The credit crunch is upon us, and protecting your brand from the elements is more important than ever. However, your company will fall at the first hurdle if it isn’t being delivered from within. Employee engagement improves retention and fosters happy, loyal employees. It also encourages employees to deliver your brand promise to customers, with a knock-on effect on share value, sales and profit.
Read on for ten key principles in maximising employee engagement.
1. Brand vision
Businesses must put brand strategy alongside business strategy so that both inform the operation of individual functions, from HR to sales. Central to brand strategy is its driving force, the brand vision, which is an effective management tool – the fuel that drives the business – showing how brand intention translates into reality ‘on the ground’. It is the central thought that informs, inspires and permeates the fabric of the organisation.
2. Lead by example
Organisations will never successfully engage employees without the involvement of senior management. Employees need senior leaders to demonstrate inspiration and commitment, to communicate openly and honestly, and to be visible and accessible. Managers need to walk the talk, and be seen to be doing so.
3. Woo your employees
Engagement in the brand vision isn’t a bolt-on internal training initiative or a presentation on the new brand identity. It’s a complex, on-going relationship between employer and employee that creates differentiation and enhances performance. There are no short-cuts.
4. Make sure they deliver your promise
Too often delivery falls short of the promise. We are all too marketing savvy these days to accept this failing more than once. Employee attitude has a direct affect on sales. B2B brands can’t expect to deliver a promise to customers if their employees don’t understand it, or how they contribute towards its successful delivery.
5. Create a vision that inspires action
Intangible brand visions are impossible to translate into actionable behaviours, which is why so many organisations fail to engage employees successfully. The link to behaviour and actions is critical. Employers need to identify behaviours – in partnership with their employees – that align with the brand vision and contribute towards a more consistent delivery of the brand promise.
6. Show employees what’s in it for them
There’s no such thing as a job for life now. People have different expectations and want relevant rewards for loyalty. The brand vision needs to translate into recognisable and motivating rewards, with a direct relationship between the two so the ‘thank you’ for living and breathing the vision is transparent and within employees’ grasp.
7. Take regular measurements
Too many relationships are built on assumption. The only way to know what employees think is to ask. Measurement is an investment, not a cost. Appropriately planned and interpreted, it guides and motivates behaviour. It provides benchmarks for performance, attraction, retention and commitment and can be the catalyst an organisation needs to promote its success.
8. Be inclusive
Engagement must include everyone who represents the brand. That means immersing indirect employees and stakeholders in your brand vision. It means being clear about your differentiators if those stakeholders also represent your competitors. It means translating the brand vision into tangible and detailed behaviour.
9. Commit to a more transparent culture
Your relationship with employees must be based on honesty. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is an auspicious ambition in today’s cynical consumer world, if a little scary. So, if you think you can handle it, create a transparent culture and invite internal dialogue.
10. Use everyday language
Messages need to be relevant, inspiring and involving. You can’t expect to motivate people without passion, vision and purpose. Employees need to understand what you’re saying, believe in it and be fired up with enough enthusiasm to act on it.
If you want your employees’ commitment for the long haul, put time and effort into building an open relationship and use your brand promise as the central thought to guide actions and behaviours.
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