The value of a strong employee advocacy program to a brand is absolute. It places workers in the driver’s seat and allows them to advocate the brand and the workplace on social media. That said, an employee advocacy program can only work if employees indeed are willing to do their part.
So how do you encourage employees to share brand content on their personal networks, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms?
Incentivization of employee advocacy programs has proven to be a fantastic motivator, but it should be used carefully as unregulated incentivization can actually be counterproductive.
Sadly, many companies don’t know how to properly incentivize their employee advocates, causing morale and performance to plummet.
Through learning from past experiences, we’ve come up with a few unique ways to keep brand ambassadors motivated.
Monetary Compensation
When you think of an incentive, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is financial bonuses – a little bulge on the paycheck. Although this is a fantastic motivator, you might not want to become too dependent on it.
Instead of cash rewards, you can also spruce up the motivation of your employee advocates with quintessential gifts like shopping vouchers, gift cards, and even free taxi rides back and forth to the office. Keep in mind that this type of monetary compensation will sit well with junior-level employees and sales team – who honestly appreciate money.
You can also try unique compensations like pushing your employees’ LinkedIn Accounts to “Premium”. Such kind of compensation offers a touch of quality and consideration.
Winner Based Rewards
Junior-level employees might find a gift voucher or a boost of $100 on the paycheck sizzling, but that might not do the trick for seniors. That’s why you need to prioritize your incentives based on the employee’s rank in the company.
For a senior level executive, you might want to consider paying for training seminars and conferences that the employee has been wanting to attend. This will add more value for those who want to add to their skills.
Corporate Picnics
Who doesn’t like a day off from all the hustle and bustle of the business world? Employee advocates will definitely love the idea of having a day off to kick back and relax. These outings can incorporate recognition speeches. Besides, corporate picnics are havens for networking.
By offering an extra day off, a day picnic or a day at the spa, brand ambassadors can be incredibly motivated share content on social media.
C-Level Q&A Sessions
Employees understand that moving up the corporate ladder can be an uphill task if they don’t have adequate training.
That is why training sessions or simple Q & A sessions by seniors will come as a huge sigh of relief to them. These work as ways to promote recognition and also give employees at all levels a chance to learn something new. This way, employee advocates have an opportunity to network and learn the ropes of the company.