Everything You Need to Know About Employee Advocacy

When organisations invest in the employees’ well-being and cultivate a culture of healthy and positive work environments, the employees naturally promote the organisation, consequently driving brand credibility, trust, and business, leading to a strong employer brand in the competitive marketplace. But how can brands benefit from employee advocacy and grow their employer brand? In this blog, we will cover everything you need to know about employee advocacy. Let’s get started!

What is Employee Advocacy?

Employee advocacy refers to the active promotion of the organisation through its own employees, who act as spokespersons to promote their employer’s brand on various social media platforms. In the process, employees use their personal network and online presence to amplify the company’s offerings and advocate for its brand value and culture.

This type of marketing strategy can be useful in achieving mainly two types of goals:

• Finding new customers by sharing employees’ satisfactory contributions towards business growth and thereby generating quality leads.
• Recruiting top talent by encouraging employees to share the benefits of working with the organisation, and may consequently influence a deserving candidate to apply for an open position.

What are the Examples of Employee Advocacy?

Employee advocacy examples can take on various forms, such as:

Social Media Advocacy

In social media advocacy, employees share company updates, offerings, job descriptions, or growth insights on their personal social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Medium, Twitter, or Instagram.

Employee Generated Content

Another way to advocate for a company's brand and promote it is by letting employees create blogs, videos, podcasts, or testimonials and showcase the company's culture and work environment.

Referral Programs

In referral programs, employees refer potential candidates for current job openings and get incentives after the successful recruitment of the new employee.

Key Benefits of Employee Advocacy

Employee advocacy is a profound marketing strategy that can offer an array of business benefits to the organisation, such as:

Increased Brand Awareness

Expanding brand awareness is among the main benefits of employee advocacy. Employees have personal and professional networks of their own and when they share company news, achievements, or industry insights to their network, the brand reaches a wider and more authentic audience.

Higher Engagement and Productivity

Workers who feel free to speak out for their business often show greater involvement and drive. Their closer relationship with the company's goals and values results from their sharing of knowledge and experiences, therefore fostering greater job satisfaction, higher rates of retention, and more effective team cooperation.

Stronger Recruitment and Retention

Employer branding and talent acquisition are interconnected with employee advocacy. In today’s times, potential candidates rely on employee feedback and testimonies rather than corporate ads and thereby attract top candidates who align with the company culture. Also, by creating a healthy workplace, employers can easily retain their high-performing employees and secure their long-term future.

Growth in the Business and Revenue

A good employee advocacy program produces various business benefits, such as increasing in sales conversions as staff members develop trust with their networks, enhancing consumer relationships via more real brand interactions, and creating a stronger brand reputation.

A well-executed advocacy program does cost-effective marketing for the brand and enhances its reputation and credibility, along with competitive benefits in the recruitment and retention of employees.

Read More : Employee Benefits Programme: Types, Importance & Need

Conclusion | Empower Your Employees, Strengthen Your Brand

Employee advocacy has evolved from more than just marketing to a strategic approach to build a workplace where employees feel valued, encouraged, and motivated and contribute towards the growth of the company together. When employers invest in the empowerment of their employees, they become their personal brand spokesperson, advocate the company’s culture, create awareness, attract top talent, and contribute significantly towards business growth.

Moreover, fostering a supportive work environment, providing competitive benefits, and other perks such as group health insurance ensure employees feel secure and remain invested in the company.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Define employee advocacy in the workplace.

   Employee advocacy refers to a marketing strategy in which a company’s employees act as their advocates and promote the employer’s brand in the marketplace.

2. What is the role of an HR employee advocate?

   An HR employee advocate refers to a professional who is involved in the day-to-day management of the employees and resolving any concerns arising.

3. What are the 3 C’s of advocacy?

   The 3 C’s of advocacy are collaborate, connect, and communicate.