Words spoken by employees carry far more weightage than any marketing or HR campaign your dollars can buy.

A video of a groom working on a laptop at his wedding mandap recently went viral. While this might be an extreme example, it is widely acknowledged that the lines between our professional and personal space have blurred.

Conversations at dinner parties and get-togethers often revolve around people’s jobs, the projects they handle, their bosses, and the companies they work for. The way people talk about their work and employer creates an impression of the company’s brand on the minds of those present. If a person is dissatisfied with their job because of long hours, lack of benefits, little vacation time, or a “Horrible Boss” type scenario, the organisation’s reputation can quickly tarnish.

Now imagine if the situation were reversed. What if people talked about how much they love their company for the flexibility it provides, the interest it takes in employee growth, or the empathy bosses demonstrate? This way, employees become the brand ambassadors of their company, leaving a mark wherever they go (an HR leader’s dream come true!). Let’s be honest: Words spoken by employees carry far more weightage than any marketing or HR campaign your dollars can buy! Therefore, it is natural for companies to want to provide an experience to employees that encourages positive workplace conversations.

I often wonder what magic formula an organisation needs to keep employees happy. Unfortunately, while that magic potion doesn’t exist (which is what makes it interesting), we all must strive to achieve the solution that works for an organisation. Therefore, it bodes well for businesses to put in proactive effort for making ambassadors of their employees. Here are a few tips that have worked for me:

Actively Create a Brand Ambassador Program

Start an HR initiative specifically targeting your brand ambassadors. The first step is to measure your employees’ engagement quotient. Identify those who are highly engaged and have an extensive social media reach, and make them a part of the program as your culture champions! Involve them in strategy building and incorporate their ideas in a strong brand advocacy plan, as the best ideas come from the employees themselves. Put together a weekly/monthly communication with key information about the company – from innovative products to culture-related developments to employee well-being initiatives. Encourage this group to share information via different formal and informal online/offline platforms.

Create a Compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

Simply put, EVP is a collection of all the benefits provided to employees either directly or indirectly in exchange for their contribution to the company. It encompasses all the touchpoints of the employee experience. The key lies in making the office more than just a workplace. When you provide an enhanced work experience, people “want to” come to work. Making employees a priority by actions and not just words can do wonders for employee happiness and productivity. Simple acts which reflect that they are valued is an effective way to win their hearts.

Engage Employees

Treat your people as not just employees, but as part of your brand’s family, wherein everyone is working towards a shared objective. Share your company’s vision and clarify the expectations to them. Ensure the teams are fully aware of how their contribution leads the organisation forward. For example, Google’s vision is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible. That’s a powerful reason why people want to work for Google and become its brand ambassador. Find a cause that shows them the purpose of their role!

Provide a Great Employee Experience 

• Nurture talent 

I can’t stress this enough: We all know that it is a lot cheaper to retain existing employees than to acquire new ones. However, not much is done to nurture the talent we have. Map your employees’ journeys in the organisation and provide them with growth opportunities. If they know that the company is invested in their development, they automatically become spokespersons. In the current scenario, it is all the more crucial to encourage and help them reskill and upskill to become valuable.

• Empower employees

Build a culture of collaboration where everyone can contribute to making the company a better place. Ask employees for their ideas, feedback, suggestions, and make them part of problem-solving when developing new processes, rules, insights or innovations. Once you have their input, make sure you follow through, using it to bring required changes and closing the loop by informing them how their ideas were received or incorporated.

• Lead by example

Employees do as they see, not always as they are told. Ensure that all senior leaders walk the talk when it comes to brand and reputation building. Within the company, align all your planning and decision-making with the vision and mission of your brand. Provide your employees with an experience they would be proud to tell others about. If you help your employees grow, your business, in turn, will grow automatically.

Conclusion

It is incredibly critical in today’s digital age to understand the value of brand ambassadors. They have the power to boost, influence and impact an organisation’s brand image and reputation.

While, traditionally, good HR practices and policies sufficed to attract talent, this is no longer the case. If current or former team members do not speak positively about your organisation, it will be difficult for you to influence and affect socially connected job seekers. Before deciding whether or not to join an organisation, it is now common for candidates to connect with employees of the company they interview for over LinkedIn and solicit feedback or check out reviews on HR portals such as Glassdoor.

It has become quintessential to join the conversation as your potential candidates are out there listening and ensure as much positive reinforcement as possible with legit brand ambassadors – your greatest asset, the employees!