Content Team The new name has been created, the tagline has been drafted, the colors have been selected, the logo has been designed, and the new website is days away from launching.
This is it: the business is ready to take on its new identity.
However, there is more that goes into rebranding than exterior presentation. All internal aspects of the business are vulnerable to change, too. If altering these elements would better align with the new brand and its intended direction, then they, too, should be reevaluated.
While often overlooked amid the flurry of activity a rebrand involves, it’s crucial to reexamine the company’s culture and its internal features during this process. While this does not imply that the culture necessarily must change, it certainly suggests that an evaluation is in order. Begin by reviewing company culture in its current state. The best way to do this is to examine the company through employees’ eyes.
Pay attention to how employees describe the business and its goals when speaking casually to customers and amongst each other. To delve deeper, develop a brand audit that will take a raw, in-depth look at the state of the present culture. This audit should be centered around evaluating aspects of the company’s culture that are vital for the development of the new, intended direction.
Develop a channel of open communication between the company and its employees. This could be something as simple as a survey or email sent to all employees, where their honest, valued opinions will contribute to the development of a stronger culture moving forward.
After obtaining the immensely valuable and honest opinions from employees during the audit process, create an ideal company culture plan that addresses and resolves any weaknesses that were brought to light.
Communication is crucial for successfully defining new corporate values and integrating them with the redefined mission and strategy. Taking the time to clearly define the new identity helps construct a sense of priority and urgency for employees to adopt these values both for their individual roles and as part of their collaboration as a team.
The more personable and reinforced the values become, the more constant the motivation will be—and the easier it will be for the business to gauge progress.
Here are a few strategies to consider. Spell out the company’s vision or mission statement—its purpose—and develop guidelines about behaviors that support it. Reinforce these when it’s time for employees’ performance reviews and promotions, and ensure that the owners and managers are leading by example. Consider whether the workplace environment supports the culture in the way that it is laid out, decorated and maintained. For example, do employees need more space to collaborate, or more quiet areas for thoughtful, independent work? Would a few pieces of motivational artwork or quotes cheer up the atmosphere? Visual cues about the company’s brand values serve as positive reminders that the employees’ actions need to support them.
Remember that a company’s values and business culture are always evolving. Culture is a living temperament. Frequently reevaluate and update goals to ensure that the business remains progressive and stays on the right track.
Motivation is similar to a gas tank; it must be regularly refilled with enthusiasm in order to keep it going. In the beginning, most employees will be eager to keenly adapt the new company culture. Over time, though, the excitement may dissipate, a setback that the business can overcome, with a little effort. Continually reinforce the importance of practicing and embracing the new culture. Think of it as endlessly selling the culture to the employees.
Brainstorm various ways to refill the “motivation tank.” Hold weekly meetings to debut, reintroduce and reevaluate the rebranded identity. Put substance behind the company’s vision that employees can relate to in their daily lives. This could be something as simple as creating a T-shirt that reveals several of the company’s values. Another alternative is finding ways to commend employees for sticking to the brand’s morals, even when he or she is outside of the work environment. The more personable and reinforced the values become, the more constant the motivation will be—and the easier it will be for the business to gauge progress.
The most difficult part is done; the employees have created a cultural commitment and established a sense of community with one another to help keep the culture alive. Now, the business is expanding, and there’s a need to hire more personnel.
Consider the interview process as the company’s first line of defense for protecting the established culture. Read the potential employee’s demeanor. If the individual’s values don’t seem to adhere to the already established cultural values, simply do not hire him or her. Eventually, the right employee will come along and will become a key asset in making the business stronger, while fully respecting and embracing the culture.
Executing a new brand identity successfully begins by reevaluating and reforming the business from the ground level, up. It requires an enormous company-wide effort to engage in the constant cycle of removing the old identity and embracing the new. Regardless, rebranding provides an opportunity to make a real change within a business. It’s an opportunity for a company to truly transform and remodel itself on the outside, all while redefining itself on the inside.
