How to Utilize Employees to Improve Your Employer Brand
To help you leverage your employees as brand ambassadors and attract top talent, we’ve gathered insights from professionals ranging from Junior Content Writers to CEOs. In this article, we present seven valuable tips, starting with nurturing a positive company culture and ending with supporting employee-led meaningful projects, to help you boost your employer brand.
- Nurture a Positive Company Culture
- Establish a Brand Ambassador Program
- Promote Employee Culture on Social Media
- Empower Employees to Share Experiences
- Create an Authentic, Empowering Environment
- Foster Employee Advocacy and Referrals
- Support Employee-Led Meaningful Projects
Nurture a Positive Company Culture
The most effective way to get your employees to become your brand ambassadors is to nurture a positive and empowering company culture. Meaning, companies should cultivate a work environment that employees can be genuinely excited about. Create a culture that encourages employees to grow professionally and personally, listen to their ideas, celebrate their wins, and take care of their well-being.
This makes work more than just a paycheck. Diversity is also important to get the best talent to work for you. So make sure everyone feels welcome. Encourage your employees to share their positive experiences on social media or with their friends. If they love where they work, they’ll naturally attract more talent to your company. There’s no better publicity than that.
Remember, employer branding is not about putting a spin on your organization’s image. Instead, it’s about genuinely building a great place to work and letting that authenticity shine through your employees’ experiences.
Genesis Bancud, Junior Content Writer
Establish a Brand Ambassador Program
To enhance employer branding through employee advocacy, create a “Brand Ambassador Program” that engages everyone in the company regardless of position or background.
For a solid strategy, identify enthusiastic employees who believe in the company’s values and mission and are willing to represent the organization on various communication platforms.
Train brand ambassadors comprehensively on messaging, storytelling, and social media best practices. Equip them with the skills and confidence to promote the company passionately.
Use various communication channels (e.g., newsletters, blogs, social media) to share employee-generated content showcasing the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This approach fosters employees’ sense of belonging and involvement while amplifying the company’s reputation externally.
Effective communication is vital. Keep updating your employees on the program’s progress and encourage open dialogue to refine the strategy continually.
Vivian Acquah Cde®, Certified Diversity Executive, Amplify DEI
Promote Employee Culture on Social Media
Employee culture is key to attracting new talent and ensuring a successful employer brand. Showcasing your company’s core values, unique team dynamics, and work-life balance can effectively attract the right talent to your organization. Social media is one of the best ways to communicate these messages. Try developing campaigns that focus on employee success stories, team-building activities, and office culture. You could also host Q&A sessions with current employees that highlight the unique qualities of your company. By showcasing your employee culture, you can give potential candidates an inside look at what it’s like to work for your organization.
Effie Asafu-Adjaye, Founder, Beautiful Sparks
Empower Employees to Share Experiences
One powerful tip to utilize employees as brand ambassadors and attract new talent is to encourage and empower them to share their authentic stories and experiences on social media platforms. By showcasing the genuine voices of your employees, you humanize your employer brand and create a strong connection with potential candidates.
Data indicates that 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other form of advertising. When employees share positive experiences, it significantly enhances your company’s credibility and attracts top talent.
For instance, Mary, an employee at XYZ Company, regularly shares her work achievements and team collaborations on LinkedIn. Her posts receive high engagement and catch the attention of talented professionals who are inspired to join the company.
Himanshu Sharma, CEO and Founder, Academy of Digital Marketing
Create an Authentic, Empowering Environment
One strategy I found effective was cultivating an atmosphere of authenticity and empowerment among staff members. By making employees feel valued, engaged, and connected to the company’s mission and values, we enable them to quickly become enthusiastic advocates for our cause, which translates into attracting top talent to our company. We tend to use employee-generated content like testimonials, blog posts, and social media engagement to demonstrate employee advocacy for our company’s positive culture while attracting like-minded individuals. It helps spread word-of-mouth and build interest in potential candidates to join our workforce.
Shaun Connell, Founder and CEO, U.S. Dictionary
Foster Employee Advocacy and Referrals
One key tip for utilizing employees as brand ambassadors to boost your employer brand and attract new talent is to foster a culture of employee advocacy. Encourage and empower your employees to share their positive experiences and stories about working at your company on their personal social media channels and professional networks. Additionally, recognize and appreciate employees who actively participate in brand advocacy by showcasing their efforts publicly and celebrating their contributions.
By amplifying the authentic voices of your employees, you create a strong and credible employer brand that resonates with potential candidates. Moreover, consider implementing an employee referral program that incentivizes employees to refer qualified candidates for open positions. By actively involving your employees in brand advocacy, you leverage their genuine enthusiasm and create a powerful network effect that attracts top talent and enhances your employer brand.
Sai Blackbyrn, CEO, Coach Foundation
Support Employee-Led Meaningful Projects
One effective tip for utilizing employees as brand ambassadors is to support and empower them to lead initiatives or projects that align with the company’s values and social responsibility efforts. By giving employees the opportunity to take ownership of meaningful projects, you not only showcase their impact but also strengthen their connection to the organization.
Encourage employees to propose and lead initiatives that contribute to the community, promote sustainability, or support a cause they are passionate about. This involvement demonstrates your company’s commitment to making a positive impact and empowers employees to be ambassadors of the brand. It enhances their pride, engagement, and advocacy, which in turn attracts new talent who are aligned with the company’s values and purpose. By fostering a culture of employee-led initiatives, you can create a powerful employer brand that resonates with both existing employees and potential candidates.
Roy Lau, Co-founder, 28 Mortgage
