Brand Loyalty from the Inside Out

By Paul Spiegelman

Health care organizations that focus on employee satisfaction, rather than patient satisfaction, will find that happy employees make for loyal customers.

Paul Spiegelman

Health care is finally taking a page from the book of other consumer-oriented industries and stressing brand loyalty. This means that patients must come first ... right? I think the answer is no. Building brand loyalty begins with cultivating your own employees. You cannot build patient loyalty unless your own people have developed the passion and commitment you'd like to see in consumers.

Employees: Your Most Valuable Asset

A leader's investment in the company's most valuable asset—its people—pays off in bottom-line returns. I call the relationship between employees, customer loyalty and profitability the "circle of growth." Investing in people leads to happy employees who feel good about what they are doing and translate that feeling to customers. That spawns customer loyalty. Loyal customers drive profits into the business. Those profits are then reinvested back into employees.

An article in the June 2007 issue of the Harvard Business Review, "To Thine Own Staff Be Agreeable," states that "if you invest in improving your employees' view of your firm's corporate character, those positive attitudes will rub off and boost customers' opinions of the company." Adds author Gary Davies," That will drive growth. It sounds simple, but too many organizations focus on what customers think—to the exclusion of what employees think." In health care, we do a great job of adding valet parking, Wi-Fi and concierge services to our venues while working diligently to improve patient satisfaction scores. But we really should focus on our own people, making sure they are satisfied, empowered and have the tools they need to do their jobs.

The key to initiating the circle of growth in your organization is building the kind of corporate culture that increases employee loyalty—and thus profitability. The five principles for accomplishing this are open communication, the personal touch, maximizing resources, employee involvement and fun. Here’s a more in-depth look:

Open communication. Two-way communication is essential to building trust and employee loyalty. Many hospitals survey their patients monthly and their employees annually, if they survey them at all. The best way to ensure employees are satisfied and empowered is to ask them—frequently. Providing feedback on survey findings is also essential. Be sure to create action items and report back to employees on developments that have been implemented as a result of their input. So there is no mistake about what the organization's priorities are, put the fact that you are committed to your employees above all in writing. This commitment can become part of your mission statement or core values, included as a philosophy on company materials and mounted on signs throughout the organization.

Open communication also means sharing the hospital's financials, strategic goals and progress toward those goals, for better or worse. When employees see the good and the bad, they are more likely to understand executive decisions and to support the organization in sunshine or rain.

Town hall meetings, informal lunches with the CEO and regular newsletters mailed to employees' homes can all help keep employees informed. An open-door policy for senior managers lets employees know that they can have a conversation with hospital leaders whenever they feel the need. Not only does that convey the message that employee opinions are valued, it can also provide upper managers with valuable intelligence from those who are on the front lines serving patients.

The personal touch. In today's work arena, we rely on technology to make things happen faster and more efficiently. It is easy to lose sight of the value of building relationships through personal connections. But reaching out to our employees shows we value them as individuals. A handwritten note to an employee establishes that personal connection. Encouraging employees to acknowledge each other for a job well done also fosters camaraderie. Helping employees through a personal hardship—such as an illness, loss of a loved one or financial setback—goes a long way toward earning employee loyalty. Make it a point to be visible in the hallways, even if that’s not your style. Not every employee feels comfortable approaching the executive suite, but many will pull you aside if they see you in their workplace.

Maximizing resources. Health care organizations make decisions every day on how to deploy their resources. The most important of these are your human resources. Invest in your employees, and you will reap big dividends down the line. Tuition reimbursement programs let staff members accomplish their goals, grow professionally and help build the organization. In-house training helps employees develop their skills. And whenever possible, promote from within. It shows you value your employees and the expertise they have developed, with your help.

Employee involvement. Employees respond best when they are involved in the development and execution of ideas. Have your employees participate in creating your organization's core values. Ask them to identify ways to live those values every day. Front-line staff members are at the point of service delivery—where the rubber hits the road with your customers. These employees can often brainstorm ways to deliver services more efficiently or cost-effectively. Getting employees involved outside the walls of the organization can also help them feel they are contributing. For instance, have employees select a charity and then determine ways the organization can support it and really make a difference.

Fun. Most people spend more waking hours at work than they do with their loved ones. A little levity can relieve stress, build relationships and spark creativity. Organized events such as potlucks, barbecues and ice cream socials help staff escape the mundane and encourage socializing. Dressing up doesn’t have to mean a coat and tie. Proclaim a Hawaiian day or organize a country hoedown and watch how creative your employees can be. Remember: Senior executives set the tone for the entire organization. By showing a sense of humor, your leaders can flatten the organization and make themselves more accessible to employees.

Creating Passion and Commitment

When you build brand loyalty from the inside out, you instill passion and commitment in your employees before they ever see a patient. If they feel valued, informed and involved, your patients will, too. Here are some final thoughts on developing passion and commitment within your employees:

- Let them know they come first.
- Show them that you care about them personally.
- Share financials and maintain an open-door policy.
- Involve them in change.
- Show commitment to developing them.
- Communicate and brand everything you do.
- Focus on things you can do consistently—not one-time activities.
- Celebrate successes—large and small.

Ask yourself the following key questions to determine whether employees feel satisfied and empowered.

- Credibility: Do managers keep people informed and deliver on their promises?
- Respect: Are employees involved in decision-making, training and development?
- Fairness: Are employees paid fairly and treated fairly?
- Pride: Do employees feel like they make a difference?
- Camaraderie: Is the organization a friendly and fun place to work?

With some initiative and creativity, you’d be surprised how big a difference happy employees can make in your patient satisfaction results and bottom line. And the best part is that efforts to build a winning corporate culture don’t have to be expensive, just consistent, noticeable and, above all, genuine.

Paul Spiegelman is co-founder and CEO of The Beryl Companies in Bedford, Texas, and author of Why Is Everyone Smiling? The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity and Profit (Dallas: Brown Books Publishing Group, 2007).

GIVE US YOUR COMMENTS!

Hospitals & Health Networks welcomes your comment on this article. E-mail your comments to hhn@healthforum.com, fax them to H&HN Editor at (312) 422-4500, or mail them to Editor, Hospitals & Health Networks, Health Forum, One North Franklin, Chicago, IL 60606.

If you would like a FREE Subscription to H&HN OnLine, please click here to register.

This article 1st appeared on November 6, 2007 in HHN Magazine online site.

To respond to this article, please click here.