How Incentives Can Sustain Momentum in Employee Advocacy Programs

Sustaining momentum in an employee advocacy program can be challenging. The benefits of employee advocacy are clear: increased brand visibility and enhanced trust. However, keeping employees actively engaged over the long term is another matter.   

Studies have shown that employee-generated content receives eight times more engagement than content shared directly from company channels (Forbes). Yet, many advocacy programs struggle to maintain this level of involvement. 

One effective way to keep employees engaged is through incentivisation. Rather than simply exchanging content, providing meaningful incentives can encourage employees to participate more actively and consistently.  

Companies can transform their employee advocacy efforts from one-off to long-term, strategic initiatives by focusing on value creation, personal development, and sustained change management.  

In this blog, we’ll discuss the limitations of a transactional approach and share practical strategies for incentivising employee advocacy to maintain momentum and achieve lasting success. 

The Challenge of Sustaining Momentum in Employee Advocacy 

As we’ve already mentioned, one of the primary challenges in sustaining an employee advocacy program is moving beyond mere content exchange.  

While providing employees with ready-to-share content is straightforward (in fact, 72% of engaged users would post about their company if the content was written for them SproutSocial), ensuring they remain actively engaged and motivated over the long term requires more thoughtful strategies.  

The issue often lies in treating advocacy as a transactional activity rather than a dynamic, ongoing engagement. 

The Pitfalls of a Transactional Approach 

Building Long-Term Habits in Employee Advocacy 

Creating lasting momentum in an employee advocacy program isn't just about short-term incentives; it's about building habits that encourage consistent engagement over time.  

For employee advocacy to be effective, employees need to develop routines that integrate advocacy activities seamlessly into their daily lives. 

As discussed in our blog on building long-term social media habits, developing sustainable habits can significantly enhance the effectiveness of employee advocacy efforts.

One of the most effective ways to build habits is to tie advocacy activities to existing routines. As Anna Troidl from Tribal Impact notes, "Just like having a morning coffee, employees can integrate a simple advocacy task into their daily routine. Something as easy as sharing an article while enjoying their coffee."  

This "coffee cup routine" approach encourages employees to make advocacy a regular part of their day, ensuring consistent engagement without feeling overwhelmed.

Real-Life Examples of Incentivising Employee Advocacy Programs

86% of employees participating in employee advocacy programs reported a positive impact on their careers (DSMN8). You may think that would be enough to encourage employees to stick with the program; however, tangible incentives could be more effective. 

Here are some great examples of companies incentivising employee advocacy programs.

Henkel: The Henkel Hive Social Advocacy Program

Henkel's Social Advocacy Program "Henkel Hive" aims to establish a network of brand advocates to enhance the company’s reputation via thought leaders. The program empowers employees to improve their social media skills through targeted activities.  

Central to this initiative is the Henkel Hive Hub, a platform offering easy-to-share content to encourage regular engagement. 

Amongst other activities, Henkel runs a three-month bootcamp to further incentivise participation that provides social media training and coaching with specialists. The bootcamp includes habit-forming activities, such as setting personal goals, developing their personal content strategy as well as content-sharing routines, designed to build long-term advocacy habits.  

Employees receive a certificate upon completion, recognising their commitment and enhancing their personal brand.

HCLTech: Value-Driven Advocacy Program

HCLTech’s employee advocacy program encourages employees to become thought leaders rather than simply sharing corporate content.  

Understanding that a transactional approach often loses momentum, HCLTech focuses on value creation and habit formation to sustain engagement. 

The program uses LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index (SSI) scores to track employee engagement and promote growth in their social media influence. HCLTech empowers employees to transform from passive observers into recognised thought leaders by providing training through LinkedIn modules and expert-led sessions. This approach has led to several employees being nominated as LinkedIn Top Voices. 

To maintain interest, HCLTech combines this value-driven strategy with occasional rewards, such as merchandise and recognition on internal leaderboards.  

This mix of personal development and tangible incentives ensures ongoing participation and builds a strong company culture of advocacy. 

See examples here.

Maximus: Balancing Gamification and Swag for Authentic Advocacy

Maximus uses gamification to drive genuine engagement in its employee advocacy program. Rather than resetting scores monthly, it uses a tiered points system with levels like "Mover" and "Maiden."  

This system encourages employees to progress from initial rewards to sharing content out of genuine enthusiasm for the brand. To complement gamification, Maximus offers employee swag as rewards at various levels. This approach motivates and fosters a sense of pride and belonging among advocates.  

As highlighted in Dianne's blog on bringing employee stories to life, tangible rewards can enhance engagement by making employees feel valued. 

Maximus successfully nurtures authentic advocacy and sustained employee involvement by blending gamification with meaningful incentives. 

Level Up Your Advocacy Efforts 

Incentivising employee advocacy can transform your program from a fleeting initiative into a powerful, ongoing asset. Find out more about our employee advocacy solutions for more insights and to explore tailored solutions.