Exploring employee engagement in internal branding: a case study of commercial banks in Urban Masvingo

Efficient internal branding is essential for aligning employees with an organization's ideals, especially in service industries such as banking. This study examines the influence of employee engagement on the efficacy of internal branding activities in commercial banks located in Urban Masvingo, with the objective of understanding the impact of these initiatives on staff commitment and service quality. A quantitative survey design was utilised, focussing on management-level employees, shop floor personnel, and customers from certain banks, employing stratified random sampling to guarantee a varied participant pool. The results demonstrate that although the majority of internal branding efforts focus on frontline employees, there is a significant deficiency in engagement among shop floor personnel. The lack of established recognition procedures and allocated funding for internal branding undermines effectiveness. Strong managerial support and employee participation in branding activities were recognised as essential factors for improving engagement and alignment with brand values. To enhance internal branding, banks must to conduct frequent evaluations of employee engagement, incorporate branding into HR operations, establish formal recognition systems, and promote the co-creation of branding initiatives. These measures will foster a unified organisational culture and enhance service performance, hence augmenting brand equity in a competitive marketplace. This report provides actionable ideas for banks to enhance employee involvement in internal branding and sustain a competitive advantage in a fluctuating market.. Key Words:internal branding, employee engagement, commercial banks, service quality, managerial support, Urban Masvingo