There are multiple factors to consider when creating and encouraging employee advocacy. One of the most important factors is employee engagement. When your employees are engaged, they're more likely to feel positively about the company they work for. That positive sentiment leads to pride, which in turn makes them want to do their best work, and even further, share that work with their networks. In order to achieve employee advocacy, a brand needs to first make sure its employees are engaged.
One of the most important things I've noticed from looking at employee engagement statistics is that if your company is doing well financially, you're employees are more likely to consider themselves engaged. Stability leads to perceived job security, which allows employees to feel that their work is meaningful.
Another interesting statistic I discovered is that by generation, Traditionalists are much more likely to consider themselves engaged at work. We often think of Millennials as the 'engaged' generation, but in terms of dedication to a company, that engagement can fall flat. With the Millennial population rising in the work force, employers need to make sure they're actively working to engage employees of all ages in meaningful ways.
This infographic shows the current state of engagement in the American workplace. Ideally, more companies will work to increase employee engagement in the future by implementing employee advocacy programs. If you are already employing that strategy, you're far ahead of the competition.