Transform your employees as Ambassadors
- Olivier Forlini
- Oct 23, 2024
- 6 min read
Employee Advocacy Programs:
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A journey of experiences from french companies
How it works? Which learning experiences?
How to set or to refresh such program?
Introduction
The concept of Employee Advocacy, or ambassador programs via employees, is experiencing significant growth within French companies, especially in a context of accelerated digitization and the widespread use of social networks, particularly LinkedIn, which is dedicated to the professional world.
The role of employees in promoting the values and products of a company through their personal networks is becoming increasingly central due to their inherent leverage.
These programs are based on the belief that employees, with their authenticity and credibility, can reach audiences that traditional communications fail to capture.
In essence, we know that the acceptance of a corporate message is much lower than the embodiment by individuals. For example, a CEO who makes a post about his or her commitment, embodied and transmitted to their teams (visions/missions), is five times more influential than a corporate message.
However, an employee who is an expert in their field, illustrating their commitments and actions on a daily basis within the company, is even more effective (8x).
It is a real opportunity, but also a formidable challenge, to align all these different dynamics, which are inherently less controlled than direct communication.
Every employee can become a potential influencer, ensuring a multiplier effect to shape perceptions, if properly managed for all stakeholders.
To be clear, the goal of Ambassador programs is to work on and improve the company’s image, thereby leveraging its reputational advantages, which include stakeholders’ support behaviors:
· Consideration (Purchase, recommend...)
· Engagement (Benefit of the doubt, support...)
· Involvement (Invest, work for...)
Corporate communication messages can not only reinforce but also illustrate and demonstrate the company’s commitments and missions, making them more than just communication exercises.
Deconstructing the operational mode of employee advocacy programs
1. Defining objectives
Before launching an Employee Advocacy program, it is essential that the company sets clear and measurable objectives.
These objectives may include:
Enhancing the brand’s visibility and recognition.
Impacting the company’s image and reputation.
Attracting new talent by relying on employees’ digital word-of-mouth.
Strengthening the employee-employer relationship and boosting employee engagement.
Example: At Sodexo France, the advocacy program was launched to improve the company’s image and attract young talent.
2. Selecting employee ambassadors
Not all companies involve all of their employees in these programs. It is often better to target profiles who are both enthusiastic about promoting the company and credible within their networks. It is also recommended to start with a small group to generate internal ambassadors before expanding to broader audiences.
Example: Accor Group implemented an ambassador program reserved for its most engaged employees on LinkedIn.
3. Training and providing tools
Companies usually provide training to guide employees on how to talk about their company online. These trainings cover:
- Best practices for social media.- The role of authenticity in communication.- Managing potential crises or negative comments.
Specialized tools like Sociabble or Talent-e facilitate content sharing. (I will come back to this at the end of this article)
4. Producing and curating content
The internal communication department plays a central role in producing the content to be shared, often including informative elements about the company, blog articles, or employer brand-related content. This curation has two main effects:
It frames corporate themes, that the company wants to communicate, making them relevant to individual employees.
It provides content and ideas.
While employees are encouraged to personalize and humanize this content for their audiences, it is advisable to limit corporate content to just one post per month. The rest should be personal, reflecting their individual interests.
Example: At BNP Paribas, employees receive content kits ready to be shared.
5. Measuring impact and adjusting
It is important for companies to track the results of these initiatives. Commonly tracked KPIs include:
Engagement rates on employee posts.
Increased traffic on the company’s platforms.
Return on investment (ROI) in terms of brand image or recruitment
New examples of successful ambassador programs
1. Valeo and the "Boost Your Network" program
Valeo, a global leader in automotive technology, launched its “Boost Your Network” program to promote its technological innovation and strengthen its employer brand. Initially launched to create a network of influential employees, the program was recently relaunched with a new digital approach adapted to social networks such as LinkedIn and Twitter.
Valeo offered extensive training on best practices for sharing technical and innovation content and introduced tools to track performance.
2. Schneider Electric and its sustainability program
Schneider Electric, a key player in energy management solutions, launched an Employee Advocacy program focused on sustainability and digital transformation. Schneider employees regularly share content about the company’s innovative projects and eco-responsible practices, with a strong emphasis on environmental engagement.
This helped not only improve the company’s visibility but also strengthen its image as a leader in the technology sector.
3. L’Oréal and its focus on diversity and inclusion
L’Oréal, a global leader in cosmetics, recently revamped its internal ambassador program with a focus on values such as diversity and inclusion. Employees are encouraged to share internal initiatives related to these themes and promote diversity in L’Oréal teams worldwide.
This program allows the company to amplify its social actions while attracting new talent.
Advantages and disadvantages of employee advocacy programs
Advantages
Increased credibility: Content shared by employees is often perceived as more authentic.
Improved employer brand: Companies can attract new talent.
Amplified organic reach: Employees with diverse networks can reach otherwise inaccessible audiences.
Increased employee engagement: Participating in an advocacy program can enhance their sense of belonging.`
Disadvantages
Risk of inauthenticity: If employees feel forced, it could harm the company’s image.
Crisis management: An inappropriate comment could lead to a negative image or controversy.
Time and resource investment: Deploying an advocacy program requires preparation and support.
The role of HR and internal communication departments
HR and internal communication departments play a vital role in implementing Employee Advocacy programs. HR is responsible for identifying employee ambassadors, while internal communication ensures the consistency of shared messages. HR must also ensure employees are trained, engaged, and rewarded for their contributions, whether through internal recognition, benefits, or career opportunities.
The communication department is responsible for producing the content to be shared and overseeing the program to ensure messages align with the company’s values.
Best practices for implementing an employee advocacy program
To ensure the success of an Employee Advocacy program, here are some common-sense recommendations:
Set clear objectives: Define measurable goals (reach, engagement, recruitment, etc.) before launching the program.
Involve employees from the beginning: Create a sense of ownership by involving employees in content creation or giving them the freedom to personalize their messages.
Train employees: Provide comprehensive training on social media best practices and digital tools.
Offer a variety of content: Provide a wide range of content, such as articles, videos, or inspiring stories, to engage different audiences.
Encourage authenticity: Allow employees to personalize messages to reflect their true experiences and opinions.
Monitor and adjust regularly: Analyze performance continuously to adjust the program according to the results.
Over anything else, my primary recommendation is to ensure alignment of employees with the company’s strategy, illustrated and embodied through a perfect understanding of the company’s purpose and missions.
This relates to an aspect of the company that is close to my heart—the notion of alignment. Any business strategy can only be successfully implemented and positively perceived externally if, it is first fully understood internally across all organizational levels.
Then comes the dissemination and permeation of this representative information and culture to all stakeholders. While external communication is the visible part of the iceberg, it must perfectly resonate with what the company internally conveys.
What if a supplier, customer, potential employee, or investor perceives signals completely at odds with the company’s image? If that’s the case, it’s merely noise—just “communication” for the sake of it.
A favorite quote of mine, which resonates well in this context:
“What is well conceived is clearly expressed, and the words to say it comes easily”
Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (France 1636 – 1711).
Conclusion
Employee Advocacy programs have become an essential component of French companies' communication strategies. From BNP Paribas to Michelin, through Valeo and L’Oréal, these initiatives show that by giving employees a voice, companies can improve their image, attract new talent, and increase their reach.
However, it is crucial to prepare employees properly and track results to ensure program effectiveness. Best practices such as continuous training and message authenticity are key to long-term success. With the right strategy, companies can reap great benefits from an Employee Advocacy program while strengthening employee engagement.
My two bonuses…
I have been active in these topics for a long time and can help your companies on some of these aspects:
Raise awareness and initiate such a program through facilitation and educational sessions.
"Reputation business case" (What are the mechanisms? Which impacts? How to manage reputation…?)
- Why and how to approach LinkedIn posting campaign?
Targets: Executive Committee, Communication & HR Department, future ambassadors…
Test a LinkedIn posting solution with Talent-e, with whom I have a partnership:
- Access their platform for free to test it for 3 months (as an individual user).
Talent-e offers a SaaS platform that allows each user, depending on their profile and areas of interest, to access a library of press articles, make a selection, use AI to predefine a post (which can still be personalized), and schedule their posts a month in advance.
For the business solution, it is possible to introduce a corporate library available to the users with all the appropriate recommendations.
Here’s a link to create your profile and benefit from the platform for free:
Looking forward to future exchanges
Olivier F.
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