What is employee advocacy?
Employee advocacy refers to the promotion of a company and its values by the people who work there. It often takes the form of employees sharing positive messages about the business—whether it's posting on social media, recommending the company to others, or simply expressing pride in where they work. For small businesses, employee advocacy can serve as a powerful word-of-mouth marketing tool and a meaningful indicator of a healthy, engaged workforce.
With Homebase, small business owners can create a work environment that naturally fosters employee advocacy—through better communication, streamlined operations, and tools that empower teams to stay engaged and informed.
Why employee advocacy matters for small businesses
Unlike large corporations with big marketing budgets, small businesses often rely on reputation and relationships to grow. Employee advocacy plays a key role in shaping both.
When employees become genuine advocates, they help:
- Attract new customers and clients through referrals and social sharing
- Boost recruitment efforts by sharing open roles or highlighting company culture
- Strengthen brand credibility through authentic voices
- Improve customer service by building loyalty from within
- Reduce turnover as advocacy is often a sign of high engagement
In short, when your team believes in your business, that belief spreads—to your community, your customer base, and future team members.
Examples of employee advocacy in action
Employee advocacy doesn’t have to be formal to be effective. Here are a few common examples:
- Sharing positive work experiences on social media (e.g., “Had a great shift with the team today!”)
- Referring friends to apply for open positions
- Talking positively about the company to customers or vendors
- Wearing company-branded clothing with pride
- Participating in or promoting company events or community service
Even something as simple as showing up on time, with a positive attitude, can reflect advocacy—especially in customer-facing roles.
How employee advocacy impacts recruiting
When potential candidates see your employees speaking positively about their work environment, it increases the likelihood that they’ll apply—and that they'll already have a sense of your team culture.
Candidates often check social media and review sites like Glassdoor before applying. A strong culture of advocacy can:
- Increase the number of qualified applicants
- Improve your employer reputation online
- Make onboarding smoother by setting accurate expectations
In tight labor markets, employee-driven recruiting can give you an edge over competitors.
Building a culture that supports advocacy
Employee advocacy doesn't happen by accident—it’s the natural result of a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and proud to contribute.
Here’s how small business owners can cultivate that kind of culture:
1. Create an environment worth promoting
- Offer fair wages and predictable schedules
- Respect employees' time and feedback
- Prioritize safety and well-being
2. Recognize and reward contributions
- Give shoutouts during team meetings
- Celebrate work anniversaries or wins
- Use peer recognition tools to encourage praise from coworkers
3. Encourage open communication
- Share company news and updates transparently
- Provide feedback opportunities through surveys or one-on-ones
- Act on suggestions and explain decisions
4. Support growth and development
- Offer cross-training or advancement opportunities
- Help employees set goals and track progress
- Provide coaching or mentorship where possible
5. Empower employees to speak up
- Give them a voice in decision-making
- Involve them in hiring or onboarding new team members
- Let them share ideas and promote company events or products
When employees feel ownership over the business’s success, they naturally want to talk about it.
Tips for encouraging social media advocacy
While advocacy shouldn’t feel forced, you can gently encourage team members to share their experiences—especially if your brand has a social media presence.
- Make it easy by sharing photos, templates, or hashtags
- Host events or team activities they’ll want to post about
- Highlight employees on your company’s social accounts
- Respect boundaries—never require or pressure employees to post
Make sure to keep any social media guidelines clear, respectful, and optional.
How Homebase helps foster advocacy from day one
Homebase gives small business teams a better experience at work—helping employees feel seen, supported, and connected. That kind of environment naturally leads to stronger employee advocacy.
With Homebase, you can:
- Streamline communication with in-app team messaging
- Keep everyone aligned with digital scheduling and shift reminders
- Celebrate achievements and attendance milestones
- Simplify onboarding so new hires feel welcome right away
- Build a culture of transparency with real-time updates and feedback
Explore Homebase Hiring and Onboarding to create the kind of workplace employees are proud to talk about—and grow a team that advocates for your business every day.