Ramadan is one of the busiest marketing periods when brands take advantage of consumers looking for special offers and promotions. These campaigns will always look to tie-in with the holy month’s spirit of humanity, gratitude and kinship.
They are usually aimed at connecting external audiences with a brand; however, it is also important to communicate with the most important stakeholders of any company – its people. Ramadan is the perfect opportunity to recognise their year-long contribution and reinforce a unifying corporate culture.
A company with a strong corporate culture that prioritises people will create an environment for growth, community and mutual success. Ramadan is an ideal time to build personal connections with employees which reinforce humanity, gratitude and kinship. Companies with a great culture engage their people, thus cultivating a workplace that encourages participation and enables excellence to produce and grow.
As I discussed recently in a panel discussion with international marketing leaders –Persistently Agile: The Key to High Performance Marketing Lies with People, Not Projects – defining and establishing a strong company culture is an important step for any business from the outset, as it can pre-empt challenges further down the line. Creating a productive, meaningful and welcoming work environment gets the right people to join the team and keeps them motivated to perform. Company culture will encompass your goals, mission, values and ethos.
When people feel supported by their company and team their loyalty increases, which will have a positive effect on your business from the inside out. Customers who know that a business treats its people well will want to support that business. Happy employees will help companies build their reputation as important brand advocates. Company culture is the catalyst for better performance across the entire business when it supports better teamwork, space for feed-back and a higher sense of satisfaction.
The right corporate culture inspires people to bring out the best in each other, so striving for a respectful, thoughtful and human environment is vital. Ramadan is a time to show appreciation for what we have been given and to be aware of our community. There are many creative ways for companies to recognise and show appreciation for their people with company events, annual gifts, volunteer opportunities, paid time-off and recognition awards spotlighting team-members who go above and beyond.
Giving back to the community is one of the five pillars of Islam, both as a religious duty and to secure the blessings associated with charity. Show your company cares about the community by supporting a cause your team is passionate about and where they can volunteer together; or offer to donate to a charitable organisation on your employees’ behalf.
Engaging employees in the partnership with the chosen partner creates a common sense of purpose and motivation. Volunteering says a lot about a company’s sincerity. By doing good deeds without expecting anything in return, companies and their employees are able to express community spirit.
Employee wellness and mental health is a hot topic right now, and a great way to address this and employee appreciation at the same time is to focus on self-care activities during Ramadan. Muslims will fast each day between sunrise and sunset during the holy month, and perform additional prayers and other religious duties. Employers need to be aware of the potential effects on employees of not eating or drinking during the day and take the right steps to support them.
Company culture is what sets you apart from competitors, inspires the best talent and right people to join you, and enables an excellent environment in which everyone can grow. Ramadan is the month of communication, when we reach out to each other and show benevolence.
Creating a strong corporate culture is half way in a company demonstrating the value within its organisational ecosystem, and this includes the nurturing and appreciation of its employees.
W7Worldwide celebrates Ramadan as the ‘Month of Communication’ and has been producing award-winning, culture-changing Ramadan communications campaigns for leading Saudi and GCC brands.
The author is a Director & Co-Founder, W7Worldwide
