Late last year, we shared a blog post about a well-branded company vehicle driving dangerously. That experience highlighted how staff behaviour, whether on the road, online, directly impacts your organisation's reputation.
In "Branding on the road and how your staff drive your reputation - literally", we explored how a single negative interaction can undo months of careful brand building.
On the other side of the coin, when staff genuinely believe in and represent your brand well, they become your most powerful advocates.
The question isn't whether your employees are representing your brand (they already are, every single day). It’s whether you're empowering them to do it in a way that strengthens rather than undermines your reputation.
We often think of brand representation in terms of visible markers like company vehicles, uniforms, and email signatures. But staff influence extends far beyond these obvious touchpoints. They're sharing opinions about their workplace on social media, talking about their jobs at get together’s with their family and friends, casually chatting about their workday with the local barrister while waiting for a takeaway coffee, and interacting with customers and suppliers. All of these normal day-to-day activities can shape external perceptions of your organisation.
The most effective brand advocates don’t read from scripts. They're people who are connected and understand what your organisation stands for, they feel valued and respected by the organisation, and naturally want to share their positive experiences.
Here are some ways you can encourage your staff to be strong brand advocates.
Create clear values and live them consistently
Your team can't represent your brand if they don't know what it stands for. Beyond the polished values statement on your website, staff need to see those values in action, every day. This is in how decisions are made, how mistakes are handled, and how people are treated. Values also hold us to account, and when we’re not living our values, they help us reset and get back on track.
Run workshops where staff help translate company values into practical, everyday behaviours. For example, if "respect in action" is a core value, what does that look like? Here are some examples:
We listen fully before responding. Team members give their attention, avoid interrupting, and check understanding before moving on.
We speak to people, not about them. Concerns are raised directly and constructively with the right person, not through side conversations or passive comments.
We assume positive intent. Before reacting, we pause and consider that colleagues may be trying their best or working with information we don't yet have.
We own our impact. If we realise our words or actions have landed badly, we acknowledge it and reset without defensiveness.
We create space for diverse viewpoints. In meetings, we actively bring quieter voices in and ensure decisions are not dominated by the same few contributors.
When employees have been part of defining what values mean in practice and how they’ll be actioned, they're far more likely to embody them.
Equip staff with knowledge and confidence
Many employees want to speak positively about their workplace but worry about saying the wrong thing or overstepping. Others simply don't know enough about what's happening across the organisation to feel confident sharing.
Provide regular updates on company strategy, news, milestones, wins, projects, activities and other initiatives through internal channels. Consider brief monthly sessions where different departments or areas of the business share what they're working on. Setclear boundaries for what they can share publicly and what should stay internal. When someone asks a team member what the company does, they should be able to answer with confidence and enthusiasm.
Encourage (but never force) social media participation
Social media is where many reputations are built and broken today. Having staff willing to share company content, appear in photos, or talk about their work on platforms like LinkedIn can amplify your reach and credibility.
The key word here is "willing." Forced participation feels just that: forced. And it breeds resentment. Instead, make it easy and comfortable for those who want to participate. Provide ready-to-share content, take great photos that people actually want to be in, and celebrate those who do participate without making others feel pressured.
Some staff will never be comfortable with a public profile, and that's okay. But for those who are, remove the barriers. Create a simple social media guide that explains what's encouraged and what's off-limits. Share posts in advance so staff can review before sharing. Ask permission before tagging people in photos. Respect when someone says no.
When you create a culture where social media participation is welcomed but optional, you'll often find more people willing to step up, and they'll do it with genuine enthusiasm rather than obligation.
When people feel informed, valued, and connected to a meaningful purpose, they don't need to be told to speak well of their workplace, they want to. That's the kind of advocacy that builds lasting reputation and trust.
