Today, companies are well aware of the significance of staying in touch with their former employees via corporate alumni platforms. Networking has always been a powerful tool at the business and human levels.
Forming an alumni network in the corporate world creates a pool of surplus business potential and works as the company’s most effective means of maintaining valuable relationships to the outside world. When organisations make an active effort to nurture these relationships they impact immensely on a business’ growth.
Maybe that is why around 98% of fortune 500 companies have some form of an alumni program. By having the right engagement strategies in place, an organisation will be able to engender brand awareness, build business relationships & establish a knowledge network through an alumni management solution.
Here are 5 sure-fire ways to keep your alumni involved and engaged
1. Establish the engagement early
During the recruitment phase or while onboarding employees, strike up a conversation about the alumni management solution. When hiring, along with the benefits of working at the organisation, sell the highly lucrative benefit of being able to join the alumni network after leaving.
By introducing employees to the corporate alumni solution in the early stage of their tenure, businesses can create a culture of support right from the beginning and can set clear expectations on what to get out of it in the years to come. The organisation is sending a strong signal that they are willing to have a long-term commitment to its employees no matter where their career takes them.
2. Amicable offboarding and exit process
Providing a great experience during exits is crucial in designing an excellent alumni management solution. According to a recent study by Gallup, only 24% of employees were extremely satisfied with how their organisation handled the offboarding process. The same study shows employees who undergo a positive exit interview are nearly three times more likely to recommend that organisation to others.
Go above and beyond to make sure the exit process is as smooth and important as the onboarding. Prepare a well-defined exit interview, gather honest feedback, and make a note of the reasons for their exit to identify the most potential re-hire in the future.
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3. Highlight what’s in it for the alumni
When an employee leaves their current place of work for a new opportunity, they are under no obligation to keep in touch with their previous employer. In such instances, it is critical to offer the alumni something in return for their continued involvement. Through the an alumni maanagement solution, organisations can offer benefits, such as creating valuable contacts and opportunities with their network, getting the latest organisational updates and access to though leadership, etc., that will encourage the alumni to contribute or be part of it..
4. Offer a dedicated alumni management solution
Everything comes down to the usage of the right software. Companies should not be dependent on social media platforms because they aren’t as efficient or engaging as using a built-for-purpose alumni management system. By having the right alumni tool, an organisation can provide a secure network where alumni can establish connections and communicate effectively.
The Alumni Solution offered by Zalaris provides a seamless user experience, where in-active or former employees can access their personal data and past employment records without needing access to the employer’s portal. This end-to-end automation solution focuses on reducing any sort of manual workload on the HR team and effectively manage alumni objectives.
5. Keeping alumni engaged is vital
After setting up an alumni management platform, continual constructive engagement is crucial to keep the members active. You can always start by sharing company updates on a regular basis, to keep them abreast of all the latest happenings such as product releases & updates, recruitment drives, and more.
Publish accomplished alumni success stories, this not only makes a good read but inevitably acts as a morale booster for inspiration. Your corporate alumni platform is a great place to run surveys about products, emerging trends, policies etc. This move will not only make them participate in the company’s initiative but also get honest feedback.
Unlock your alumni potential
In the corporate world, bonds that are once formed can serve for years to come. Leading organisations are one step ahead of their competitors and have started reaping the benefits of having an exclusive alumni management platform. A well-structured alumni management solution is a paramount in maintaining a great relationship with your ex-employees.
Zalaris’ Alumni Solution is built and developed with the aim to increase the efficiency of HR operations by reducing manual & paperwork involved. With Zalaris, in-active and terminated employees can acquire payroll and past employment data with seamless, compliant and secure access.
Aspects of the Alumni Solution
Benefits for Employees | Benefits for Employers |
Easy access to personal and past payroll data from anywhere. | Regarding re-hiring, the recruitment process is smoother & secure. |
Helpdesk for submitting inquiries & receiving useful solutions. | Employers can set the duration of Alumni Portal access for terminated employees. |
Global transfers are done with an effortless plug-in of employment data. | A seamless way to keep track of former employees for potential re-hiring. |
If you want to simplify your alumni engagement and management, reach out to our team of experts, and get those mutually beneficial opportunities of creating an alumni solution.