Should you as an employee become an advocate for your brand?

Your company just asked you to join its employee advocacy program. That means you’ll be using your personal social channels to promote your organisation.

Employee advocacy is a recent phenomenon, but it is catching on fast. A business that runs an employee advocacy program sees a noticeable improvement in its brand visibility and recognition, hiring trends, customer sentiments and even a boost to its bottom line.

But the question is- what’s in it for you, as an individual? Well, here are some advantages of participating in your company’s employee advocacy program:

Honing your social media skills

Perhaps you are already a bit of a social media whizz. As a participant in the employee advocacy program, you will get a chance to hone your skills through regimented training. Until now, your social activity was limited to just sharing links, articles, bits of information, and Internet memes that you found interesting or quirky. But through employee advocacy, you can learn about customising content for different platforms, promotion techniques, how to expertly engage in virtual conversations with strangers and even project yourself a certain way online to improve your online reputation and job prospects.

Become a thought leader/influencer

You may have a lot of knowledge about your chosen industry, industry trends, what works, what doesn’t work etc. However, all your knowledge would be of no use if you don’t share it with your professional group on platforms such as LinkedIn. By publicising the knowledge and experience you have gained- not only about your own job, but of the industry as a whole- you can become a thought leader, an advisor of sorts who people seek out when they need advice or guidance. As an employee advocacy participant, you will be empowered to influence people’s thinking. This helps greatly in building your personal brand.

Be a part of trending conversations

Every job, no matter where you are and what you do, requires you to constantly keep yourself updated with new information, new methods, and new technology relevant to your job profile. If you fail to update your skills, you’ll end up being an obsolete part of the workforce. One way to keep yourself updated is by becoming a part of trending conversations on all social media platforms. And joining your company’s employee advocacy program helps you do just that. You can stay updated not only with world affairs, but with major developments in the industry, and even stay well informed of your own company’s big moves.

A better social life at office

Wouldn’t it be great if your colleague or your boss walked up to you and gave you a pat on the back for an article you shared/authored recently that they greatly enjoyed or learned a lot from? What a great place to work! The upside to being popular online is that you become popular in the office too. Taking part in an employee engagement program ensures a higher level of visibility for you both online and offline. Your colleagues are alerted to your presence and your expertise, which can give you a lot of leverage and can also be very motivating. After all, if your company is choosing you to be an advocate of their brand and help shape their public perception, isn’t that exciting?

Reap the rewards

Your company wishes to encourage its employees, including you, to join their program. Hence, your colleagues who actively participate in the program, will get perks and rewards from the company. You will also have the chance to be part of something important and bigger than you, so the benefits are more than just tangible. With more stimulation and interaction, you will find yourself more creative and well informed than ever. Then why stop yourself from being rewarded?

However, if you do not tread carefully, employee advocacy can turn into a slippery slope. Unless you exercise self-discipline, the lines between what is personal and what is professional can blur. Also, ensure that you do not use most of your working hours playing advocate for your company. Find a way to strike a balance between your employee advocacy responsibilities and your regular work.

These are a few things to keep in mind when building your personal brand and participating in your company’s employee advocacy program. To know how we can help, contact us at Engagelyee today.

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Engagelyee for Employee Advocacy

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