Understanding Employee Advocacy
Employee advocacy is the promotion of an organisation by its staff members who share their positive work experiences and the benefits of your products or services through their own social networks, both online and offline.
Employee advocacy programmes harness the power of employees' personal social networks to amplify the company's messages, thereby serving as brand ambassadors. This form of advocacy is perceived as authentic and trustworthy by people outside the organization, making it a valuable recruitment and HR marketing strategy. In the modern digital era, organisations are continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance their brand visibility, increase employee engagement, and optimize recruitment processes. One such game-changing strategy that's gaining momentum is #EmployeeAdvocacy
The Evolution of Employee Advocacy
The concept of employee advocacy isn't new. It dates back to ancient Rome, where gladiators encouraged freeborn Roman citizens to participate in gladiatorial games. The modern term "employee advocacy" was coined in 2010 by Matthew Brown of Forrester Research, marking the beginning of a new era for this strategy with the advent of technology.
Today, there are great apps like Ambassify, designed to help organisations execute effective employee advocacy programmes.
Employee Advocacy: The Statistics
The potential of employee advocacy programs is backed by compelling statistics:
84% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over any other form of advertising (source: Nielsen).
Brand messages are re-shared 24 times more frequently when distributed by employees (source: MSLGroup).
Leads developed through employee advocacy convert 7x more frequently than other leads (source: IBM).
Nearly 31% of high-growth firms have a formal employee advocacy programme (source: Hinge Research Institute and Social Media Today).
60 million American employees share positive comments about their workplace online (source: Ad Age).
The Benefits of Employee Advocacy
Employee advocacy programmes offer a plethora of benefits, such as:
Enhanced Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Employees sharing their positive experiences can create persuasive messages that resonate with potential candidates, effectively boosting word-of-mouth marketing.
Expanded Recruitment Reach: By sharing job openings and company information, employees extend the reach of the company's recruitment efforts beyond traditional job boards.
Reduced Recruitment Costs and Improved Quality of Hires: Employee advocacy programmes significantly reduce recruitment costs by tapping into an organization's existing network of employees, often leading to higher-quality hires.
Boosted Employer Branding, Engagement, and Retention: By encouraging employees to share their positive experiences and accomplishments at work, companies create an authentic and relatable employer brand, leading to a more engaged and committed workforce.
Implementing an Effective Employee Advocacy Programme
Successful implementation of an employee advocacy programme requires strategic planning and execution. Here are some best practises:
Develop a Clear Strategy: Define the specific goals and objectives to achieve and establish guidelines and policies for employee participation.
Target Key Employee Groups: Identify employee groups that naturally possess skills for becoming effective advocates.
Provide Training and Support: Equip employees with the necessary tools and knowledge to succeed as brand advocates.
Create Engaging Content: Develop content that employees will be proud to share.
Recognise and Reward Employee Contributions: Implement a system to acknowledge and reward employees who actively participate in the programme.
Foster a Culture of Openness and Trust: Encourage open communication and employee feedback, and be responsive to their suggestions and concerns.
Monitor and Measure Success: Use analytics to track the success of your employee advocacy programme and make data-driven decisions to improve its effectiveness.
Continuously Evolve and Adapt: Regularly assess the program's performance, gather employee feedback, and adjust as needed to ensure its success.
The Future of Employee Advocacy
According to a study by Gartner, "90% of social network marketing strategies will incorporate large-scale employee advocacy programmes" by 2023.
Companies are increasingly using social networks to reach their target audience, and employees, being the most trusted assets of a company, play a pivotal role in spreading the brand's message. Thus, employee advocacy is set to become an essential part of a company's marketing mix in the years to come.
Conclusion: The Power of Employee Advocacy
In conclusion, employee advocacy is not just a buzzword; it's a powerful strategy with proven benefits. It promotes the company's brand, values, products, and services, and fosters a culture of growth and high-performance. By leveraging the power of employee advocacy, organizations can revolutionize their recruitment landscape, improve employer branding, and achieve business growth.
As we step into the future, it's clear that the organisations that will thrive are those that recognize the value of their most significant asset - their employees - and enable them to become brand advocates.