Why encourage brand equity among your staff?

From the consumers’ point of view, the concept of a ‘brand’ is an indicator that distinguishes one company’s products from those of the competition. It can be expressed in both a positive and a negative way. From the point of view of staff, this ‘brand equity’ is the result of a number of factors that have to brought into play dynamically – through event management for example – so as to engage and motivate the employees, so that they become natural ambassadors of the products being marketed.

What is ‘brand equity’?

For the employees of a company, brand equity develops at varying extents, around 3 key aspects:

• The role of the employee – and more specifically, his or her social representation within the company and the expertise required to exercise it.
• How the company is organised – and more specifically, the standards applied (dress code), how informal gatherings and official meetings take place, the image conveyed…
• The brand itself – and more specifically, the degree of attachment that the employee has to it, to its values, the security and/or pride that is associated with it…

Note that not all employees have the same perception of their company: the way they perceive it is influenced by various factors…

Which factors influence how employees perceive the company?

Here are the primary variables which influence the brand equity of the employees of a company:

• The values. The closer they are to the values of the employee, the greater the employee’s ability to develop a genuine sense of attachment to the company.
• Seniority. The longer the employee stays at a company, the more attached he or she becomes to it.
• Crisis management. The more the employee feels supported by his or her bosses, the more trust he or she will have in them.

While a strong brand equity grows out of trust, adhesion and commitment, or even passion (something that has positive repercussions for the company), a weak sense of belonging results in a lack of motivation, a potential lack of engagement and a high staff turn-over.

How does event management encourage it to grow?

Making use of event management – whatever the nature of the event proposed (a seminar, a birthday, a team-building exercise…) undoubtedly encourages brand equity among all employees:

• It is a source of emotions, both personal and collective. What’s more, with the group effect we see the phenomenon of contagion. Even the most recalcitrant staff member will be influenced by the mood among the group.
• It helps to tighten the bonds between the participants and in relation to the brand, by adding meaning, feeling and engagement to the mix.

If carefully organised, ‘corporate’ event management can influence the brand equity of the employees. And an employee who takes pride in his company will work even better and be the best possible ambassador of its products, committing to its brand in a virtuous circle.

Note that in order for event management campaigns to work well, they need to be constructed in a way that is commensurate to the goals being pursued, while respecting the company’s image and values. In order to avoid making mistakes, it’s best to put yourself in the hands of the professionals when organising them…