"Getting your workforce up to speed to deliver your corporate brand values makes the difference in your company's success", says Donna Hawkins, Vice President of Operations at LEAPJob, a Recruitment Process Outsource provider for small to mid-sized companies. By empowering your employees to deliver your brand values, you will differentiate yourself, and step up to the fact that customers have choices for products.
Hawkins has found from her customers that the traditional approach for distinguishing a product's uniqueness has all but vanished. Price, product features, promotion and position in the marketplace can no longer sustain products for the full product life cycles.
According to Hawkins, "My key customers have seen the elimination of global barriers and the growth of technical innovation, so now competitors can mimic and even upstage the functionality of the latest releases in less time than it took to define and create the original innovation. Not only can their competitors nip at their heels with look-alike products and services, but also companies can achieve equal exposure and visibility in front of customers in the Internet economy."
By focusing on corporate branding, companies build within their own workforce the capability of delivering a notable positive difference in the customer experience. In fact this is extended to all levels of the corporation. Hawkins reiterates that, "Everyone within must understand and believe in the distinction you are trying to provide; and it doesn’t stop there. All employees should be empowered to deliver brand values and the value proposition to customers."
Hawkins points out, "The strategy has included recruiting the right people at every stage and top-grading the organization to set your people apart from competitors. Employment branding means communicating the vision of the organization, and what it will take to succeed, it also includes how you expect the employees to deliver on that vision and finally, how employees will be compensated for helping the organization succeed."
As a reality check, Hawkins commented, "It is important for management to determine if the perceptions that your customers and your employees have match your brand message, and that as a corporation you can live up to and deliver on your stated and implied promises."
Hawkins believes "workforce branding can solve a variety of challenges without heavy spending. This success is achieved by follow-through on commitments, the quality of the workforce and their ability to deliver. The voice of the workforce speaks louder and stronger than anything else."
Branding: Have Your Workforce Speak For You