No matter what your business challenges are, the first step is always to build a connection between your employees and your brand. To do this well, you need to provide a meaningful answer to the question “What’s in it for me?”

We’ve all heard the stats—disengaged employees cost companies billions each year. For global organizations, the challenge of engaging employees is amplified by language barriers, cultural differences, and the logistical challenges of doing business in offices that span multiple time zones. Sound familiar?

The most successful engagement programs begin by taking time to create a story that answers the question of what’s in it for the employee at every level within the organization, for every stakeholder. Once you have identified the message, the next step is to implement the tactics to educate, incentivize and reward employees at all levels for not only understanding, but also living the promise of your brand. It’s only when employees are truly engaged on an emotional level that they are able to deliver exceptional customer experiences, resulting in the Holy Grail for global brand managers—customer loyalty and advocacy.

To learn more about the effect that employee engagement has on your bottom line, check out our telling infographic. For a deeper dive, be sure to register for our upcoming IHAF webinar, “Engage Your Employees to Elevate Your Brand.” Join me on Thursday, March 13th to hear why employee engagement is an imperative for brand management and marketing leaders—and what you can do to enroll your team.

Allan Steinmetz is the CEO and founder of Inward Strategic Consulting.