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By Chloe Sharfin

As I watched the NYC Pride Parade go down 5th avenue in all its glittery, wonderfully musical, rainbow glory, I was struck not only by the love and positive energy that filled the air, but also by the noticeable number of corporate floats bursting with employees in different colored t-shirts, tossing giveaways into the crowd. While cynics (and likely realists) would view this as a PR stunt and question the authenticity of such a gesture, I thought there was something to be said for companies who support, advocate for and stand by the side of their employees, encouraging them to fully be themselves.

At APCO Worldwide, we talk about the 4 A’s of stakeholder engagement as part of ourÌýChampion BrandÌýmodel: Alignment, Authenticity, Attachment and Advocacy. When a company successfully performs against all four, it strengthens its brand and reputation, and deepens its relationships with stakeholders, contributing to the sustainable growth and long-term success of the company. This model applies to an often overlooked but one of the most important stakeholder groups: employees.

Employees, just like any other stakeholder group, have expectations for companies — and particularly for those that employ them. By sincerely aligning itself with key employee interests and advocating on behalf of employees on these issues, companies can serve as champions, increase engagement and deepen the level of mutual commitment throughout their organization.

With the global talent shortage looming and the duration of time a typical employee spends at a company declining, attracting, retaining and managing talent has become a top priority for business and HR leaders.Ìý