Employee spotlights play an important role in any business branding plan. Candidates are increasingly expecting organizations to share insider information about what it’s truly like to work for them and what the company culture is like. Employee spotlights can help in this situation. They highlight the characteristics that candidates are looking for and assist organizations in effectively showcasing their personnel. Here, we’ll discuss the benefits of employee spotlight with detailed examples, as well as provide some questions you can ask during an employee spotlight.
What Is An Employee Spotlight?
An employee spotlight is a content that focuses on an employee’s background, what they do, their personality, and why they appreciate their job.
This content can include everything from on-camera interviews and styled videos to written articles and blog postings. Several businesses use employee spotlights in various forms for their social media, career pages, and internal communication channels.
Employee spotlights can provide candidates with information about a firm’s culture and mission, as well as the day-to-day activities of roles inside the organization and employee benefits.
What Is the Objective of Employee Spotlight?
The objective of an employee spotlight is to put a face to your company and to share firsthand stories about what it’s like to work there, so depending on the angle of the spotlight, you’ll want to ask questions that will help your employee highlight your company’s unique characteristics in their own words.
Benefits of Employee Spotlight
Employee spotlights are crucial for branding because they give candidates with information that will allow them to make a more informed judgment about whether or not your firm and role are a good fit for them. Yet, the benefits do not stop with what works for prospective applicants; firms may also profit greatly from generating employee spotlight. Here are some of the benfits of creating an employee spotlight
#1. Creates A Culture Of Acknowledgement And Appreciation
Establishing employee spotlights enables businesses to reach out to some of their most valued employees and inform them that their narrative is significant to the firm. Spotlights allow you to highlight not only an employee’s personality and journey but also the precise work they undertake and why it is beneficial. When employees are given the opportunity to speak about their job, it might drive them to achieve their best.
Employee spotlights also demonstrate to employees that their efforts are not going ignored by management. Spotlights can be used to recognize good work, as businesses desire to spotlight their most important and industrious staff. Recognizing employees’ efforts can boost employee engagement and allow the outside world to recognize the positive aspects of your corporate culture.
#2. Generates Employer Branding Material
Developing employer branding is a significant undertaking for businesses. But, careful employee spotlights can provide prospects with genuine and honest insight into what it’s like to work for your organization. A well-executed employee spotlight will provide job seekers with a sense of the perks of working for a company as well as a glimpse of who their future colleagues may be. Furthermore, staff spotlights can be used as content across numerous platforms.
#3. Creates Networking Among Employees
Employee spotlights can also assist current employees in getting to know one another. This is particularly true for remote and hybrid workplaces, as well as larger corporations. Employee spotlights provided internally, such as through a company-wide newsletter, allow employees to understand more about their coworkers than they might otherwise be able to. Spotlights can initiate casual conversations based on shared interests, which can lead to long-term, productive professional partnerships.
Innovative Ways to Create An Employee Spotlight
Employee spotlights assist you in retaining your finest staff and increasing productivity. They can also be an effective tool for employer branding, employee recognition, attracting new talent, and differentiating oneself from the competition.
#1. Video Highlights
Photos often feel insufficient when it comes to rewarding great staff. Fortunately, you can always use video to recognize staff on social media! (Please remember that when filming personnel, you must always obtain their consent.)
Record videos of your staff in action, whether they are speaking professionally with a customer, performing good work on a job site, or presenting a strong presentation.
#2. Interviews with Employees
Do you manage a large firm with many employees? If this is the case, the majority of your employees are unlikely to know all of their coworkers.
You may use social media to both acknowledge and promote great personnel.
Record short interviews with individuals you want to acknowledge, preferably from various departments, on film. In these interviews, ask concise, useful questions like, “What are you most proud of?” ” or “What is the finest aspect about being a member of our team?” ”
Don’t forget to highlight the employee’s individual achievements! Share these interviews on your Instagram story or on your LinkedIn profile.
#3. Representation of Employees
What better way to convey your employees’ voices than to offer them direct access to them?
Provide prompts, digital assets, hashtags, or tools to encourage workers to post directly on social networking sites like Instagram, LinkedIn, and others to increase employee advocacy. Include a note inviting an employee to submit a photo with their LinkedIn network using your employer branding hashtag if you provide new hire gifts to them, for example.
#4. Competitions and Contests
A competitive attitude is nearly always advantageous to your organization. Why not focus that enthusiasm into inviting employees to compete in a race or other form of competition on your behalf? You might even organize internal company competitions.
It might be concentrated on sports like cycling or running, or it can be oriented on other passions like cooking, baking, photography, or volunteering.
People are often astonished at how involved they can become, especially when it comes to something they enjoy.
#5. Examine the testimonials
Is one of your employees expressly highlighted in a customer or client review? Now is the time to recognize it!
You may quickly highlight public employee performance reviews, which also promote your standards (and your people) to customers.
Post Yelp, Google, Angie’s List, and other sites’ evaluations on Facebook, taking care to include a clear reference of the employee cited.
Employee Spotlight Examples
Here are some examples on employee spotlight:
#1. MessageBird
MessageBird, a cloud communications platform, features employees (who they call ‘Birds’) from around the world in their Employee Spotlight Series on their blog.
They provide us a personal view of Guila’s work history at MessageBird in one of their posts: how she started with the company, her professional motivations, her ‘normal workday,’ and her best achievements with the company.
The direct remarks on her strong belief in MessageBird’s offers and her appreciation for the company’s flexible work schedules help to solidify the company’s reputation as an innovative workplace.
#2. Delta
Delta Airlines highlights their employees on their Instagram account, Life at Delta, to promote job openings.
Delta’s commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion is the focus of this employee spotlight (DEI).
Following his retirement, Wee (Victor) H. was overjoyed to return to work by joining the company’s Res and Care staff.
The post goes on to say that Delta is the place to be whether you want to build a career in aviation or find your next job after retirement.
#3. E.J. The Gallo Winery
This Instagram employee highlight takes us through Siobhan’s professional path with E.J. Gallo Winery: from Production Engineer to Warehouse Analyst, Start-Up Manager, and now Product Owner.
It clearly demonstrates how E.J. Gallo Winery goes above and beyond by hiring people and promoting their staff because they believe in their ability. As a result, their job satisfaction and staff retention improve.
The spotlight also ‘humanizes’ the employee by revealing personal details about them, such as Siobhan’s family life and hobbies.
#4. U.S. Army Engineers
In honor of Women’s History Month, the US Army Corps of Engineers published a series of staff spotlight articles on their Facebook page.
Teralyn Murray, P.E. Head of the Regulatory Branch, offered advise in her employee spotlight about never being intimidated.
Teralyn sought a profession in engineering despite the fact that she was both a woman and a Black woman.
She also advocated the Chicago District of the United States. The Army Corps of Engineers prides itself on being an inclusive organization that encourages everyone to apply.
#5. Staples
Staples is another example of a corporation that is committed to their employees’ professional development. Riley, in this employee spotlight example, progressed from manager to director and is now a Vice President.
She believes that anyone may have a career in sales despite a lack of sales experience if they have tenacity, perseverance, and the ability to listen to clients’ issues.
The film also highlighted her enthusiasm for developing associates and seeing their careers progress, just like hers, by assisting them in growing personally or professionally.
#6. SHL
This employee spotlight takes a unique twist by asking the employee, or in this case, the intern, to write about her experience working for SHL, a talent evaluation and talent management platform.
Starting a career and finding that one stepping stone, according to Azraa, is not easy, but it is also not impossible.
The most important thing she learned from her experience was how to be disciplined when working remotely. She counseled individuals just starting out in their jobs to take a gamble and be themselves.
Where Should You Post Employee Spotlights?
Once you’ve prepared your employee spotlight questions, think about where you’ll share them. Depending on the size of your firm, you can do a live question-and-answer session with each employee or film video interviews and post them on your website.
You may also publish your employee spotlights on social media channels like Twitter and Instagram. Utilize the internal communication channels that are most appropriate for your company.
Whatever location you choose to publish your employee spotlights, keep in mind that these are opportunities for employees to be noticed and appreciated. Setting aside time to recognize each team member’s specific accomplishments will aid in the development of a healthy business culture inside your organization.
You may establish an open and friendly environment where employees feel valued and respected by implementing a regular system of employee spotlights. It’s also an excellent technique to connect team members and create collaboration within the firm. These important aspects of organizational culture can also be drivers of employee engagement.
What Do Employee Spotlight Questions Entail?
Employee spotlight questions are personal yet professional inquiries that are used to introduce an employee to their coworkers.
These types of questions can assist enhance morale, strengthen team bonds, and foster employee relationships. They’re an excellent method to discover more about your coworkers and get to know them better. Consider it an interview in which you disclose the results of an employee motivation survey.
Making a list of employee spotlight questions is a great way to get to know your staff on a personal level and foster a culture of trust and understanding. You may develop a culture of respect for each employee in the business by asking thought-provoking, open-ended questions and encouraging innovative responses.
Furthermore, by disseminating your employee spotlights in a variety of ways, you can ensure that each team member is noticed and appreciated. Here are a variety of questions you can ask during your next employee spotlight.
Questions on Professional Background:
These questions are intended to help you learn more about your colleagues’ professional experience and background. They’re perfect for starting a conversation as a general introduction. They can be utilized to find prospective partnership opportunities and unique insights on a deeper level.
- What are your professional objectives?
- What is your favorite aspect of your job?
- What compelled you to join this team?
- What do you believe distinguishes you in your field?
- What difficulties have you encountered in your professional life?
- Tell us about a professional success story you’re particularly proud of.
- Please tell us about your professional development journey.
Personal History Questions
These questions are intended to help you get to know your coworkers on a more personal level. They can be utilized to foster connections and foster an atmosphere of trust and support.
- Please tell us about your family.
- How did you meet your current partner?
- What do you like to do in your spare time?
- What does your ideal weekend entail?
- Describe a fun hobby or leisure that you enjoy.
- What has been your most challenging experience?
Passions and Interests
These questions are intended to help you learn about your coworkers’ hobbies, passions, and unique views. They can be used to identify possible collaborations and to foster an innovative culture.
- Do you have any favorite sports teams?
- Who are some of your most significant influences?
- What are your favorite movie genres?
- What kinds of books/movies do you like?
- Do you have any artistic hobbies or outlets?
- What is a cause that you are deeply committed to?
Favorite Memories
These questions are intended to help you learn about your coworkers’ favorite memories, both at work and in their personal life. They can be utilized to create an atmosphere of admiration and thankfulness.
- When and why have you felt most proud?
- Tell us about a treasured childhood memory.
- What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken, and why?
- What has been the finest thing to happen to you this year?
- Have you have any amusing or embarrassing stories to tell?
- What are some of your favorite vacation/travel memories?
Work Practices And Preferences:
These questions are intended to help you learn about your coworkers’ work habits and preferences. These can be used to learn about each team member’s unique personality and how they contribute to the team. Using business culture questions, you can also uncover how your team feels about the work environment.
- How do you like to plan your day?
- What do you like best about your job?
- What is your typical approach to problem solving?
- What tools or approaches do you employ to keep organized?
- What methods do you use to keep organized and productive?
- Do you have any strategies for dealing with workplace stress?
- What strategies do you employ to keep motivated and focused?
- How do you prefer to work with your teammates?
- What advise or suggestions would you give to someone starting a new job?
- Describe an occasion when you went out of your way to assist a coworker.
Future Perspectives
These questions are intended to elicit your colleagues’ perspectives on the future, both for the firm and for themselves. They can be used to identify prospective growth and development paths.
- What do you want to be in five years?
- How do you see yourself progressing in your current position?
- What do you think our team’s future holds?
- What do you hope to gain from your current position?
- How could our team collaborate to achieve our objectives?
- What do you hope to learn or improve in the future?
- Have you established any personal or professional objectives for yourself?
Learning About You
These questions are intended to help you get to know your coworkers in general. They have the potential to foster an atmosphere of trust, humor, and mutual respect.
- What is your favorite cuisine?
- What would your ideal job be?
- What is something you simply cannot live without?
- What is your favorite cuisine or type of food?
- Share a humorous or unusual experience you’ve had.
- What is anything you are very proud of about yourself?
In Conclusion,
Your employees are the primary drivers of your company’s success. These are the ones who work hard behind the scenes to achieve goals, generate new possibilities, and help those around them advance professionally. Employee spotlights are an excellent opportunity to highlight their internal and external activities.
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