Now that you have an action plan for implementing your business purpose, it’s time to communicate that purpose to others within your organization.
In the focus on external marketing, many businesses forget the importance of strong internal communications. An internal emphasis on your purpose has the power to motivate your employees, inspire great work, and turn the actions it spurs into operational habits.
As we covered last week, your employees must understand what your purpose looks like in practice so that they can make this mission part of their daily work. Communicating your purpose is not trivial. A 2013 study by The Energy Project and the Harvard Business Review found that employees who feel “connected to a higher purpose at work” show higher levels of engagement, loyalty and job satisfaction at work, and report lower levels of stress. In turn, engagement at work correlates with improved corporate performance.
Try these strategies for communicating your purpose internally:
Ask for employee feedback on your organization’s purpose. Make sure that all of your team members feel connected to the purpose by seeking employee ideas on how to act on it. For example, if your corporate social responsibility goals include charitable support, you may find that many of your employees already have connections to worthy causes. In asking, you’ll remind your employees of the organization’s purpose, and learn more about what your people value.
Moreover, getting employees involved opens up opportunities to put your purpose into practice in different ways. If your business is committed to environmental sustainability, add value to your purpose by arranging an employee-led recycling program or a weekend cleanup initiative. Ask employees for their ideas for these activities, and let them take control of creating their own programs. This not only engages employees in your purpose, but also allows them to help shape it and own it.
When your company achieves a significant goal related to your purpose, take advantage of the chance to reinvigorate your employees. Host a company lunch or happy hour to celebrate your success, and be sure to give credit to the hardworking employees involved with the project. Use the opportunity to remind everyone in your organization why you do what you do, refocusing attention on your purpose.
Achievements can also be acknowledged on internal online communications channels, such as internal social media or an employee newsletter, and via external channels like a company blog (bonus points for having your employees write the posts!).
What other techniques do you use to promote your purpose internally?
Photo Credit: PICNIC Network via Flickr Creative Commons
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