What Is Employee Advocacy?

Employee advocacy is when employees promote the brand, products, or services of the company they work for through social media, word-of-mouth, or other personal interactions. However, it’s more than simply sharing content or words; it’s authentic—an effort done because employees genuinely believe and advocate for the company, as they feel valued by it and are engaged with it. Employee advocacy programs leverage this authentic enthusiasm, making it a powerful tool for businesses to enhance brand reputation, drive engagement, and build trust with customers.

Types of Employee Advocacy

There are two main types of employee advocacy: internal and external. While both types of advocacy are beneficial for your company, understanding how these impact your workforce will help guide your employee advocacy program.

Internal Advocacy

Internal advocacy focuses on promoting a positive work environment within the organization. This involves employees advocating for their colleagues and the company culture, leading to a more cohesive and supportive workplace. When employees speak positively about their experiences, it fosters a sense of belonging and boosts morale.

Consider Sarah, a team member who regularly praises her colleagues during team meetings and recognizes their hard work in company newsletters. Sarah’s actions foster a sense of belonging and boost morale, as colleagues feel valued and appreciated.

Encouraging collaboration and support is a crucial aspect of internal advocacy. Employees who actively help and promote each other create a culture of teamwork and mutual respect. This internal advocacy can lead to increased productivity, as employees feel more motivated and engaged when they know their efforts are appreciated and reciprocated by their peers.

External Advocacy

External advocacy involves employees acting as brand ambassadors, representing the company to the outside world. This type of advocacy is most visible on social media, where employees share content about their workplace, products, or services. By doing so, they extend the company’s reach and enhance its public image.

Employees engaging in external advocacy provide genuine testimonials that can significantly impact potential customers. These real-life endorsements are more trusted than traditional marketing efforts, making them incredibly valuable. When employees advocate for their company externally, they help build a positive and authentic brand reputation.

Examples of Successful Employee Advocacy Programs

Successful employee advocacy programs can be found across various industries, showcasing the effectiveness of this strategy. One notable example is IBM’s employee advocacy program. IBM encourages its employees to share content on social media, providing them with the necessary tools and training. This program has significantly increased IBM’s online reach and engagement, demonstrating the power of well-supported advocacy efforts.

Another example is Starbucks’ employee advocacy program. Starbucks empowers its employees to share their stories and experiences, both within the company and with customers. By highlighting personal narratives, Starbucks creates a strong, authentic connection with its audience. The key takeaway here is the importance of authenticity and personal stories in driving successful employee advocacy.

Looking closer to home, here at Fit Small Business, we take employee advocacy quite seriously. Our managers take time to listen to all employees and give both feedback and praise where it’s due. Even us rank-and-file employees have multiple avenues to express gratitude for colleagues, be it in our dedicated recognition Slack channel, weekly newsletters, or broadcast in quarterly stakeholders’ meetings. This culture of trust and belongingness is ingrained in our company culture, which is why working here is a true benefit for all of us—and it shows even externally through our Glassdoor reviews.

Everyday Advocacy in Action

Employee advocacy is not limited to formal programs; it happens every day through simple, organic actions. For instance, employees might share a positive work experience on their personal social media profiles, reaching their network and beyond. These everyday advocacy examples showcase the genuine enthusiasm employees have for their company.

Social media—LinkedIn, specifically—plays a crucial role in everyday advocacy. When employees post about company events, product launches, or workplace culture, they amplify the company’s message. This informal promotion can be incredibly powerful, as it comes across as authentic and trustworthy.

Personal networks also contribute significantly to everyday advocacy. When employees talk about their positive work experiences with friends and family, they help build the company’s reputation. These word-of-mouth endorsements are valuable, as they often influence the opinions of potential customers and job seekers.

Building an Employee Advocacy Program

If your goal is to create an effective employee advocacy program, it’s a good idea to create a formal structure. There’s nothing wrong with an informal program, but your employees will expect you to lay out the goals and provide them with the necessary tools. Here are some steps to guide you in creating an employee advocacy program:

1. Set clear goals: Define what you want to achieve with your employee advocacy program. Goals could include increasing brand awareness, boosting employee engagement, or driving sales. Clear objectives will help you tailor your strategy and measure your success effectively.
2. Identify and train advocates: Select employees who are enthusiastic and have a strong presence on social media or are trusted team members. These individuals will be your program’s champions, both externally and internally. Provide them with comprehensive training to ensure they understand the program’s goals and how to represent the company positively and authentically.
3. Create shareable content: Develop a library of shareable content that aligns with your goals. This content can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and social media updates. It may also include newsletter templates to share internally. Ensure the content is engaging, relevant, and easy for employees to share with their networks.
4. Launch and promote the program: Officially launch your employee advocacy program with a kickoff event or announcement. Promote the program internally to build excitement and encourage participation. Highlight the benefits for employees and the company.
5. Provide ongoing support and resources: Continuously support your advocates with updated content, social media guidelines, and regular training sessions. Offer resources such as content calendars and sharing tools to make participation easy and effective.
6. Monitor and measure success: Regularly track key metrics like engagement rates, content reach, and impact on recruitment and retention. Use analytics to understand what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. Adjust your strategy based on these insights to keep the program effective and relevant.

Why Employee Advocacy Matters (Benefits)

Employee advocacy showcases benefits that start within the company and branch off externally. Because it hinges on authentic interactions, it starts with a high base level of employee engagement that spreads throughout the organization and promotes a healthy culture. This culture becomes a main selling point for job seekers, thus attracting high-quality talent to join the organization.

The benefits of employee advocacy include:

1. Promotes a positive company culture: With employees championing the company, the work environment becomes more positive, fostering loyalty to those within the company and showcasing a good example for those looking to apply to it. This consequently leads to higher engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction.
2. Enhances brand reputation: Employee advocacy significantly boosts your brand’s reputation. When employees share positive stories and experiences, it builds trust with your audience. Authentic endorsements from employees are more persuasive than traditional advertising.
3. Increases reach and engagement: An employee advocacy program extends your company’s reach. Employees sharing content on their networks expands your audience. This increased visibility leads to higher engagement rates and more meaningful interactions.
4. Increases employee retention rates: Employee advocacy programs contribute to higher retention rates. Engaged employees who feel valued are more likely to stay with the company. Advocacy fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty among employees.

Common Challenges & Solutions in Employee Advocacy

Employee advocacy can be a powerful tool for enhancing your company’s reputation but it comes with challenges. Common hurdles include getting employees to participate, ensuring their messages remain authentic, and navigating the fine line between personal and professional boundaries. Addressing these issues effectively can help you build a robust and genuine employee advocacy program.

Measuring the Success of Your Employee Advocacy Program

Your employee advocacy efforts should be tracked to ensure you’re getting a good return. If you simply set up a program and don’t review where applicants and customers are coming from, for example, you won’t know if your program is successful.

Key Metrics to Track

To measure the success of your employee advocacy program, focus on key metrics that reflect engagement and impact. Tracking these metrics helps you understand the program’s effectiveness and areas for improvement.

1. Engagement rates: Monitor how often employees share content and how their audience interacts with it. High engagement rates indicate that the content resonates well with both employees and their networks. Look for likes, comments, and shares as indicators of engagement.
2. Participation rates: measure the number of employees actively participating in advocacy activities, like peer recognition programs and social media platforms.
3. Feedback and testimonials: Collect qualitative data through employee feedback and testimonials. Positive comments about the work environment and support from colleagues can indicate a successful advocacy program.
4. Content reach and shares: Track the reach and number of shares each piece of content receives. This metric shows how far your message is spreading beyond your immediate audience. Increased reach and shares signify a wider impact and greater visibility for your brand.
5. Internal communication: Access the engagement with internal communications, like the open rates of newsletters or participation in internal forums and discussions.
6. Impact on recruitment and retention: Evaluate how your employee advocacy program affects recruitment and retention rates. Positive advocacy can attract top talent and improve employee satisfaction, leading to higher retention rates. Track the number of referrals and new hires attributed to employee advocacy efforts.

Analyzing & Reporting Results

1. Regular reporting practices: Establish a regular schedule for reporting on key metrics. Monthly or quarterly reports can provide insights into the program’s performance. Consistent reporting helps you track progress over time and identify trends.
2. Adjusting strategies based on data: Use the data collected to adjust your employee advocacy program strategies. If certain types of content receive more engagement, focus on creating similar content. If participation rates are low, explore ways to better motivate and support employees.

Employee Advocacy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is an example of employee advocacy?

How do you build employee advocacy?

What are some best practices for employee advocacy programs?

Can employee advocacy impact recruitment?

Bottom Line

Employee advocacy programs harness the power of your workforce to enhance brand reputation, increase reach, and boost engagement. By implementing an effective employee advocacy program, you can benefit from authentic employee voices, leading to higher retention rates and stronger professional development.