In an effort to distinguish themselves from the competition, many companies focus their branding and marketing efforts exclusively on an external audience. However, the companies that capitalize on the power of a strong brand identity internally enjoy improved employee performance and retention due to a clear company culture, as well as a halo effect of brand awareness in recruitment.
Recruiting The Right Talent
The majority of job seekers analyze a company’s website or social media presence to gauge whether or not they might be a good fit for a position. Establishing a clear brand identity based on values, vision and purpose can make a strong impression on potential candidates and help them better understand a company.
Internal branding also matters during the interview process when candidates gain a first-hand look “behind the scenes,” often interacting with multiple employees. The transition between a company’s internal and external brand experience should be seamless for a candidate, and should also carry through to the onboarding and training process.
Employees at companies with a strong brand identity tend to be more passionate and motivated to contribute to the company’s success.
Actively Engaged
Employees at companies that have a strong brand identity tend to be more passionate and motivated to contribute to a company’s success. Zappos employees, for example, know that their guiding principle is to provide exceptional customer service because this is what differentiates them from the competition and drives customer loyalty.
Clearly defining brand identity around a core principle like quality customer service and integrating it into organizational mindset, infrastructure and procedures unifies employees and helps them to feel like they are a part of a greater good.
Creating Strong Ambassadors
The more employees understand the brand and how it links to overall business objectives and vision, the more they can become a company’s greatest ambassadors.
Training employees on organizational priorities and key messaging empowers them to interact with external clients in a way that is consistent with agreed upon messages. This becomes even more critical when a company faces reputational issues that may negatively impact its brand. Updating employees with appropriate news and talking points often helps to avoid the spread of misinformation.
Having a clearly defined brand identity that is consistently expressed internally as well as externally is crucial to a company’s success. Employees who understand the brand during recruitment, embrace it during training, and live it throughout their tenure will be empowered to act effectively and ensure that their engagement is aligned to a company’s organizational success.