A line I’ve been overhearing lately is – “well I shouldn’t complain, at least I have a job.” While the economy remains unstable, this does not give managers and employees an excuse to disregard the importance of employee morale and the workplace culture. A recent issue of The Public Relations Strategist, a quarterly print publication of PRSA, included an article titled, ‘Inside Out: Employees as Our Best Brand Advocates’. In general, it can be difficult for PR professionals to remember to look inwardly and take note of their most important stakeholders – their employees – but this effort becomes critical to business operations in a time when budgets are shrinking and employees are being asked to wear multiple hats. It is important to understand the valuable potential of employees and to harness it to build a stronger organization. The article notes that,
“Empowering employees to act as brand advocates will give them the confidence to reach their potential; likewise, their actions will contribute to the organization’s ability to deliver on its mission and brand promise.”
So, how do we accomplish this? The article offers the following suggestions:
Value your employees – Actively demonstrate and communicate that “a strong external brand depends on a strong internal culture”
Give employees a sight line to your success – Don’t underestimate how powerful it is for employees to understand how their role contributes to the overall success of the organization
Inform employees with timely, relevant information – Make it a priority to give employees the facts first, whether it’s good or bad, and maintain transparency throughout the organization
If you are interested in reading the full article, visit http://www.prsa.org and subscribe for The Public Relations Strategist.
Also, we’d love to hear from managers and employees on this – Is your organization building brand advocates?
