The best companies around the world have a keen understanding that developing a great workplace culture has myriad benefits that positively affect their organisation... internally and externally. The employee experience, the organisation’s overall performance, and its relationship with clients, customers and the community are all pieces of the puzzle that fit together to create an employer’s brand identity and reputation.
In an age where trust in corporations is on the decline and where a new generation of employees puts such a strong emphasis on working for companies that have values which mirror their own, being known as a great workplace culture is more of a competitive advantage than ever. Happy employees equal happy customers; happy customers provide the best free advertisement to potential new customers; and bringing in these new customers increases your bottom line.
Simply put, promoting your organisation’s great workplace culture is an essential part of your business success.
Communication is an important component to getting to word out about the great culture an organisation had built. And it’s a two-fold approach — spreading the word within the organisation is as important as the external marketing strategy.
As our research into company culture and performance has shown, high-trust workplaces produce happier, more engaged employees, lower turnover and absenteeism, increased risk-taking and innovation, and positive financial benefits.
But what good is this if nobody knows about it? One of the ways in which the world’s best companies promote their great cultures is by encouraging their employees to become brand ambassadors.
Social media
With social media advancing at an ever-more rapid clip, word about a company’s culture can get around light years faster than in previous generations. Best companies often encourage their employees to get active on social media to promote their organisations.
This type of word-of-mouth promotion is far-reaching and costs nothing. Using your workforce as a PR agency is the most efficient and effective way to let the world know that a company has great things to offer.
Speaking freely and openly about great company culture has several benefits. One of these is attracting the best calibre of talent for open positions within the organisation. Great candidates want to work at the best organisations — attract star performers by communicating about the solid, high-trust, innovative culture the organisation has to offer.
Another advantage is increased retention of the current workforce. When employees know the company has their best interests in mind and develops programmes, policies and practices designed to meet their specific needs, they will remain loyal to the organisation and increase their personal investment in the company’s success.
Employees who feel that their workplace cares about them as whole individuals, not just employees, show increased levels of pride and are more likely to speak positively about their employer and recommend them to their friends and family.
Potential clients
Being known in the marketplace for creating a great workplace for employees, clients and potential clients also garners an increased level of respect for a brand and what it stands for. In a corporate landscape littered with so-so ethics and questionable practices, a great workplace culture will shine brightly and the competition will pale in comparison.
Creating a strong, high-trust workplace culture is a journey that requires time, resources, and above all, commitment from everyone in the organisation, from the top down. The benefits are well worth the investment.
The writer is the global business operations and communications manager at Great Place to Work Inc.
