Attracting Talent Through the Power of Story: A Tyson Foods Case Study

The Problem

In today’s fast-paced business world, leaders are discovering a secret weapon for driving transformation: storytelling. At Tyson Foods, we witnessed firsthand how harnessing the art of narrative can improve talent attraction.

Tyson Foods is a brand that most households recognize. The multinational organization is known primarily for being the world’s second largest supplier of chicken, but it is also a competitive giant among other proteins, such as pork and beef. Stable, innovating companies like Tyson are usually magnets for job seekers looking to be a part of an organization where there are lots of opportunities for growth, yet the Prepared Food division of Tyson was struggling to connect with possible new recruits.

The brand development team knew that many MBA graduates are interested in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) firms, but Tyson’s recruitment efforts were stagnant. Something about the branding was falling flat. The team wanted to know why other, similar corporations were more appealing to job seekers.

The Process

The brand development team wanted to stand out in the minds of potential new hires. They sought to create a compelling story about their brand so that they could better communicate the heart of the corporation. With these goals in mind, Tyson reached out to Leadership Story Lab in the summer of 2018.

CONSULTING

Leadership Story Lab started by examining the current presentation Prepared Foods used when visiting with groups of students. While the slides contained impressive facts and relevant data, there was little  that resonated with their intended audience. Tyson is a powerhouse in the food industry, yet there was no mention of food within the presentation. Instead of focusing on the audience, and their needs, the slide deck was only useful for repeating facts about the company. This is an easy trap to fall into for most companies. While virtually all organizations want to stand out from their competition, very few are doing the necessary work to make themselves feel truly distinct to their target audiences. The reality is that separating yourself completely from the herd can be risky. Despite this, Tyson Foods’ recruiting team was ready for the challenge.

Leadership Story Lab guided the Tyson team on a journey to discover what makes the brand truly unique from other household CPG names. The 3-Step process began with the in-depth analysis of the current recruitment strategy and messaging. Then through a series of interviews with key employees and recruitment leads, Leadership Story Lab was able to distill the essence of what drives the brand. After defining these insights, the second step was to establish the Radically Advanced Disposition (RAD), or big picture, of Tyson Foods. Thirdly, Leadership Story Lab and Tyson worked together to create a new presentation and messaging that showcases Tyson’s impressive statistics, but is held to a strong narrative framework.

The Solution

The focus was narrowed from the broad statements of success and statistics to get to the real reasons why working for Tyson Foods is fulfilling. The spotlight was shifted to focus on the audience, rather than the company itself. In this way, Tyson Foods offers the MBA students the chance to be the hero of the story. The presentation is not about the company’s success, it’s about guiding the students on their own successful career journey.

The recruitment team now opens their presentation by asking a simple question: what is one of your favorite memories about food? Thinking about the answer to that question naturally sparks an emotion. Most of us can easily conjure up a memory of warm, comfortable Sunday dinners with grandparents, or freshly baked chocolate chip cookies as a favorite childhood snack. That memory shows how integral food is to our lives. It’s more than just nutrition or a necessity, it’s a feeling. After making that connection, it’s much easier to build on it by showing how working for Tyson makes a difference. The work isn’t just innovating, it impacts the food chain down to every single person who serves the products at their dinner table.

COACHING

The recruiting managers now needed to know how to build on these conversations after establishing the initial, emotional connection. They each had personal coaching sessions with Esther Choy, Chief Story Facilitator of Leadership Story Lab, that transformed the managers into persuasive communicators, ready to captivate top talent with compelling stories.

TRAINING

Leadership Story Lab solidified a consistent recruiting process by training the recruiting team on the importance of the new storytelling culture, the key elements of storytelling, and how to craft and share compelling stories. They learned how to use the IRS (Intriguing beginning, Riveting middle, Satisfying ending) model to easily structure stories that can be woven into each recruiting touchpoint. The recruiting team was now equipped with the tools to demonstrate the character and impact of Tyson Foods in every interaction with new candidates. Tyson Foods is now presented in a way that is relatable and interesting to the potential new hire.

The Result

By the end of the following year, Tyson Foods was excited to report a 20% increase in new hire conversions, their highest yet. That number will continue to rise as the recruiting team tells brand stories that reveal their passion and the unique experience of working for Tyson Foods.

Leadership Story Lab 

Much like leadership, storytelling is not a mysterious inborn gift. Rather, it is a highly trainable skill that affirms and enhances a leader’s presence. You don’t have to be a superhero to tell great stories, but you do need the right tools and processes to mine ideas, refine stories, and tell them with passion and authenticity.

 Tell the right story for any situation. We’ll give you the tools. 

Leadership Story Lab equips leaders with skills in business storytelling through coaching, training, and certification in facilitation. Our T-Squared Approach: Transaction × Transformation empowers leaders to meet goals, see differently, and create long-lasting meaningful connections with their audiences. A women-led business, Leadership Story Lab has worked with leaders from across industries to unlock the persuasive power of leadership storytelling for their organizations.

Schedule a complimentary session with us today!