Online content is the new currency for trust and attention for businesses in today’s digital world.
That’s because websites, online apps, and digital platforms have become the top sources people rely on when they’re deciding what to buy, who to buy from, and yes, even who they want to work for.
So what does this mean for your business?
Well first, it means that every piece of content your company shares online can impact your success with customers and your potential hires, whether the content lives on your website, your social channels, or any other medium for sharing content on the web.
Secondly, it means that in order to set your company up for the best chance of success both in the market and among job seekers, you have to offer captivating, authentic and relatable content.
While we can’t cover every type of content that can bring value to your business (it would take more than one article!), there’s one particular type of content that packs a punch when it comes to winning over customers and talent – and that’s employee-driven content.
Getting employees involved in creating content for your company is one of the most underrated tactics in content strategy today and below we’ll cover four powerful types of employee-driven content to include in your content mix.
1. Day-in-the-life content
When people look for companies and brands to support, they want to know the real people behind who they’re dealing with.
An easy and repeatable way to show who your people are is by sharing snapshots of their typical days working at your company. This type of content is both straightforward and no-nonsense, which makes it especially relatable and authentic.
A great way to put this into action is to rotate through every employee in a department and ask them to share what a typical day on the job is like.
For example, employees can share one or more of any of the follow aspects of their day:
- What their daily work schedule typically looks like
- What their actual workspace looks like, home office setup and ergonomic gear and all
- How they prioritize their workload and any productivity tips or tools that they swear by
- What their role entails and how their job supports the company’s overall goals
- Their favorite parts of their workday or work routine
- Who they typically work with on their team and how they communicate with each other
A day-in-the-life post does not need to focus entirely on the work itself. Employees can include other details such as what they have for lunch, when and how they take breaks, and exciting news happening in their world, as well.
2. Perks of the job
This type of employee-driven content can only work if you actually provide an enriching and supportive culture at your company that’s worth bragging about.
If that’s something you’ve got covered, then having employees who are vocal and enthusiastic about the different reasons why they love working at your company are sure to help build a lasting impression of your company in the market.
Some example perks of the job that are fitting for employee-driven content:
- A fun picture and recap of a recent team event, where people just had fun and forgot about work for a while, is one way to highlight that the company cares about work-life balance and doesn’t take themselves too seriously
- A quick picture and note of appreciation about their onboarding package, such as the swag, tech products, ergonomic office supplies and any of the other bells and whistles that come along with it. Even better is if they offer a heartfelt message of how welcomed and excited they feel to to be a new team member
- An honest post showing appreciation for the the level of support they feel at your company for their mental health, especially if there are wellness benefits like a meditation app or a flexible health & wellness stipend that gives tangible support
3. Accomplishments and accolades
People love celebrating, whether that’s for themselves or for others. That’s because celebrations help us all feel good by taking someone’s excitement and multiplying that positive feeling (even if we had nothing to do with it!).
When it comes to employee-driven content, you can tap into this innate human quality by encouraging your employees to share their individual, team, and company accomplishments and accolades online.
This is also especially powerful because it boosts the market perception that your team is full of winners and improves employee satisfaction overall.
Here are just a few instances of accomplishment and accolade that would work:
- Role-related goals they have recently met such as quotas met, website growth, happy customers, partnership deal closed, etc.
- Hitting a work anniversary
- Getting a promotion
- A new hire that just joined the team
- A funding announcement
- Being featured in a large publication
- Winning an industry award
- A new product launch they’re proud of contributing to
- A work achievement they are especially proud of
Whichever accomplishment or recognition your employees choose to discuss, the post should underscore the role your company plays in helping celebrate these achievements.
If your business has an official recognition program or some sort of employee bonus structure that’s meaningful and motivating to them, employees could share that.
Ultimately, when your employees proudly share their accomplishments and accolades externally and the type of recognition they receive for it, people outside of your company can get a true sense of what your company values.
4. Humanizing content
This one is potentially the most powerful type of employee-driven content on the list, but it’s also one that you really can’t plan ahead too much.
That’s because the most humanizing content is typically about experiences where the person (your employee) has gone through a personal or professional struggle that they’ve faced.
The tricky part of this type of content is 1) employees have to share this type of content in an honest way in order to be authentic, which requires vulnerability, and 2) experiences that involve overcoming an obstacle don’t happen everyday, so they’re all that much more special to reflect upon when they do happen.
Some specific examples of humanizing employee-driven content include:
- Their experience adapting to remote work
- A challenge they overcame at work that taught them a great lesson and/or changed their perspective
- Their honest struggles of working from home while caring for young children
- How they’re handling their physical and mental health
Employees don’t have to get personal to offer great employee-driven content, but when they do opt to share more about themselves as human beings, the impact can be profound – for them and for you as a company.
About Linda
Linda Le Phan leads content for Compt, an employee stipends platform that’s fully customizable to your company’s needs, 100% IRS-compliant, and supports global teams.
