HR and marketing are more connected than they used to be

By Tony Case • June 21, 2024 •

Ivy Liu

This story was originally published on our sister site, WorkLife.

Detailed view of fiber optic patch cables connecting to a blue patch panel in a data center. — Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels

Traditionally, HR and marketing operated in silos, with HR focused on responsibilities like recruitment, compliance and employee well-being while marketing was concerned with functions such as brand promotion and customer engagement.

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But a highly competitive job market and the rise of employer branding have necessitated a closer collaboration between the two. This, as companies have come to see their employees as the ultimate brand ambassadors — something that requires consistent, strategic messaging internally and externally.

“Marketing is the connector, really, for the entire organization,” says Richard Maclachlan, who was recently appointed CMO at Workhuman, which provides cloud-based software solutions to help organizations build and improve their culture.

From below of long thin blue cables connected to row of small white connectors on system block in data center — Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels

Maclachlan believes there is a generally broader understanding of the CMO role as integral to the overall business strategies of companies, not just marketing.