The Situation
With over 70,000 employees and 300+ locations, H-E-B is one of the largest independently-owned grocery retailers in the nation. While the company had a strong culture, communications delivered to employees, called “Partners,” had become fragmented and inconsistent. They needed a strong employer brand and a cohesive communication strategy.
An annual employee survey and a communications audit had narrowed down their brand promise to three simple words: Because People Matter. Everything they do, everything they are and every interaction with every customer starts with those three words. But how do you communicate that to 70,000 people?
What we learned from this exercise was simple: H-E-B’s people are its most valuable asset and its culture is its single biggest competitive advantage.
The Solution
RSW worked with H-E-B to develop, visualize and implement Because People Matter throughout their entire organization. First, a messaging strategy was developed to convey their people-centric philosophy to every employee at every level.
Next, an employer brand reinforced the brand promise at every step of a Partner’s career path: recruiting, onboarding, training and development, leadership communications, recognition, health and wellness, and more. A Partner Discount Card for groceries helped launch the brand while an e-mail based recognition program, called “H-E-B High Five,” reinforced it.
Communication guidelines helped H-E-B implement the brand at all levels while an online resource library provided their internal marketing teams with everything they’d need to ensure clarity and consistency across all touchpoints.
The Results
To date, the brand identity has been applied to everything from name badges to a breakroom recognition wall, Partner intranet, and even an online Partner social networking site. Its enthusiastic reception and ongoing success has even helped the brand find its way into multiple external communications and advertising efforts!
