It’s February 2024. Four years have passed since COVID, and two years since we started shifting back to “normal”. But, According to the US Chamber of Commerce, the American Labor shortage brought on by the pandemic (to everyone’s surprise) is still holding strong.
So what’s happening? (And why are we telling you this?)
In oversimplified terms, people got comfortable outside of the typical 9-5. Whether it’s pursuing education, retiring early, or relying on alternative means, the felt need to stay with a company dropped at a drastic rate—and the trend is continuing.
To combat this, in 2022 & 2023, American businesses championed employee engagement initiatives like never before in efforts to woo employees into staying.
While these initiatives may be a byproduct of being in a tight spot, the results have been a national shift to more healthy, diverse, and positive working environments—and that’s something the Circa team LOVES.
Not only do we love to see it, we love being involved.
“But wait—How can Circa help me improve my company culture?”
That’s where brand comes in. Well actually, that’s where internal brand comes in.
After your company’s leadership team has developed incentivizing policies and programs to woo employees, how will you carry out these new policies and messages in a way that gets your team of 10, 100, or even a thousand to believe what you’re saying? How do you convince them?
Branding from the Inside Out
Our vision and core motivation at Circa has always been to create more of what matters: for our team, for clients, for their audiences, and their teams. Putting good into the world has ripple effects; it builds better communities and creates better experiences. We also know that positive internal brands and healthy corporate cultures are one of the most important and impactful ways businesses can ripple this goodness out to the world. It’s what we call branding from the inside out.
4 Top Tips for a Strong Internal Brand
Start with Heart
Brands are built on vision, mission, and values. For a great internal brand, develop a strong, clear message that will rally your team. Do your employees resonate with your existing company values? If not, consider how you might make your values more relevant and actionable. Think about all the touchpoints where your employees interact with your values. Do these interactions feel burdensome or exciting?
Flexible Foundation for Solid Implementation
Flexibility in brand implementation allows for seamless adaptation across different platforms and materials. The best way to share your message is to share it consistently, so make it easy for people to share.
Cohesive language & visuals
Cohesiveness in language and visuals can help reinforce your message. Use colors, iconography, photography, or art to complement and solidify your central message.
Launch it
Generating hype around organizational changes and internal brand is crucial for employee engagement and adoption. How can you create a sense of belonging or excitement for your employees?
Does your company’s culture and internal brand need re-alignment?
We’re here to help.