Company Events that Encourage Employee Referrals

Employee referral programs have become a staple in current recruitment strategies, but while most companies have referral programs, it’s rare that we’ve heard of consistent investment in events & programming to encourage participation.  

To truly harness the power of these programs, a company can invest in and host different interactive events to not only remind employees a referral program exists, but make it fun to actively participate in. Some companies may already host these events, but these are great touchpoints to tie back to your active employee referral strategy. 

‍Referral Happy Hours 

One great way to make your employee referral program more interactive is by hosting referral happy hours. Invite your employees to bring their friends or acquaintances who may be a good fit for the company to a happy hour with your recruiting team and hiring managers. Everyone loves a good happy hour (and companies already host them for teams) so why not build it as part of your recruitment strategy. In fact, Salesforce is an example of a company that did this and got up to 50% of their hires through hosting referral happy hours. 

Encourage Referrals to Job Fair Attendance

Job fairs are excellent opportunities for employers to connect with great candidates. Healthcare is a sector where we often see jam packed calendars of hiring events for critical open frontline roles. This is where you can leverage your employee referral program to drive attendance to hiring events. Encourage employees to refer friends to hiring events and reward them if a hire is made. This is another opportunity to directly connect your friends directly with a company’s hiring team or recruiters face to face to learn more about the company before applying. 

Company Offsites 

Many companies usually organize annual offsites, designed for team bonding and a way to reward employees. This is a great company event to cultivate a referral culture. Transparently sharing growth goals during offsite events empowers employees to contribute actively by referring candidates aligned with the company's vision. Remember to remind your employees about your referral program when they are feeling most valued and company offsites are a place where team member appreciation is at its highest. Incorporate the referral theme into team-building activities. For example, organize a scavenger hunt where teams solve clues related to the company and its job openings, with rewards for the winning team.

Contests and Appreciation Months

Organize referral contests with appealing rewards to motivate employees to refer potential candidates. Offer prizes like cash bonuses, gift cards, or extra vacation days for successful referrals. To enhance engagement, designate a specific timeframe, such as a "Referral Appreciation Month," during which employees' referral efforts are highlighted and recognized.

Workshops and Training

Host interactive workshops and training sessions to empower employees with effective referral techniques. Provide guidance on how to identify suitable candidates within their networks, initiate conversations about job opportunities, and emphasize the company's strengths. These sessions can equip employees with the skills needed to make meaningful referrals.

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