteriously single. Little do you know that he’s been pining after you for years, since you ran into his café in a slow, rainy Sunday morning, drenched like a stray kitten, asking only for friendly help. Friendship sparks easily and his comfort tastes as sweet as autumn apples. That’s how you find yourself flatmates, watching movies with his secret recipe hot cocoa on Saturday evenings and waking up to the delicious scent of his pies on Sunday morning. But the sudden apparition of a rival makes you wonder, what would it be like to fall asleep in his bed every night?

Mold Me New — Taehyung

Divorce is a mess, especially when you’re so young and you had bet your life on your high school crush. All those things you never had to learn are scary now: dating, friends with benefits, all those secret rules on social interactions and flirting. But then your friends gift you a clay modelling lesson at the local pottery. Your teacher looks like a quiet, grumpy man who slowly warms up to you, offering you his kind smiles and gentle laughs. Right when fear that your lack in courtship manners might cost you your greatest chance at a new happiness, his lessons indirectly turn into small advice, and suddenly it feels like his hands are shaping your heart into the perfect, beautiful whole you needed. And to show him your gratitude, you’re more than willing to gift the artist his creation.

“Don’t let it dry too much. Too much water will mess it up. It will become too pliant and it won’t hold up.” That was it. The rule to love. You had bathed him in reassurance and affection, and just like that he had melted underneath your touch, and he had turned into nothing. And the love had run out. “Every shape has its specific requirements.” He explained, dipping his hands in the basin and letting the droplets fall from his fingertips. “Wet hands, but not drenched.” Once he was happy with the result he sat up, his foot starting a small pressure on the pedal. “See, here we go. The clay will show how much water it needs. Easy on the pedal. Very slow. You’re warming it up. Be gentle. You’re not sure it’s good. Just like with people. Easy at first, and once it works you speed up.” He smiled at the material underneath his hands. “Gentle. Easy.” He said, his sinewy fingers gently pressing into the art piece to be. His fingers seemed to stretch and bend imperceptibly, as if he was feeling the very texture of the material, and of the final result he wanted to obtain. “That’s the secret to good things.”

The Shrew, Untamed — Jimin

Everyone gets married in small towns. The hairdresser’s daughter, the butcher’s niece, the doctor’s granddaughter. Even your best friend. And someone has to organise all the weddings. You have taken part in so many it is unnerving. You’re not asking for a husband, a simple fuckbuddy would suffice. You don’t even need someone with skill, you just need to have sex with a human. Though your goal seems unattainable and life apparently truly sucks, the petty florist where you order the flower arrangements offers you a beacon of hope, comforting you and spoiling you whenever you visit his shop, condescending to your every whim. Will he satisfy your every wish or will you have to supervision your best friend’s wedding on the verge of sanity?

“Sit down, sweet pea.” He said, offering you his chair. He immediately stood behind you, digging his fingers into your shoulders, massaging them. He always smelled like greenery. It was relaxing. “Who pissed on your roses, tiger?” He asked, his thumbs drawing circles at the base of your neck. You moaned and closed your eyes. “Poor baby. So stressed.” He purred, laughing. “Portia is getting married.” You groaned. He ohed. “Your friend, Portia?” You frowned and pouted. “That bitch. Portia.” You growled. He laughed a silvery sound. “It’s your best friend.” “It’s a stressed out insult. She wants me to plan it. Jimin, I am so tired of watching people getting married.” He kneaded the nerves near to your spine. “It’s a professional hazard, baby’s breath.” His finger stilled as he reached the middle of your back without finding the clasp of your bra. He moved upwards, ignoring the small detail. “It’s the third in two weeks. I can’t. Is everybody getting married this spring?” You asked, your head rolling forward. “I’m tired. Stressed. Grumpy.” You whine. “Baby, you have your sugarcane at home, use it.” He said, referring to your swirl shaped dildo. You shook your head. “It’s the warmth. Human touch. Sympathy.” Ask me, please — Jimin mentally begged — I’ll be so sweet to you. “And now I even need a plus one for Portia’s wedding. Lest she pairs me up with her cousin. Did I mention that he’s thirty and bald?” You sighed. “I can help.” He said. “With the Plus one.” He clarified. “Don’t expect me to get my fingers in your pie, blossom.” He stated. You shook your head. “Your loss.” You tutted. His loss, for sure. Not like you wanted him massaging your breasts as you sucked him off, laying on your white silk sheets, his dulcet moans filling your lonely room and your empty

Natural Connection — Namjoon

The city sucks. And before you definitely choose to resign from your job, you spend the money earned with your all-work-and-no-play attitude in a reinvigorating holiday in a natural resort in the woods. What you find is true heaven on earth, an eden of wonders and explorations. When you meet your guide, who will follow you and you alone, you almost cannot believe your luck. The closed-off man leads you through all the breathtaking sights of your location, offering you emotions and landscapes unrivalled — both in terms of wildlife and... well, humans? The steamy atmosphere seems to keep growing hotter together with the summer days, and before you can think twice your big friendly giant helps you get rid of the hots. What happens when your Adam and Eve idyllium gets interrupted by a ruckus of stag-partying jocks?

Namjoon knew your average blood pressure at rest and under effort, your shoe size, your weight and height. Still when he found you right before him he could barely believe the sight of you. He knew you were small but this small? He was surprised. Amazed. Completely dazzled by your size. “Uhm. Kim Namjoon?” You asked, hesitant. God, even your voice was small — he noticed. As you got even closer, he realised you barely reached his sternum. He was endeared. He imagined how hugging you would feel. Why was he imagining to hug a stranger? “Hello! Welcome to the Valley!” He said, offering you his hand. You took it and shook it energetically. “Thank you. I assume you will be my guide during my stay.” You commented. “Exactly. I'll be your coach and your guide through the whole experience.” “Perfect.” You smiled. He was dumbstruck by it. So sweet and bright. You noticed he had a nice voice. And a kind smile. He looked like a very gentle giant. “Have you brought any specific equipment with you or would you prefer to use the one we offer?” “I have trekking boots and walking sticks. You know, basic stuff that's difficult to find when you're the size of a teapot.” He laughed a loud belly laugh, which surprised you and pleased you. “Okay, we can head to the hall and chat about your activity plan.” He said, leading you. Walking behind him was definitely a hard challenge, both because his legs were kilometric — and damn fine — and because how could you not stare at that ass right in front of your gaze, clad in oh-so tight shorts? Once he realized you were basically running behind him, he turned, a bit confused. And then embarrassed. “Sorry,” he smiled sheepishly, taking shorter steps. "Don't worry, it's okay. I'm a fast walker." You stated. He grinned. He barely stopped himself from murmuring a 'cute'. You were adorable.

Ink ‘n’ Run — Jungkook

People find awful ways to inculcate mean insecurities in our lives. It is to get rid of insecurity that you head to the talented tattooist in a small town near your campus, ready to ink your fears away. Ready to start from zero, you let yourself enjoy a night out clubbing and a steamy one night stand with a tattoed god. Hit by the morning-after regrets, you run away before he wakes up. Little do you know that he’ll be the man you’ll be spending several hours underneath, half-naked as he inks you. Such a shame that you keep running away each time he is ready to ask you for a date. And that he keeps running away after you convince yourself to concede him one. Will you manage to let each other see that you click perfectly or will you let that night be just an accident?

“Oh. You’re back. Lovely to see you, how can I help you?” He looks sweet. God, he was sweet, of course he looks sweet; you thought. He was the most gentle man you had ever been with. Wicked hips, but such a sweet mouth. “Uhm, I have an appointment?” You said, showing him the business card with the date and time of your appointment. “Oh.” His expression was the perfect depiction of confusion. “Uhm. I guess you can come into my studio, then. Do you have someone with you? Would you like Daisy to come in?” He said, looking at the girl sitting at the reception table. “No, I’m cool.” You forced yourself to form a tiny, polite smile on your face. As he walked ahead of you you noticed the way his tight black t-shirt hugged his narrow waist. And his wonderful, jeans-clad, toned ass. God, he had rammed into you like a mad man that night. You shook your head, trying to bring yourself back to reality. Meanwhile, his mind was fuelled by millions of questions. Why had you run? Were you freaked out by what was happening? Were you as affected as he was at the idea of him working on you? Did you think he was a fuckboy? Would you let him take you out on a date? Would you let him fuck you again? Wait, scratch the last one.

Head over Heals — Hoseok

You are the most talented ice skater of your state. Or rather, you were. Your career was harshly interrupted by an unfortunate accident. Healing from the hurtful events takes strong nerves and positive energy. Luckily, your physiotherapist — the neighbour of your childhood home — is the most positive, enthusiastic person. New feelings bloom like daisies on a warm spring morning, while old feelings rekindle and light your way back home like a field of fireflights, back to places that you’ve always loved. It takes little time to get used again to his sweet energy and his gentle hands, healing your body and your soul. It takes even less time to fall head over heels for him.

“What changed?” He asked, drying your tear with his thumb. “I don’t know. It feels like it changed.” He smiled. “You’re still the same to me. Same bright eyed little girl running around in a summer dress, smelling like honey shampoo and sun cream. You feel like home. I think nothing has been okay since you were gone.” Your heart took a second to melt and resolidify around that new truth. “Hobi.” His eyes were glittering. “I think I always had a soft spot for you. You and your knees always scraped, the small curls framing your face, the way your braids came undone that night as we were driving away after prom in the convertible your parents ran away in when they eloped.” He looked so sad. And so beautiful. “Hoseok, I never forgot you, you know. You were my first.” You confessed. “And you were mine.” He replied. He paused. “We were perfect.” “We were.” You replied. We still could be. We are.

Sugar and Spice — Yoongi

A new girl moves into town, her goal starting her life from scrap. And then on a foggy autumn night she ventures in the local pub, where she meets a cute, tattooed bartender who happens to be the local sweetheart. Fate — and the sweet granny next door — seem to push them together; it’s only a matter of time before feelings bloom and attraction becomes too intense to resist. The magic of a small town, and that loneliness that they share and understand so deeply, bring them close at the most wonderful time of the year. Love can blossom even in the dead of winter and who knows, maybe they’ll find a new life by the time of the new year?

“How does it feel to live in a small town?” You asked, stretching your legs out the flannel blanket. Sunlight came in through the yellow leaves of the apple trees. “Like time doesn’t really exist. Until you don’t have any left and suddenly your friends are getting married and having children and all you have is a useless piece of paper stating that you’re a doctor.” He said. “But it’s okay. It’s lovely, at times like this.” He said, looking at the sky. “Marriage and kids are overrated.” You said, laying down. He looked at you, your eyes closed, your hair coming out of his beanie, currently covering your head. “Don’t leave me alone here.” You had a beauty he had never known. Or that maybe he had seen in his mother. That rough, tough beauty that looks dangerous from afar. Delicate from up close. You weren’t gracious. You weren’t cobwebs and golden hair and clouds. You were the ground, the trees, the stone. You were the mountains capped in ice, beautiful and so endangered. Still, so steady. You were the forest, eternal. Nothing could marr you. No man, no humanly disgrace. You would weather and transform, like nature does. Maybe he was idealising you, maybe he was giving you all those traits he had always wished in a woman. “Stop staring at me. Lay down. Enjoy your seconds before you turn into a fifty-something lonesome worm.” You teased. He laid. Your hand found his. “I’ll tell you how a small town feels like, based on the opinion of a girl from a big city.” He exhaled a laugh. “It’s comfort. Like when it rains outside but you’re in your bed and you’re warm and you don’t have to get up. You can simply lay.” He rolled onto his side, staring at your eyelashes. If I blink, will she disappear?

[jothehighermix]

Righting the Wrongs of Employer Branding    

Workforces across the globe are changing rapidly.  Scarcity of skilled workers continues to impact on economies and is reshaping the worlds of talent and usiness.   This blog is about Righting the Wrongs of Employer Branding.  

Dramatic shifts are occurring in the way people interact at work, how talent is being sourced and recruited, in work environment itself.  Radical technological and social change is having most profound effect upon businesses and on employer brands.    

Global Human Capital Trends report surveyed over 10,000 HR and business leaders, across 140 countries, on perceived challenges ahead for business/HR leaders.  No surprises, organisational culture, engagement, employee value proposition (EVP) were top priorities in 2017, according to the report. 

Continuing into 2018, all things employee experience ranks even higher from previous year.   

Heads Up People!   Disruptive change is coming, in the way organisations will secure, manage and keep workers. 

No-brainer that companies have to offer (*and deliver) positive experiences for candidates and internal teams.   

So ability to adapt quickly, to meet new talent demands will be the defining characteristic of successful companies into the future. 

Founder of The Higher Mix,  Jo Woodfield wrote a comprehensive Blog in January 2018 on A-Z of Employer Branding Best Practice.   Fascinating deep dive into basics of developing strategic employer brand and well worth a read.    But our blog today explores some of the pitfalls, and provides advice to brand owners on the best way forward.

Sameness Everywhere.  Lack of Impact and Differentiation

Content any business creates defines its brand to the public.   Each and every organisation has its very own distinctive culture (unique community of people)

Why then do organisations settle for a generic online presence?  Esp. when their business can have easily tapped the essence of its own brand personality - who knows?

We're talking ready-made potential, for an EVP that is fresh, different and dynamic (one that can consistently evolve to engage.) 

Still, we continuously see bland execution of employer brands.

Probably since too many employer brands are built in boardrooms or left up to creative design agencies to interpret (who, for most part, probably weren't present during the employer brand strategy build) and therefore can't easily grasp the nature, extent or ambitions behind your brand.

And oh boy, aren't they failing spectacularly at being able to execute brand vision and compelling EVP for brand owners.   

Sure, it’s big job to create any type of brand positioning (esp. for a global employer brand) we get that, its a formidable task.  But honestly, some brands we see around these days, only make us want to race out and start cutting up the grass with scissors!

Modern, Multi-Generational Workforces

Modern workforces are more multi-generational than ever; people from different cultures, languages, different attitudes etc.

Employer brands need to be far more than just "appealing".   Requires real structure built-in, to the benefits, remuneration, development and messaging.  Companies being responsive; and flexible enough to fit in with multi-generational diverse workforces. 

While offering up a superb end-to-end candidate and employee experience.

Employer Brand Positioning   

To us, as Employer brand experts, pretty obvious where and why companies are not managing to differentiate.   Sometimes message confusion, lack of creativity, or just noise that did not get the strategic marketing thinking to be able to truly penetrate markets.

Global brands must work locally too; but the world is such a diverse place now; how can you be sure you are going to get it right? 

Attracting and targeting talent for specialised roles is so much more, over just having candidates look into your Ad, at the careers site or interact with social channels.   You want them to feel as though your company really does want him/her, that you understand what motivates them and makes them happy.  And at same time, the company should be sending powerful messaging back.   So the candidate feels essentially you're recruiting for the one special person, them.

Employer branding processes must be incredibly individualized.  

Why organisations still think ONE message can be published nationally/ globally is beyond us.

Employer Brands Must Flex  

Injecting flexibility during EVP Strategy build is key.   

Ability to dial it up or down, in line with your company's culture, position requirements, diversity considerations, areas/ countries and much more.   On attraction piece for a minute - about achieving balance and consistency.  Striking right tone, appropriate language, captivating with beautiful, relevant visuals, truly coherent, authentic messaging that in the long run, will not create disjoint - what's promised (candidate and internal team expectations) compared to what is delivered (company culture, reward, development etc )

Employer branding also pairs to company values (these alone comprise very intimate characteristics that underpin any EVP.)   Communicating key messages to sets of individuals, across locations to persuade them, seizing on their mind-share, swaying talent to apply and come on-board.  Structural independence and fuller understanding (and working with) segments from research yet still aligning to the global message.

Not such an easy ask, hey!?

Tailored employer branding strategy, targeted recruitment engagement and communication/s, wider social listening, and regular engagement of the internal teams. 

Employer brand 24-7:  Always On  

Many organisations struggle to differentiate, to promote the brand effectively (be this employer or company brand).  To find short term value and longer term efficiencies.   And like most things in life, the worth and presence of your employer brand will change over time.  

Companies taste real success earlier if they can capitalise on dynamic, technologically-driven environments and still apply strategic approach and methodology in agile way.   Mixing EVP concepts with range of tools to shape, build and measure/optimse their employer brands.    

Taking Too Long!   Agile Turns It Around Faster   

Employer branding strategy has gotten all complex, competitive but dare we say it, more necessary.  Companies spend vast amounts of time trying to build their brands.  Evaluating, interviewing, endeavouring to determine EVP, and then reach internal consensus, before eventually executing (usually the see-sawing begins to agree on the visuals) by which time, research and thinking is out-dated, so too employee comms and other important materials.

Remember, current thinking on your brand is better than thinking or planning which is couple of years old *read: redundant.    Agile methods + a strategic approach combined - is the best way forward.

Trying To Be Everything to Everyone.   Zero in  

Holy grail for organisations involves finding and holding onto the best talent, people who maximize innovation and improve productivity in a business.

Sure as, nobody wants vague, uninspired or non-committed candidates…   That makes personalisation throughout life-cycles absolutely vital to modern candidate journey.    Equally so for tapping into gig economy, to access great numbers of temporary, freelance and contract workers also.

Never try to appeal to everyone.   Chances are, it will only isolate very type of person/people the company does need and want; or you end up with huge pool of wrong style of candidates for hire.

Akin to talking to everyone but engaging nobody.

Pilot the EVP.  Pressure-Testing

Your very own people speak volumes about what's to be communicated out there;  whether it is valid, real and relevant?

Claims-testing EVP is a part of employer brand communications strategy (sound thinking and delivery.)  Also top rate engagement opportunity with our own talent because they get to ensure EVP delivered is actually perceived as credible, well-defined - and feel they helped to build it.

Followed up with strategic campaigns; designed and delivered to smaller specific audiences.  Content reflecting the company values and deeply resonating with target audiences.

Mammoth Job - Not For Just One Person 

Teams are led through Employer Brand Development.

ITraditional model of employer brand has changed, to far more collaborative exercise between departments and teams.   Involving direct contributions from some of the smartest people in your business:  Marketing, OD, HR, Research, Digital, Comms and Executives.

Companies now employ groups of smart people to project-manage this widespread convergence and more agile collaboration on their employer brand (or at least they should be!)

Process involves management of multiple complexities, constituent inputs and perspectives through nine build phases.

So only sets the business or project up to fail, if you leave all that, management of a brand nationally or globally, up to just one poor person to try and tackle by themselves.

Too Much Control.   Not Enough Faith   

Employer brand is about how your company wants to represent itself as a coalition of actual people.   

Still, there are organisations who feel they don't have any choice but to set rigid rules (" but it makes it easier for us to "manage, control, maintain" what's published").   Regrettably, that only hamstrings sort of creativity needed to showcase what the company is really like.... 

Creativity shouldn't die a slow death, in the arms of rigid brand guidelines.

Manage Employer Brand Conversations.   Show Hard Evidence   

As vital commercial, strategic imperative for businesses worldwide; thankfully demonstrating a business case for employer branding has become far easier these days.

Latest research from LinkedIn even correlates with it.  Strong employer brands see 50% lower cost/hire and with retention nearly at a third higher.

Below is our snapshot of Employer brand benefits from The Higher Mix.  We hope you find the diagram useful for talking through your own business case concersation and for investment decisions.    

Talent execs and managers carefully guide conversations with business owners and CEOs.  They show hard evidence in existence.  Demonstrate the gaps, or on flip-side how degrees of engagement are positively contributing to a bottom line through greater performance, lower turnover, increased level of engagement.   Help your snr execs relate to the Brand Health  aspects too.  Mighty impact achieved from EB process = better reputation, profile and positioning, more success for your business.

Everyone On The Same Page With Employer Branding    

Consensus is often a tough thing to achieve.  Esp. taking into account all the different seniority, functions, thoughts, motivations and perceptions of people; which alter and vary immeasurably.

Employer branding is an exercise which requires strong, conceptual abilities across multi-discipline group environment.   Does your steering team have necessary skills to apply a raft of ideas, perspectives, knowledge and context of just how your company is actually being viewed as an employer and service provider?

Developing unimpeachable, compelling EVP involves the team's innate ability to validate, apply certain skills, brand and marketing knowledge to truly comprehend just what & where the real value resides?

Employer Branding ROI     

Probably an area where most HR and marketers will already have a good grasp - evaluating their efforts.

This extends to the ability to measure effectiveness of company’s employer brand prevalence and practices.   But let's face it.  Often brand is a business concept difficult to define - much less measure.

Mentor it – Manage it – Measure It   

Not so many resources out there that share just how to measure the financial impact of employer branding activities.  Personally, we like Phil Strazzulla’s Blog.  Quick take on ROI, an easy read, and he walks the talk as founder of NextWave Hire.

Investigate and understand measuring EVP further here:     

Time To Rethink / Reposition The Brand?   

In closing out,  understanding of employer branding value and savings it can offer has exponentially increased. 

To this end, companies are in redirect mode.  Focused on and investing into EB, as an absolute critical branding effort.   

Whether that is to be increasingly competitive in “talent wars”,  ‘stand out’ from the competition, drive efficiencies in recruitment and acquisition, or reap savings through process of drawing in all kinds of diverse, great candidates.  Establishing a consistent, attractive employer brand will differentiate your company faster, reduce recruitment and human capital cost, and most importantly, attract quality talent with unique skills, and awesome personalities (cultural fit.)

That said, will involve entire people-process-practices agenda if you want to get this right and have it squarely aimed at driving engagement and retention of key internal talent.   In other words, a strategic approach, that moves beyond attraction (recruitment.)

Employer brand applies to everything a company does not only to HR.

Start Point On Employer Branding    

Straight talkers and best practice approach to cut through the noise is anybody's best starting point.  Enlisting helpful, careful guidance from employer branding experts,  who will guide you to communicate unique aspects of the brand with confidence.   Humanise the company, highlight actual people who share their valued opinion/s on all sorts of aspects of the business (on-boarding/off-boarding, company values, culture, leadership and more.)

Make sure these are employer brand strategists who can directly address and improve limiting touchpoints that are hindering a more positive candidate / employee experience - otherwise, they are just not the real deal. 

  Good Luck on your Employer Brand journey.

The above blog post Righting the Wrongs of Employer Branding     was published on The Higher Mix