Why You Need an Employee Advocacy Strategy (and How to Implement One)

by Brenda Barron on January 31, 2014

Some business owners scoff at the idea of worrying about whether their employees are content. It sounds callous, but it’s true. Yet happiness shouldn’t be ignored, because it leads to greater productivity, staff retention, and brand advocacy (particularly on social media).

You can foster a happier workplace by setting up an employee advocacy strategy. Here’s how.

Give employees a purpose. Employees generally want to feel valued as an integral part of your team. Therefore, don’t just measure success in numbers and quotas. Share your big-picture vision and your short- and long-term goals for company. Talk about thecrucial role each staff member plays in achieving those goals on a regular basis.

• Don’t stick to rules for rules’ sake. Does everyone really need to wear a suit to work? For big meetings, maybe. But every day? Re-evaluate your company policies, one by one, to make sure they support an employee-friendly organizational culture. Ask yourself: What’s necessary for getting the job done? What’s outdated or just arbitrary?
• Offer incentives. Reward jobs well done. This means actively recognizing outstanding work when it happens, offering praise, and providing benefits beyond the norm when appropriate. Think gift cards, free lunches, office parties, and the like.
• Shift the focus from clock-punching to being productive. This falls in line with tossing out rules (see #2) that don’t encourage employees to be better at their jobs. Perhaps your employees currently show up from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then go home without giving work another thought. But if your staffers like what they do and who they do it for, they’ll be less focused on the clock and more focused on what they can do for you while on the clock.

Employee happiness is essential for companies big and small. If your employees are discontent or disgruntled, you’re missing out in every way in terms of productivity, brand advocacy, and a positive work environment. Now is the time to make your employees a priority.

About Brenda BarronBrenda Barron is a writer from Southern California. She specializes in discussing how technology and social media are used in business practices. Her work has appeared at The Motley Fool, The Content Standard, and Post Joint. You can find out more about her at Digital Inkwell. You can also follow her on Twitter and Google+.