Your company brand and your company culture at surface level may appear to be two different aspects of your business. In actuality, these two components of your business should be fused together as one clear concept that drives your mission forward. Company brand is often what is thought of when you think of your company name, the images, colors, and language used in advertisements or on social media. Company culture is often thought of the work environment, how employees get along and problem solve with one another. Having clearly defined values and philosophies is going to affect the company brand in a number of ways and this needs understood by everyone in your company.

Benefits of a Strong Company Culture

1. Clarifies values.

Your company culture will be a major part of your company identity. Without a specific outline of this identity, employees will often not understand what goals they should be reaching or in what direction the company is actually going. When employees understand the core values of the company they will be able to maintain these values along with expectations.

2. Employees want to stay.

The structure of the workplace can attract more qualified employees, but more importantly, a strong work culture will keep these employees around. Companies that incorporate integrity into their company model have lower turnover rates. This results in their culture be strengthened even more because the longer individuals work with one another the better the chemistry is among them. Employees will feel as if they belong to your company. When employees enjoy the company they work for they are more productive which result in bigger returns.

3. Company image.

The values of your company will show in your company brand. This can either strengthen the image your company wants to portray or hinder it. How you treat your employees and the atmosphere they work in will eventually be what your customers and clients see or interact with.

How to Combine You Brand and Company Culture.

1. What’s your story?

Each company has a brand that should be a reflection of the culture. What does your company do and why? The answer to this question should be intertwined through the employees and brand. The driving force of the company itself should also be a driving force for those who work for your company. It is what your employees, as well as, your clients or customers relate too and what attracts them to your company.

2. What does your company stand for?

Attracting long term loyal customers to your company may begin with a great marketing campaign but a clever ad won’t keep customers. What your company stands for is what will keep customers loyal. When your entire company from the inside out reflects the image you portray, that is what will resonate and attract those long term customers. It needs to be deeply rooted in the atmosphere and not just your brand.

3. Be authentic.

Not every employee has to agree or be passionate about every little thing that makes up your company culture. Trying to force the ideal culture onto every person you hire is going to lead to an unauthentic portrayal of what your brand is. While you do want individuals who would fit well in the work environment the work culture has to first be defined. Then you can remain confident in those who work in your company to be authentic since this is what most likely first attracted them to want to work there.

4. Start at the top.

How you expect your company to be portrayed needs to first be displayed from the top down. It will be difficult to establish a clear culture in your company if it is not being implemented through the hire executives. When the CEO and top level management can have an attitude that reinforces the company belief system then those who they overlook and guide will be able to easily understand what this culture is. Every individual needs to be on the same page. When everyone is, this behavior then seeps through to the brand identity. This all begins from the top executives and flows down through all departments and employees.

5. The staff represents the brand.

When the company philosophy is deeply and clearly enriched through all staff members they become an extension of your company brand. When customers buy your products or services they do so because of how they identify with your brand, or what they see through social media and advertisements. When they actually interact with your employees, customers expect a certain experience. When the employee does not live up to those expectations the customer second guess returning. Ensure the vision and values of your company is a priority through your company whether you are a small business or a global corporation.

Company culture is becoming more of an importance for those who want their business to succeed. With a new generation entering the workforce, one that actively looks for companies that exhibit a strong culture, companies may find a shortage of qualified employees if their culture is not strong. Be sure the policies that make your company unique are clearly defined and get feedback from your employees. Ensure all employees not only understand the culture but that they consistently live this culture every day. Company culture and company brand will simply become an extension of one another.