Sunday is a trip day for my family. We have this “tradition” of having take-out food when we return home – always from the same chain restaurant, close to our house. While the menu is wonderful and the taste is great, it’s a struggle with service because the employees change frequently. There’s been a “Seeking friendly manager” announcement at the entrance for three months now.
It will come as no surprise when I say that the people who work there always seem grumpy, which accounts for the high turnover rate and no luck finding a new manager.
So, as a test, last Sunday, I asked the server if I should apply for a job there, with no experience in hospitality. It’s easy to guess that I got a negative response.
The funny thing is that the particular restaurant chain invests in paid advertising. It presents itself as a great work environment, with a strong company culture and ethical code for its employees and sustainability issues.
However, as long as the on-the-ground experience isn't that great, their Marketing budget goes to waste because they're obviously not walking their talk.
Employee advocacy is the promotion of an organization by its members through raising brand awareness, product promotion, or recommendations to other people.
A recent study conducted on the subject found that:
You probably already know that peer recommendation is one of the most powerful drivers of modern-day marketing. That’s why customer and influencer reviews are so important. And it’s also why people are more likely to trust an employee’s opinion than a good PR campaign.
As Nathan Eagan, founder of the former PeopleLinx, said,
Your organization has thousands of websites, not just one. Your employees are the long tail of your brand identity.
What workers say or post about their employer has an extensive reach. Obviously, you want people to share the good things about your organization.
Read more: Build a connection culture and boost employee engagement
It’s impossible to control what people think and say about your company. However, it’s within the prerogatives of good HR to ensure a positive work environment and build a healthy company culture.
People tend to remember and talk about their negative experiences more than the positive ones. It’s essential to consistently make the latter very good. Also, encourage employees to talk about your brand. Doing so will show them that their voices matter and let them know that they are important to the business's promotion.
What are the best ways to ensure employee advocacy?
Read more: Showing appreciation for employees during and after Covid-19
When thinking of your company’s brand, it’s important to consider what people are saying about you, not only what you are trying to present. Employee advocacy is the most efficient business card you could put out in the world.