Today’s blog is more of a public service announcement to remember the humans in your brand. Why? Because they’re the most important bit – by far!
It’s your staff who will have the biggest impact on how people feel about your organisation. They are your brand’s mouthpiece, moral compass, helping hands and beating heart.
They answer the phone, reply to the emails, design the leaflets, update the website, provide the services, write your social media, meet clients, network, make the product and deliver the service.
Everything they do tells people who you are.
Getting your brand right starts at the very beginning. Hire on your brand values as well as skills. It is just as important – if not more so.
Google hires on ‘googliness‘ something, they say, that is ‘hard to define but easy to spot’. They’re hiring to brand, looking for people with passion and drive. Neither of those words are skills, they are values.
When I worked at the charity RNID we had six brand values which we were hired and appraised on*:
- Delivers results
- Promotes teamwork
- Champions the brand
- Champions the cause
- Builds trust
- Inspires leadership
Each year we had to report back on how we’d actively ‘lived’ each of these values. There were posters up reminding you of each one, with examples of what ‘good’ looked like and our internal email and intranet highlighted members of staff going the extra mile in different areas.
If you want staff that live the brand you have to make it clear what’s expected and give them a vision to buy into and work towards. Keep them informed and involved. If you’re making big decisions at the very least explain why and ideally let them genuinely be part of the decision making process, let them know their opinion is valued and heard.
It’s a solid business decision too, because a member of staff who understands and believes in the the organisation, will stay longer and work harder.
If you want to chat about how to engage your staff let me know!
Now read I is for Investment
Jo Grubb
Managing Director, JG Creative
*note this was a while ago and it might not be the same now!