mind your business: Off-the-Clock Commitment

Countless days and hours are spent on the hiring process—­rifling through résumés, conducting phone and in-person interviews and vetting potential hires—and for good reason. Company payroll budgets only contain so much flexibility for new employees, and choosing the appropriate candidate for the job involves more than ensuring his or her competence in the role. After all, this individual is joining the best weapon in your company-wide publicity arsenal: your staff.

When searching for new team members, consider their talent for recruiting and driving business when the day is done. Your employees—present and future—should recognize the value of out-of-office networking skills and practices, as even simple interactions after-hours or on the weekends could potentially engage new customers or clients. It is for that reason that you, as a manager or business owner, must view employees as an essential component of your publicity efforts, since they are often your company's first-impression and top recruiting asset once the lights go out for the evening.

Here are some best practices for instilling a sense of off-the-clock commitment in your present and future employees.

The Social Ovation

Incalculable business relationships are created and nurtured in the social media stratosphere, and acuity in this area can be an accurate barometer for real-world success. Along with your business's online presence and activity, your employees can boost your impact in the social media arena by broadcasting company-wide or individual accomplishments from their personal profiles. This can be as simple as sharing a blog post that garnered an extensive degree of attention, or actively promoting any sponsored events or appearances.

Client or customer bases can be developed through your employees' relationships, especially if they are pleased with their individual contributions and the level of work coming out of your offices enough to show them off. Regularly recognize and applaud their performance in-office, and they may be compelled to share their achievements out of the office—chiefly on their social media platforms. Word-of-mouth is often the most powerful form of advertising, and your staff can be the premier vehicle for this type of reputation advancement.