Defining an employer brand built on belonging and opportunity

Axis CLC already had many of the characteristics of a strong employer proposition. The organisation offered national scale, long-term stability and visible opportunities for progression across trade, operational and office-based roles. Many employees had built successful careers within the business, progressing from apprenticeships and frontline positions into leadership roles.

However, these strengths were not consistently communicated. Recruitment messaging across the Axis, CLC and Concept brands had evolved independently over time, creating fragmented candidate experiences across careers pages, job adverts and recruitment materials.

At the same time, competition for skilled tradespeople and experienced professionals was increasing across the sector. Axis CLC needed a clearer employer story to improve the quality and volume of direct applications while differentiating the organisation from competitors who make similar promises around pay, benefits and development.

The first step was understanding how Axis CLC was currently presenting itself to candidates, and how that compared with others in the sector. We reviewed existing recruitment materials, career messaging, and competitor employer brands to identify common themes, gaps, and opportunities to differentiate.

Across the property services sector, organisations such as Wates Group, Mitie, Mears Group and Morgan Sindall Group focused heavily on career pathways, benefits and corporate messaging. However, much of the communication felt functional and interchangeable. While competitors explained what they offered employees, few articulated the emotional reality of working there.

Our analysis of Axis CLC’s culture and employee experience revealed a more distinctive truth. Employees consistently described a workplace built on trust, support and fairness. Managers often had direct frontline experience, progression felt visible and achievable, and many employees had remained with the organisation for years because they felt genuinely valued.

Axis CLC has already matched competitors in terms of opportunities and rewards. What differentiated the organisation was the human experience of working there.

This insight informed a clear strategic direction for the employer brand. Axis CLC would be positioned not just as a contractor offering jobs, but as a place where people can build meaningful careers within a supportive, grounded and inclusive working culture.

The positioning created a distinctive space within the sector by combining the scale and stability of a Tier One contractor with a people-first environment shaped by trust, progression and long-term support.

The employer value proposition was captured in a simple organising idea:

Find your place. Grow your career. Do work that matters.

The message reflects three defining aspects of the Axis CLC experience:

• Supportive teams and a strong feeling of belonging
• Opportunities to build long-term careers and develop skills
• Meaningful work maintaining buildings that communities rely on every day.

With the strategic foundation established, we translated the employer brand into a suite of recruitment communications that work consistently across digital, print, and in-person channels. Deliverables included:

• Employer value proposition and messaging framework
• Careers website content and design
• Recruitment event banners and materials
• A recruitment brochure for candidate engagement
• Social media templates for job vacancies and employee stories
• Branded job advert templates

Across every touchpoint, the emphasis was placed on authentic storytelling and real employee experiences. Photography and testimonials reflected the breadth of roles across the organisation, from apprentices and tradespeople to supervisors and leadership teams.

The visual and verbal identity prioritised clarity, warmth and credibility, ensuring the employer brand accurately reflected the day-to-day experience of working within the organisation.

Axis CLC now has a clear and consistent employer brand that reflects both the scale of the organisation and the culture employees experience every day. The new positioning provides a strong foundation for recruitment activity across careers websites, social channels and industry events, while creating greater consistency across the wider group.

The new employer brand gives Axis CLC a clearer and more authentic way to talk about working life within the organisation. Rather than relying on generic recruitment messaging, the focus shifted to the culture, support, and everyday experiences that employees value most.

The result is a recruitment brand that feels more consistent, more human and more reflective of the organisation itself. It gives Axis CLC a stronger platform to attract talent across regions, roles, and business areas as the organisation continues to grow.