or both, that will measure employee
engagement and the workplace experience
in terms of delivering on values that have
the internal customer galvanized and
energized for impact.
This has become quite an important KPI
for brand directors, customer experience
heads as well as talent directors, for
the organizational Happiness Index is
something that makes or breaks brand
growth and brand equity. The onus
therefore is upon the leadership that
be, at whichever institution they be, to
create and sustain an internal customer
environment that works, not only for the
brand, but also for the people.
Pillar Two: Provision Of
Quality Resources And
Tools
The second pillar on which the
development and sustenance of a workable
internal customer environment must
be anchored, is the provision of quality
resources and tools to ensure expediency,
comfort, and delight for the internal
customer.
It doesn’t matter how hard staff will
smile and be nice to customers, if there
are no tools with which to deliver, if the
environment in which they are working
does not dignify them, if they have no
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recourse towards having their voices
heard in the spaces in which they need to
be heard, then whatever gains are made by
the brand will not stand the test of time.
The workforce spend such a significant
amount of time at work that the workplace
needs to be a place that doesn’t cause
pain. Very simple things that need to be
addressed towards providing an internal
customer environment that epitomizes
the brand as a happy place to be, toots
it as an employer of choice, and ups its
brand value, include what may be taken as
mundane things but quite aren’t, like the
provision of washroom facilities that are
sufficient in terms of number, and well-
maintained hygienically. It is quite rightly
said that to know how much a brand cares
about its internal customers, one needs to
look no further than the washrooms.
The other aspect would be the provision
of a working environment that is
ergonomically acceptable, and that does
not pose any health inconveniences to
the staff. Work place infirmities caused
by a below par working environment
do not augur well for internal customer
satisfaction.
Many brands have cottoned onto the
need to address the emotional needs of
internal customers, and have gone on to
provide meals where budgets allow, or
subsidize the same to reduce the stress
of looking for refreshments during meal
breaks. Organizations with this in place
There is a direct return on investment for
creating a values driven culture in the or-
ganization that every CEO needs to ac-
knowledge. The connection between Hap-
py Environment, Happy Staff and Happy
Customers, needs to be fully underscored.
The environment is driven by deliberate in-
culcation of values that inspire and empow-
er, and by having internal people relations
strategies that provide the keys to unlock
transformation and growth.