Should We “Internalize” Branding?
Is the health and general well-being of employees a necessary factor for an organization’s internal branding strategy? How much does the morale of employees reflect on the company’s brand, from both internal and external perspectives? The recent news attention on the federal government’s plan to spend $5-million to re-launch ParticipAction, the non-profit agency that encouraged Canadians to get fit, and the revitalization of Canada’s food guide, not to mention the focus on cigarette advertising and quit smoking campaigns, has helped put health back in the spotlight as a top priority.
B2B organizations can connect HR and marketing through their brand management programs with internal branding development and CSR programs. If employees are engaged through the company on a personal level, such as their health and fitness, they may be more apt to portray their company in a favourable and positive manner. Employee well-being can become a “brand behaviour.” The company can then support health initiatives through its CSR programs, which provides a channel for marketing and communications that will cast the company in a positive light in the B2B marketplace.
The focus on environmental issues may be top of mind these days over individual health, but really one is not relevant without the other (despite Joni Mitchell’s comments in this past weekend edition of The Globe and Mail). I think this is a proactive way to reposition a company’s brand as socially responsible to its employees by tying in these behaviours with what it means to them to be a part of the company team. It is also proactive in reducing the costs associated with employee heath and morale if preventative actions are not taken. This message can be easily communicated to clients and customers through CSR and the healthy employees that represent the company.
It also helps to establish employee commitment to the company, thereby decreasing recruitment costs. As the workforce ages and Canadians continue to increase their participation in sports and exercise, how much will we expect from the companies we work for and from those we do business with in terms of health-related issues? This is a question that new graduates and entrants into the workforce will increasingly ask and may very well use to measure the appeal and worthiness of a brand.
