In today’s competitive talent landscape, organisations are increasingly turning to a powerful but underutilised strategy to boost their employer brand: employee ambassador programmes. PLOY explains how.
Employee ambassador programmes harness the authentic voices of employees to tell real stories, enhance engagement, and improve recruitment outcomes.
According to the 2025 whitepaper from PLOY and Pinpoint, companies with effective ambassador networks see up to 58% more high-quality hires and a 20% increase in retention—compelling results in any economy.
Why do employee ambassadors matter?
Employee ambassador initiatives transform employer branding into something far more relatable and impactful: authentic, peer-to-peer influence.
Unlike traditional top-down campaigns—which can feel impersonal for early career talent—content created by real employees are more trusted and significantly more effective. In fact, employee networks generate up to 12 times more reach than company-owned channels.
But the value goes beyond visibility. Content shared by ambassadors often leads to higher-quality candidates. Referral applicants influenced by employee advocacy are 7x more likely to be hired than those from job boards, and 4.5x more likely than those sourced through social media ads.
If you're wondering where to begin, PLOY and Pinpoint’s latest whitepaper, How to Build an Effective Employee Brand Ambassador Network, highlights key steps to getting started and scaling impact.
Stephen Isherwood, Joint CEO, Institute of Student Employers said: "Employers increasingly recognise the value of building authentic peer-to-peer connections with students in our digital age. Employee ambassador networks are a powerful way to create and share engaging content that resonates with this generation. This report outlines how to leverage these networks to foster meaningful student relationships."
How to build a network with purpose
According to the report, success starts with setting clear objectives—as an employer, you need to determine whether it's boosting areas such as brand awareness, creating community, or increasing referrals.
With purpose-driven planning, some companies have seen a 25% increase in social reach, and 30% more engagement on LinkedIn.
As we know with next-gen talent, authenticity is key. Effective ambassadors aren’t necessarily social media influencers—they’re passionate, credible team members who embody your culture. Communication skills can be taught, but trust cannot be fabricated.
What does participation look like for ambassadors?
The success of your ambassador programme hinges on selecting the right people—those who genuinely care about the company, embody its values, and can communicate with authenticity. But even the most passionate advocates need clarity on what’s expected.
Participation should ultimately align with your goals, whether that’s raising brand awareness, increasing referrals, or deepening community engagement. Just as important, it should feel easy for employees to contribute in ways that suit them. Here are some practical ways ambassadors can get involved:
- Create short, engaging videos—such as ‘day in the life’ snapshots or tips for early-career professionals.
- Share job opportunities with a personal note about their role or team culture.
- Take part in open days, career fairs, and Q&A panels to share real experiences with potential candidates.
- Celebrate milestones—from team achievements to new hires—on LinkedIn or internal channels.
Remember, not every ambassador needs to do everything. Offering a range of activities gives people the flexibility to contribute in ways that feel natural and energising for them.
Empowerment through training and tools
To support these voices, organisations need to invest in training and accessible tools. PLOY’s platform, for example, provides centralised content creation tools, gamification features like leaderboards and badges, and robust content moderation capabilities. This reduces friction and keeps the programme consistent, compliant, and scalable.
Training is equally vital. Ambassadors must understand content boundaries, brand guidelines, and social media best practices.
But beyond policies, the training should inspire creativity—offering templates, video editing tools like CapCut, and monthly content calendars to make content creation feel less like a chore and more like a creative outlet.
Keeping track & measuring what matters
Ultimately it all comes down to measuring impact, and data is crucial to demonstrate the programme’s value.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) which need to be set early on, should reflect both quantitative and qualitative impact. Core metrics could include social media impressions, engagement rates, number of active ambassadors, and employee referral volumes. However, softer indicators—such as ambassador feedback, internal surveys, and audience sentiment—offer a more holistic view of success.
Importantly, companies with a structured, always-on content strategy driven by ambassadors report an 18% reduction in cost-per-hire, highlighting both the efficiency and effectiveness of such programmes.
The long-term advantage
When done well, employee ambassador programmes don’t just amplify your employer brand—they humanise it. With the right tools, clear expectations, and ongoing support, your people become credible content creators who build trust, foster connection, and attract top talent.
The 2025 whitepaper from PLOY and Pinpoint draws on insights from 100’s of employee ambassador programmes and over 10 million job applications to provide you with a practical, research-backed roadmap for success. Crucially, it also includes an invaluable toolkit to help employers get started—from structuring programmes to engaging ambassadors at scale.
In a landscape where authenticity and trust are essential, your employees could be your brand’s most powerful asset.