Promoting Networking: An Asset for Your Employer Brand

Encouraging your managers and executives to build a strong circle of connections, whether inside or outside the company, can enable them to grow their careers faster. But professional networking is also a powerful means of projecting your company's image and promoting its employer brand to staff and the general public. In this article, we provide a brief overview of internal and external networking.

Internal networking: A great tool for building a sense of belonging

As we know, employer brand—in other words, the image that a company projects to its employees and the public—helps attract job seekers and retain workers. Internal networking is precisely one of the elements that contribute to the creation of a positive brand image and employee wellbeing by promoting bonds of trust and friendly exchanges between coworkers. However, according to a recent analysis carried out by Indeed, workplace wellbeing should now be considered a real business strategy for improving performance, increasing talent retention and attraction, and reducing workplace burnout. Your company therefore has everything to gain by prioritizing internal relations as soon as a new hire arrives.

Incorporating internal networking into your new employee onboarding program

All new employees will integrate more easily if they feel part of a group. By setting up a quality induction and integration program, your HR department could avoid early resignations and the  costs associated with them. The first 90 days that an employee spends in their new job are crucial in their decision to stay with or leave the company. Additionally, a recent EY study found that thirty-four percent of employees say they’re willing to change jobs in the next 12 months. If the young adults of Gen Z place great importance on work-life balance, the same is now true for the rest of the workforce. Employers must adapt to this new reality.

Building strong teams

We are often content to exchange messages with coworkers by email or on virtual networking platforms. However, nothing beats face-to-face meetings for reinforcing a sense of belonging and team spirit. By encouraging your managers and senior executives to participate in happy hours, fundraisers, team sports, or even various seminars and workshops, you will help them strengthen relationships with their peers while having a great time together. The trust they build will be useful for them to succeed in projects, particularly in the era of remote working when there is less opportunity to meet in hallways or the office cafeteria.

In addition, doing internal networking will help them to immerse themselves in the corporate culture better, understand the role of each of their coworkers, and enhance their skills within the company.

External networking: A springboard for your business and your staff's careers

Just as with internal networking, external networking helps optimize your employer brand by making your company known to potential customers or suppliers. You could therefore encourage your employees to give conferences to expand their circle of influence, while simultaneously positioning themselves as experts in their field. This visibility will be of much benefit to them as it is to your business. By participating in events in your area, workshops and training in your industry, or conferences, your employees could also establish partnerships, learn about trends in their field, or even discover information about your competitors. Finally, they will gradually build a circle of contacts likely to further their careers. According to Michael Leimbach, PhD, Vice President of Global Research and Development at Wilson Learning Worldwide, successful managers spend 70% more time networking than their less successful counterparts (PDF file for download).

An exponential pool of contacts

One of the main purposes of professional networking is not just to meet new people, but also to access a pool of contacts. And each person you meet has their own vast pool of contacts. The more your teams network, the more they will multiply their professional circle.

Networking is an excellent long-term investment for both your company and staff. For the company, it is a means of projecting its image and optimizing its employer brand; for staff, it is a springboard for their career and also offers personal enrichment. Admittedly, networking requires time and planning, but the results are tangible.