Did you know that consumers trust a brand's employees more than the brand itself? That's what these statistics compiled by Sociable show.

This trend is prompting companies to put their employees at the center of their Marketing strategy. What if you took a cue from this to better communicate your employer brand?

A study Weber Shandwick indicates that 50% of employees post messages, images or videos about their company over the course of a year.

These shares have far more impact than posts on company pages: according to the MSL Group employee-shared posts have a 561% higher reach than the same posts from the brand itself. So engaging your employees is paramount.

What are the challenges you face in turning your employees into ambassadors?

Engaging your employees is key to making them your brand ambassadors.

Why do employees offer more credibility to your Employer Brand?

Your employees know your products and services in detail, so they can showcase them with an authenticity that your communications campaigns never could.

Their friends, family and peers trust them and are therefore much more likely to listen and follow their recommendations.

Former employees can also be good employer brand ambassadors. Indeed, it is in their best interest to value their experience at your company.

Brands now see the people around them as the new wave of influencers, enthusiastic and authentic upon which a significant portion of their Marteking and Recruitment Marketing strategy relies.

Leading companies such as General Electric, Sky, L'Oreal, ASOS use successful employee testimonials on their career pages to showcase their company's benevolence towards employees.

 Why collaborators can help you acquire talent?

Employee brand ambassadors are also an asset to recruiting top talent. The Social Recruiting is now one of the indispensable tools for companies to find potential candidates.

On the candidate side, it's now a given that being registered on at least one professional social network is helpful in a job search according to a June 2017 BVA study for LinkedIn.

As a result, candidates are increasingly searching for information on social networks and scrutinizing the profiles of current company employees.

A candidate who is hesitating between several positions will be reassured by employees who tout their company's merit versus a company that allows very little space for employee expression.

Designating an ambassador allows you to direct candidates' inquiries to an employee who is likely to provide valuable assistance in their thinking.

For example, the BPCE group calls on certain employees in its recruitment strategy. It is possible to ask them questions on a specialized platform. The employees then exchange with the candidates.  

 BPCE Group employees can exchange with candidates on a dedicated platform.

Employer Brand Ambassadors: a paying choice?

Employer brand ambassadors are generally not compensated for candidate interactions. These tasks are inserted into the framework of their assignments. In addition to showcasing this staff, this strategy is much less expensive than using outside influencers.

However, be sure to pamper these ambassadors with such a precious word! Some companies set up, for example, a specific training program for these valuable employees or even organize awards to congratulate them.

Your employee ambassadors can also help to vehicle your corporate culture. They are in the best position to showcase and accurately portray your company. In addition, your constant contact and coordination limits any slippage and makes it easier to control your reputation.

However, you must follow a few rules: the first is to determine which social networks your collaborators can communicate on.

Then, defining your editorial line should clearly state the good practices that ensure the consistency of your messages. Employees will then be able to freely express themselves within this framework without fear. So make sure your ambassadors read and follow it to the letter!

What are the challenges of implementing an employer brand ambassador program?

Turning your employees into employer brand ambassadors is not without some challenges and even risk-taking.

Like influencers, without proper guidance and support, employees can also (intentionally or unintentionally) damage your brand's reputation.

After all, they are not communications or marketing professionals!

To prevent any blunders, some companies have implemented a system requiring approval for any mention of the brand on social media. But this comes at the cost of a certain lack of flexibility.