I am quite familiar with the many Best Places to Work lists that exist today. Primarily because 56% my clients who are implementing with Brand Integrity, for at least a year, are on or have been on one of the lists before. We've learned as much from our clients as they have from us - it truly is a partnership.

One specific thing I have learned is how truly committed our clients are to building an employer brand. They recognize the importance a strong employer brand plays in the success of their company. Their focus on branding for employees is driving millions of dollars to their bottom-line each year.

Take Wegmans Food Markets, who has been a consistent top 10 Fortune Best Places to Work company since the list's inception. Wonder if an employer brand matters - think about the bottom-line impact when you have 50-60% less turnover than the industry average. If your not imagining lots of dollar signs, go get a glass of water, splash it on your face and wake-up.

Building an employer brand enhances the power of the positive. Said another way, it increases the upbeat energy in your company and propels employees, work teams, and leaders to accomplish remarkable results.

Having a company brand strategy and subsequent brand that employees find to be meaningful and relevant leads to:

Passion and sponsorship: The right employees, motivated by the same desirable outcomes, willingly head in the same direction as the company and as one another.

A positive work culture: Internal excitement is focused on embracing change, not fighting it.

Employee commitment: Employees understand how they fit into and have an impact on the company.

Customer loyalty: Because experiences are meaningful and stimulate incredible loyalty. This happens only when employees understand the benefits customers are looking for and the uniqueness with which your company can deliver those benefits. This allows employees to connect emotionally with the brand, optimizing their ability to delight customers.

If you've ever been to the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle then you are probably familiar with the FISH philosophy which has for at least the last decade permeated the global business environment. The idea behind the philosophy being that employees are responsible for delivering a great experience to each other and customers and this experience is enhanced when employees show up to work each day and deliver 4 main concepts:

• Play
• Make Their Day
• Be There [for Coworkers] (Often referred to as "Be Present" This is more to do with giving your full attention to a task or individual.)
• Choose Your Attitude
  

(for more specifics about the FISH Philosophy http://www.charthouse.com)

I have been through FISH training and have seen many companies who have invested the dollars and resources to bring the FISH philosophy into their work environment. I actually really like the philosophy behind FISH and what it stands for, but where I struggle with it is when myopic leaders believe it is going to truly change and evolve their work culture. As a team building exercise it is great, as a  way to build and sustain culture, no way!

If your organization doesn't understand what the culture is today and what the desired culture is for the future, it doesn't matter what team building you do, it won't make any long term difference.

Culture evolution and change is not about team building, it’s about defining the culture for the future, setting expectations, communicating those expectations and holding employees accountable for behavior that demonstrates the culture.

Once your culture is defined and in place, then there is certainly room for team building and other "rah-rah" opportunities to keep things fresh, but i can't think of one instance where team building alone built a corporate culture that was sustainable and was responsible for driving business results.

Team building should be an outcome, not the strategy.