Your employees are key to nearly everything in your business: production, lead generation, sales, company image, and now, even hiring other employees. Are your employees happy and engaged? If so, you’ll be able to create a successful employee advocacy program that will help boost your conversions and achieve your company goals, as well as make the right hires. If not, you might be missing out on a network that could do wonders for your business. If you need a hand, check out these eight tips that are guaranteed to improve your employee advocacy and boost their engagement.
1. Communication is key
How much do you hate having to repeat yourself? Sometimes communicating with a team can feel like talking in circles. It’s exhausting! The first step to boosting employee engagement is clear communication.
- Ensure your tools are integrated for seamless project tracking — that way, nothing gets lost along the way.
- Integration also includes calendars, email inboxes, and file storage. A single location for all communication makes things easier to find.
- Use an intuitive project management tool or CRM for everyone.
- Onboard and provide training from day 1 to make sure everyone uses the same process. Structure is crucial to simplifying communication.
It’s important to synchronize all of your channels to reduce frustration and help boost trust and transparency.
2. The answers are in the data
As the saying goes, ‘Numbers don’t lie.’ Plus, they’re unbiased, which is a big help if you’re attached to the processes you’ve created for your company. We get it! Your business is your baby. However, sometimes, you’ll need to make changes and adapt in ways you might be hesitant to. If you use a CRM or other project management tool, you’ll be able to clearly spot the areas where your employees are struggling with the current system based on the data provided. Maybe they need a refresher on how to track leads or on the best way to collaborate across departments.
Finding the areas they’re struggling with not only allows you to make corrections and improvements but also shows your team that you’re paying attention and are there to help.
3. Motivation is necessary
Motivated employees are productive employees, and happy employees are motivated ones. How do you keep your team happy and motivated? We suggest:
- Valuing work-life balance
- Offering rewards for jobs well done
- Giving recognition for achievements and milestones
- Providing constructive feedback
Knowing what makes your team tick requires you to pay attention to their needs. Every team is different, and every person on a team thrives on something different. These days, people don’t come to work just for the paycheck — they want purpose and value. Make sure you reinforce what matters to your employees and show them that you care about them as people, not just as cogs in the company wheel.
4. Social media plays an important part
We’ve mentioned the benefits of having a successful employee advocacy program online before, so it’s no surprise that social media plays an important part. Having the right social media presence strengthens internal relationships and helps express your company values externally, which is key when it comes to hiring.
Make sure you’re creating and embedding social media content that truly lets your company shine. People want to know what it’s really like to be on the team before they join (or before they purchase your product). If you want to give your employees a boost, share content they make if it’s on brand with your business. It also helps build your reputation and enforce your brand from the inside out.
Finally, having an internal place to share wins, milestones, or even just give a humanized update on life in the office can go a long way. Giving space for your employees to just be human and foster relationships will help build an uplifting and productive company culture.
5. Brand should be everywhere
When you’re a business leader, you are in charge of setting the tone for your brand. Literally. Whether it’s in person or remotely, how you interact with your employees matters. Everything you say and do should be reflective of the brand you are trying to or have already established.
Keep your employees in the loop with a company-wide newsletter that is in the tone you want your culture to have. Stay engaged with your team (even outside of mandatory check-ins and meetings), and make sure everyone is included.
6. Let them be heard
Employees that feel valued will become huge employee advocates for your company. How do you help them feel valued? By listening to what they have to say. Here are a few ways to make sure your team knows you hear them:
- Send out anonymous surveys asking for feedback on the company and its processes
- Schedule check-ins for employees where you can give and receive constructive feedback
- Involve them in the hiring process
Employees need to feel safe to express themselves and like they have some control over the shape and feel of aspects of the business and its processes. When they give feedback, actually listen and act on it. When employees see you care about the things they say, they’ll advocate for you as an employer.
7. Give them the time they deserve
Have you ever worked somewhere that gives you a welcome tour, and then you’re left at your new desk feeling lost and alone? It’s the worst! Make sure your employees — and especially new ones — get your time and attention. Not only will it help them become better, more productive employees, but they’ll know you see and appreciate them. Building good relationships with your team allows you to set an example for what you expect from the company in general. It also sets the tone for your brand and the overall positive experience of working for the company from day one.
If you want to take it one step further, set up a mentorship program and partner your new junior employee with a well-established teammate. It will give them a buddy, someone to check in with when they have questions and help build those positive, internal relationships that create a pleasant work environment.
Never abandon your team by not making the appropriate amount of time for them.
8. Advocate for growth
Lastly, besides having a job that aligns with their values and gives them purpose, employees want to know that they have room to grow. One way to build employee advocacy is to provide them with plenty of learning opportunities. If they’ve earned it, put their names forward for new programs, promotions, and new leadership roles. Offering room for growth and learning is a huge positive when it comes to being a desirable employer. It will naturally create better employees who want to become employee advocates. If you want your team to vouch for you, make sure you vouch for them.
With a little bit of effort, your entire company can become a more positive and productive place, with natural employee advocates because they will love working for you! Happy employees are engaged employees, which means an employee advocacy program can create a huge boost for your business. Utilize these eight tips and watch as you hit those KPIs!
