Emotional Connections Drive Loyalty: Don’t Misjudge Gen Z

How do you know if your employees are truly engaged and loyal to your brand?

Will your consumers be engaged if your employees don’t set the standard? There’s a growing body of work that clearly points to building emotional connections with consumers as critical to driving loyalty and share of wallet.

The relationship between employee and consumer loyalty is increasingly recognized as essential for business success. Employers must prioritize their employees’ needs and satisfaction to thrive in the marketplace. Creating a sense of “brand love” starts within an organization, and when employees feel valued, have the right incentives and a clear view of what success looks like, your employees may become passionate ambassadors of your brand.

“Engaged employees want to stay with you through the ups and downs, they are going to speak highly of the organization and advocate for what is going on within the company.” Lakeisha Robichaux, CEO at Chief of Minds stated.

This positive effect on employee engagement and commitment to the customer experience ultimately leads to greater customer satisfaction. A top-tier customer experience almost depends on employee engagement and there are many reasons why.

In today’s digital age, Gen Z employees have significant power to influence company culture before and even after joining a company. Organizations must adopt innovative strategies to engage and retain talent, further adapting as employees’ needs evolve. This involves dedicating time, resources and strategic approaches to employee well-being and satisfaction. This can ultimately help prove that a thriving workforce drives consumer loyalty and success.

Employees are under more stress than ever before. Gallup’s latest “State of the Global Workplace” reported that stress levels reached an all-time high in 2022.

David Johnson, Principal Analyst of Employee Experience at Forrester stated, “Employees create the experience the customer has — the employee’s emotional state when they’re interacting with the customer or when they contributed their part to the experience has a direct and tangible impact on CX.”

Caring for employees’ mental, physical, and emotional health should be a top priority for employers. Practical strategies such as respecting employees’ time off, avoiding unnecessary communication during weekends and training managers to support their teams effectively are imperative. By prioritizing well-being, employers can build a more motivated workforce.

“For too long, employers have focused benefits packages solely on physical health,” says Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and chief executive officer of SHRM, the world’s largest trade association of HR professionals. “COVID-19 showed us that wasn’t enough, bringing to light the criticality of also caring for our employees’ mental and emotional health. As employers put together benefits offerings, they must take a wholistic view of health and the needs of their employees.”

It is crucial to understand that people often leave their bosses, not their companies. Therefore, investing in manager training is essential. Managers should be equipped to care for their teams, celebrating small wins and honoring benefits. This not only supports employees but also models the behavior expected throughout an entire organization.

Knowing your resources and understanding your people are vital. Offering incentives and benefits that employees do not care about wastes both time and money. Understanding from the bottom-up what employees want is key to ensuring that well-being initiatives and benefits are effective.

“Nontraditional benefit offerings, such as live events, can significantly enhance emotional connections among employees, which we have found helps boosts engagement and retention,” says senior vice president of business solutions Nathan Williford from TFL. “Employees increasingly value experiences and new rewards and the emotional benefits of these experiences are something we should prioritize more.”

Prioritizing employee well-being builds a resilient workforce. Companies must first win the loyalty and dedication of their employees to succeed in the marketplace by combining various strategies to increase employee satisfaction and engagement.