Employee advocacy

Employee advocacy is the theme of the CERC Dialogue between Alfonsa Butera, Università IULM, and Giovanna Di Bacco, L’Oréal Italy.

An exchange of opinions from two perspectives, academic and professional, on an increasingly timely topic: employees as active communicators.

The opinion of Alfonsa Butera, Adjunct Professor of Corporate Communication, Università IULM

In recent years, academics have become increasingly aware of the depth of the concept of employee advocacy: it can be understood as the voluntary and spontaneous behaviors of support, recommendation, or defense toward the company that employees engage in, both verbally and nonverbally, toward other colleagues and external stakeholders, both within and beyond their prescribed roles. The term advocacy is often associated with that of ambassadorship, and debate continues about the differences and overlaps between the two concepts. In many cases, the two terms are used as synonyms, and indeed professional practice tends in this direction.

But why is this so important? First, it has a positive influence on reputation, as stakeholders view employees as authentic and credible sources of information. It also has a positive impact on the company's ability to attract and retain talent and on purchasing intentions of customers.

It follows that companies should strategically address the drivers that support it. These include the alignment between individual and organizational values: it is therefore necessary to work towards an organizational culture based on shared ethical values. Furthermore, the level of employee engagement and the quality of the employee-organization relationship are crucial: therefore, it is essential to work on the quality of the employee experience and on the perception of inclusion of employees.

However, companies fear that the advocacy efforts of their employees may result in spreading incorrect information or information that is not aligned with the corporate identity that organizations intend to convey. Moreover, some studies show that employees themselves prefer to communicate about their work on personal social media relying on pre-existing online information to avoid mistakes. Hence the push to establish effective employee advocacy programs.

However, formalizing employee advocacy programs can undermine their ability to achieve positive outcomes, as it compromises the authenticity of employee behaviors as perceived by stakeholders. This is a crucial challenge for companies, requiring a delicate balance between the need to personalize employee content and ensure consistency between their multiple voices and the corporate identity.

The opinion of Giovanna Di Bacco, Internal Communication & Engagement Manager, L’Oréal Italia

A modern concept of internal communication and employee engagement requires employee advocacy or ambassadorship. Employees become active participants in communication that reflects the dynamics of the social media world, and convey corporate messages in an authentic and therefore more credible way. In particular, the use of social media as a corporate communication tool, and even more so the growing phenomenon of micro-influencers, have enabled employees to become ambassadors for their company by creating content relevant to the brand, values, and corporate projects.

Talking about employee advocacy is therefore relevant for 3 objectives:

• To amplify the message of the company using personal networks
• To have authentic voices, stories, and expressions regarding what's happening within the company
• To attract new talent and/or retain existing ones.

In fact, messages shared by employees generate greater engagement and trust, demonstrate a human organization and strengthen employer branding. Furthermore, employees who participate in advocacy programs demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and internal pride, leading to a higher-than-average engagement rate.

However, managing advocacy programs is not without risks and controversial aspects. First and foremost, the expression of employees regarding controversial issues, such as wars or political decisions, or inappropriate behavior can cause significant damage to the brand. Furthermore, a major challenge is preserving the authenticity of employee behaviors: an overly rigid program can distort the initiative. It is therefore essential that advocacy be voluntary and driven by a genuine desire to promote the company because one is deeply aligned with it.

Only if a company implements a transparent, coherent, and engaging internal communication strategy, employees feel consistently informed, valued, and sufficiently aligned with the company vision to become credible advocates.

Employee advocacy therefore represents a profound evolution in the relationship between company and employees. It is no longer just about employees receiving content, but about people who feel to be an integral part of the corporate narrative and thus become authentic and, in some cases, authoritative voices of this narrative. For internal communication professionals, this means working on empowering and engaging individuals to elevate them as corporate voices.