Do you want to build a company culture you can be proud of?
In my 20 years of experience in leading Corporate Communication, Human Resources & Brand Culture for a multi-billion-dollar company, I realized one thing:
Every company has a brand.
Think about it, having a brand means having a reputation. Whether you know it or not, everyone’s already formed an opinion about you.
A brand isn’t just a logo—it’s how people see you.
Every email you send, every product you ship, every customer interaction, your brand is built in the everyday moments.
And who’s carrying your brand on their shoulders?
It’s not your leadership team. It’s not even your customers.
It’s your employees.
They are the ones brewing the coffee, answering the phones, closing deals, and getting things done.
But if your employees aren’t excited about their work and are instead counting the days until Friday, then you’ve got a problem bigger than any marketing campaign can fix.
In just 3 minutes, I’ll show you how to fix this and why.
Five Reasons Why You Need To Prioritize Employee Engagement
Employee engagement is about how committed your employees are at work. A low employee engagement, for example, means your team isn’t motivated at all and are only biding their time until they find a better job.
And as a leader, you need to have your employees engaged. There are five reasons why:
- Productivity Goes Up: Engaged employees don’t just clock in and out— they show up and deliver. In fact, research found that engaged employees are 18% more productive than employees that aren’t.
- Retention Goes Up, Turnover Goes Down: It’s obvious that people who like what they do want to stick around, especially when they’re around others who feel the same. Why would Beth leave when her team listens to her and treats her like family? Engaged teams will see less turnovers and save you lots of time, money, and headaches.
- Culture and Customer Experience Get Stronger: You won’t need to hire brand ambassadors because you have dozens of them already working for you. Engaged employees set the standards for your company— for your culture and for your customers
- Absents Will Drop: When your employees are engaged, you’ll notice less people calling in sick. Stress-related absences will drop. And employees will become more transparent. They want to be at work, and they want to do great work.
- Increases Profitability: Numbers don’t lie, right? According to a 2018 Gallup report companies with high engagement outperform and earn more than their competition, earning up to 21% more in profitability. Your employees enjoy working, and your company is earning more— it’s a win-win for everyone!
Treat Your Employees Like Your Best Customers
As part of their 2023 Work report, Hubspot surveyed over 5,000 remote and in-office workers and they found two unexpected facts:
- 52% of workers would rather have strong work relationships than a 10% raise.
- And yet, 66% say they don’t feel connected with their coworkers.
If 2 out of every 3 people on your team feel like outsiders, don’t be surprised when they start looking for the exit.
Think of it this way: If you wouldn’t ignore a customer who’s about to walk out, why would you do it with your employees?
Treat your employees as if they’re your customers.
And let’s be honest: Your team doesn’t want more pizza parties or another round of generic “corporate speak.”
They want to feel seen. They want to know the stories of their coworkers. They want to know their work matters.
Share less stories about what the company stands for. Share more about the people who make it great. At least those are real and authentic.
Where Do You Start?
If you’re ready to make your employees your first audience, here’s where I’d start:
- Ask for Feedback, and Act On It: Please don’t just send a mass email to everyone in your company with a survey link and call it a day. No one’s going to take you seriously. Listen to them, have one-on-ones, and show, don’t tell. Show your team their voices matter.
- Share The Vision, Clearly and Often: A short memo can be interpreted in a million different ways. Don’t assume everyone knows where you’re headed. Spell out your vision and values to your employees. Repeat it often until it sticks. And If they still don’t understand your vision, make a better one until they do.
- Celebrate Every Win, Big and Small: Perks and parties for your employees sounds nice. But you know what sounds even nicer? Publicly acknowledging the people who make a difference. You want to be recognized for your work, so let your employees also bask in the sun. A simple thank you and showing that you care goes further than you think.
Don’t Throw Out the Good With the Bad
My mama used to tell me, “don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.”
I had no clue what she meant when I was a kid. But after working for over 30 years with multiple brands and nonprofits, I get what she meant.
Don’t lose what’s working in your rush to fix what’s broken.
Own your company’s past, evolve from it, and bring your employees along for the journey.
It’ll make for an even more exciting story that way.
If you still don’t know where to begin, that’s okay.
I’ve helped leaders at every level build cultures worth bragging about.
And remember: your employees are just as important as your customers. Treat them that way and you’ll build a culture that scales.
