When employees are ashamed of the brand that they work for the company has a serious communications issue on its hand. A strong employer brand strategy unites employees behind the brand and ensures that they act as ambassadors.

A PRCA study, conducted with Opinium Research, has found that one in five UK employees says that they are, or have been, ashamed of the organisation they work for, or the industry in which they operate. When looking for new employment, a company’s reputation was rated the third most important factor after salary and the level of stimulating work available.

Workplace shame is more common among men, and particularly among the younger generation. Substandard treatment of employees was found to be the most common reason for a shameful reputation, lack of trust in the employer and negative media coverage also play a role.

However, while the tech industry generally has a good reputation overall, 33% of those who work in the sector report feeling embarrassed about their industry. Those who work in the public sector also show a greater degree of embarrassment than those in the private and NGO sectors.

Tony Langham, chairman of the PRCA’s PR Council, says, “The reputation of an industry or an organisation is integral to those who work within it, and to some people it is crucial to who they are prepared to work for. Organisations with strong reputations are more able to recruit and retain the best talent and to get the most from their workforce. A positive workforce can also act as a powerful army of ambassadors for a company and individually help maintain and protect reputation.”

Companies considered to have a strong reputation as employers include John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Virgin, Apple, Asda, Tesco and Waitrose.

The research was carried out as part of the PRCA’s “Economics of Reputation” campaign. The study is the latest step in the PRCA’s ongoing mission to understand how reputation contributes to organisations.