An Internal Marketing Department for Employees

AN INTERNAL MARKETING DEPARTMENT FOR EMPLOYEES

The finesse with which one competes for the favour of employees should be no less than the sophistication one displays when competing for customers. An opinion piece by Floris van Bommel, Creative Director of Floris van Bommel

Marketing was invented sometime in the middle of the last century. Simply put, someone thought at some point: “If a business kindles, feeds, and increasingly focuses on the needs of its customers, then the situation for the company improves continuously. This results in more revenue, even more growth, and an ever-increasing market share!” This thought is, of course, absolutely logical and true. Almost every company has aligned itself accordingly and adopted this “philosophy”, which can seem degenerate in some current excesses, with the aim of outdoing each other.

The bizarre thing is that a comparable philosophy without that external competition kick, so reversed and directed inwards, is suddenly considered much less self-evident and energised as soon as it pertains to staff and employees. It seems as if people still believe that, at the end of the day, one can buy humanity, loyalty, consistency, and honesty with a generous salary alone.

Today’s recruitment processes are enormously advanced. The knowledge about the rights and duties of employees has been explored thoroughly and articulated down to the last detail. Nevertheless, it is often difficult to find the old-fashioned, simple warmth that binds and retains. Exceptions are often family business, mostly medium to small in size. Our company qualifies for this category too. Traditionally, we feel very closely involved in the “ups and downs” of our employees. We live with them, establish human relationships over decades (which can be awkward at times), involve them, respect individual origins, and allow them to share in the profits depending on position and function.

THE HEART OF THE COMPANY

Many companies are struggling with personnel problems. The market is overloaded, fluctuation is high, and talent is hard to find - let alone retain. The solution to these problems can always be found in the heart of the company. It’s all about the intrinsic intention with which the management handles its employees. Is it merely a question of “satisfying” employees or is there an intent to actually listen to their needs.

Caring for employees with heart and soul: Floris van Bommel.

In our factory in Moergestel, for example, the people at the machines produce shoes every single day. Some have been on the job for more than 40 years. I’ve known some of these senior staff members since I was a boy. They regularly tell me about weekend trips or holidays during which they spotted our shoes in certain stores. They are proud, feel involved, and are part of the bigger picture. Conversely, this also applies to colleagues from accounting, sales, marketing, and design. Nobody works in isolation. Every day, everyone sees what they are working for in the finished product.

CARING WITH HEART AND SOUL

It probably sounds simple and profane, but employees are normal people. Just as in their leisure time, they require attention, recognition, security, friendliness and humanity, deepening relationships, and the feeling of being important - no matter what their job is. Companies with a management that takes these things seriously will achieve better results in all areas. This often happens quite naturally in family businesses. “Human kindness” is often more commonplace. Therefore, I suggest that “internal marketing departments” should be made mandatory. Just as marketing departments focus obsessively on the consumer, the internal counterparts should pour their heart and soul into looking after the needs of employees.