Harvard Business School conducted and ROI-engagement study that revealed for every 1% increase in employee engagement, the return on investment (ROI) for a social intranet increased 1000%.
Small increases in employee engagement increase the value and ROI of the intranet, and increases corporate profitability.
An “engaged employee” is one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and takes positive action to further the organization’s reputation and interests.
In other words, an engaged employee becomes an ambassador of the organization; someone who actively looks to further the interests and success of their organization, knowing full well that it will benefit them as an individual as well.
Facebook is miserably ineffective when used by most companies (though big brands and small niche companies have certainly realized some success) as a marketing tool. A study from Napkin Labs found that only 6% of Facebook users ever engage with a brand page by participating in polls, commenting, liking, and the like. Of the fans of pages who did engage, that engagement was characterized on average by one hit every two months (approximately).
However, when employees use Facebook on behalf of an organization, customer or public engagement soars. According to a study conducted by Facebook data scientists, when a user posts a status update, it is seen by one out of three of friends. Over the course of the month, based on 220,000 posts, users reached an average of 61% of their friends.
“This speaks volumes about the importance of employee ambassador programs,” writes Shel Holtz, communications and social media guru, and Principal of Holtz Communication + Technology.
The intranet plays a key role here: make work life simpler and more innovative for employees, and they will be happier, and more engaged. When done correctly, the intranet is the hub of all work — the nexus of work. But the intranet has to deliver value and must have:
- Active executive sponsorship
- Thorough and rigorous governance
- Adequate funding
- Valued content and tools
I will discuss employee engagement, and employee ambassador programs, at length with my colleague and co-presenter Shel Holtz in a special webinar, April 23 at 12:30pm EDT. We will discuss the connection between employee engagement and enterprise technology, including the intranet and social media, and the powerful results when delivered effectively. Holtz and Ward will also examine employee ambassador programs, and how they’re used to drive employee engagement, and return on intranet investment. Among other things, we’ll be discussing how engagement is defined and measured, and how ambassador programs drive engagement
We will also use a number of real-world examples and case studies to demonstrate success and return on employee engagement.
Register for Employee Engagement and the Intranet
About Shel: Shel Holtz has written numerous books on social media. He counsels clients on the adoption and use of social and digital media and is a long-time blogger and co-host of the first and longest-running communication-focused podcast, For Immediate Release.
RELATED READING: Employee ambassador programs & the intranet
One way to better one company’s internal communication is by employee engagement through the intranet. http://www.simpplr.com/blogs/2015/10/making-employees-the-stars-of-the-intranet-homepage/ is an article I ran along that provides different ideas on how one can make their employees involved with their company’s intranet. Give it a read! This surely is helpful!