The Value of Internal Brand Advocates

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 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?