Want to Connect With Your Millennial Employees? Try Social Media
March 15, 2017
A typical employee communications plan might include company picnics, recognition and incentive programs and newsletters. Maybe even a spontaneous early release day.
South Florida-based dental and vision insurer Solstice Benefits, Inc., (Solstice) earned recognition recently through the national Ragan Employee Communications Awards for adding something extra to the mix: social media.
While many companies discourage employee use of social media as a distraction during work, Solstice did the opposite. With millennials composing a large portion of its workforce, the company used social media to drive employee engagement—even going so far as to promote a hashtag, #lifeatsolstice, for employees to use in company-related posts starting in 2012.
The hashtag caught on, and began accompanying employee-published social content showcasing Solstice culture, from daily cafecito (Cuban espresso) breaks to office tailgates, themed dress-up days and cooking competitions. Before long, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were full of Solstice employee posts not only about formal company events, but those of a far less corporate nature, like birthdays, teamwork and friendship.
“Social media is a vehicle for us to connect with and empower employees and build excitement about the company,” said Alissa Gavrilescu, Solstice’s Director of Marketing. “At the same time, this engagement boosts our brand, both for job seekers and consumers.”
Image matters. Just as employers might screen potential hires’ social media accounts, Staff.com reports that 14.4 million people in the U.S. have used social media to hunt for a job. Here are a few statistics on social media and the workplace reported by talent sourcing company Spherion in its 2015 Emerging Workforce Study:
- 50 percent of workers say that social media platforms can influence their view of a potential employer.
- 30 percent say that being allowed to use social media at work “greatly increases” their job satisfaction.
- 39 percent believe that having access to social media enhances productivity.
“We want our social media visitors to see what we at Solstice experience daily,” Mrs. Gavrilescu said. “We’re ‘one company, one family’ and we love what we do and the customers we are privileged to serve.”
Solstice’s social media program earned an honorable mention in the 2016 Ragan Employee Communications Awards in the Use of Social Media category. As an honorable mention recipient in the program, Solstice joins past winners including AT&T, MasterCard, PPD, Duke University, Bacardi Limited and IBM.
About Solstice:
Solstice provides dental and vision coverage to more than 700,000 members nationally, and has built the current No. 1 largest Open Access DHMO provider network in both Florida and New York. Solstice DPPO members have access to a national provider network. In 2013, Solstice created an award-winning broker exchange and benefits administration platform—the Solstice Marketplace. In 2016, Solstice was ranked the No. 16 insurance company on Inc. magazine’s fastest-growing private companies list.
For information on Solstice, contact 1.877.760.2247 or visit www.SolsticeBenefits.com.
Back to News
