By Michelle Boyde

Tomorrow promises to be a painful day in the capital, not to mention a long one as we try to get around without the tube. If you find yourself feeling a little bitter about tomorrow’s strike, spare a thought for my colleague. He will be caught by our strike tomorrow morning as he heads for St Pancreas and then by the French Metro strike (over retirement age) when he arrives in Paris later that day. Strikes are certainly prevalent right now…

Coca Cola have confirmed their strike over pay for September 8th and the majority of union members at the BBC have called for industrial action over the change in pension scheme. I won’t even mention British Airways.

Strikes are certainly a very visible example of disgruntled employees. Others may not be quite so palpable. However, for loyal employees who have stood by their employer the last couple of years, through the pay freezes and imposed hour cuts, many will be asking what they will get in return. In amongst the job cuts, perhaps they should be happy to have a job. However, the reality is that top talent can always find job elsewhere and they are the ones you need to keep.  New hires are expensive; investing in current employees is better value for money.

Internal engagement continues to be a critical facet of employer branding – brands are built from the inside out and now is one of the worse times to neglect this element.