FIR on Higher Education #58: Shel Holtz on Developing Employee Advocacy Programs

As the Edelman Trust Barometer details, the public in general is skeptical about messages coming from PR professionals or senior leadership. However, employees and subject matter experts are trusted, according to the Edelman survey. It should therefore be incumbent on schools, centers and institutions overall to develop employee advocacy programs. Imagine the impact that can be generated when you have individuals who can share the brand’s content, respond appropriately to complaints and advocate for the organization to their respective networks.

Communications expert Shel Holtz discusses this topic on episode 58 of FIR of Higher Education. An organizational communications expert and the founder of the FIR Podcast Network, Shel shared some best practice, including: 

* How communicators can facilitate the process

* Tools to leverage

* How to motivate colleagues to take part

* The importance of training in the process

* The role of culture

In addition, we concluded by going through a mini example of a advocacy program that Shel led with Pepsi.

There are many lessons that higher education audiences can apply from some of the insights that Shel shared during the podcast.

About Shel Holtz

Shel Holtz, ABC (Accredited Business Communicator), is principal of Holtz Communication + Technology. Shel brings to his assignments nearly 35 years of organizational communications experience in both corporate and consulting environments. He is experienced in employee communications, corporate public relations, crisis communications, media relations, financial communications, investor relations, marketing communications and compensation and benefits communications. In addition to integrating technology into communications strategies, his expertise includes strategic communications planning, change management, organizational culture, business initiatives and communications research.