In the 7 Phases of Engagement, I proposed that each phase ties directly to the employee lifecycle and has the potential to impact the success of a company in terms of its ability to engage employees.
The seventh and final phase of engagement is Alumni.
Former employees or company alumni should be an important consideration in any engagement program. You may be thinking, “Why should I care about an employee that has left the company? Why should I continue to engage them?” Company alumni have the ability to influence perception/reputation of your company and have the potential to provide significant value to the company at some point in the future.
Influence of Alumni
In this age of social media and tabloid journalism, alumni can easily express their feelings about the company across many platforms. These postings will be read by others and could influence the perception/ reputation of the company.
Alumni also have the ability to lure coworkers of their former companies. This can have a significant impact on the ability of their former company to maintain its operations.
Engaged alumni can provide a different experience. They may promote the company in their social media postings as a way to maintain an association with the company. They want the company to succeed because its success impacts the value of their work experience to other employers.
Potential Value from Alumni
Sales leads and recruiting are two areas where alumni can be of value to their former company.
Alumni can be potential sources of source of sales leads. Former employees may land at a potential customer’s company. Alumni may be in the position to make connections or influence decisions to the benefit of their former employer if they have maintained a positive association with their alumni.
Alumni may also assist the company in their recruiting since they can be a source of candidate referrals. Alumni understand their former company and are in a good position to suggest candidates that would be a good match. To encourage these referrals, companies are offering referral bonuses to company alumni as well as to their current employees as a way to shorten the recruiting process and locate candidates with the experience and skills needed for open roles.
Finally, there is the boomerang factor. Alumni may wish to return to the company at some point. Maintaining relationships with alumni will allow them to maintain company contacts, access role openings, and provide the company with a known quantity.
How to Engage Company Alumni
There are many ways in which a company can engage its alumni. Newsletters can be used to keep alumni up-to-date on the company and its successes. Reunions can provide a way to maintain social connections with past coworkers. Finally, alumni groups can be established. An alumni group provides the benefits of the newsletter and reunions while being able to offer more. For instance, many alumni groups offer training/learning opportunities as a way to maintain positive relationships with former employees. Whether established as part of a company website, as a LinkedIn group, or as a Facebook group, this option can provide alumni with a sense of community.
Conclusion
Alumni should be part of any company’s engagement strategy. While most companies end their engagement approach once an employee leaves the company, companies and alumni have the potential to continue to provide value to each other even after the employment relationship has ended. Don’t miss out on potential leads or new recruits, start engaging your company alumni now.
What are your thoughts on alumni engagement? What ideas can you share?
P.S. First time here? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement site. Thanks for taking the time to stop by! I hope you’ll explore the rest of the site.Let me know what employee engagement topics interest you.
Other recent Agent In Engagement articles by Gregory F Simpson:
- Transition/Termination: The Sixth Phase of Engagement
- Promotion/Advancement: The Fifth Phase of Engagement
- Employee Engagement: The Fourth Phase of Engagement
- Onboarding: The Third Phase of Engagement
- Hiring Process: The Second Phase of Engagement
- Pre-hire: The First Phase of Engagement
- 7 Phases of Engagement
Let’s Get Engaged!
I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.
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