Employee Alumni Association

Alumni associations are synonymous with educational institutions.It does a whole lot of good; to both the institution and the students.

Students are benefited in terms of networking and a great deal of knowledge transfer by generous alumnus of the respective institution.

The institution on the other hand is as good as it's alumnus.

Now let us put the above content in the perspective of corporate context.

How about an Employee Alumni Association of a company????

Can it work?????

I believe it needs to work and if it doesnot then there is a genuine problem in your company!!!!

Let me elaborate it!!!

Academic Institutional Alumni Associations work because of a few quintessential reasons like:

* We spend the most formative years of our life in an academic institution.
* We create the finest memories of our life there.
* It is here; where we learn to correct our mistakes.
* It provides a conducive environment for emotional bonding as well as
academic excellence.
* It provides ample oppurtunity for extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
* It helps us to have fun with limited resources. In other words it helps us to
increase our resourcefullness to have fun inspite of limited resources.

The above points propels us to join the alumni association and remain associated with it forever and beyond.

I guess; a company which can create the same bonding with it's employees in such a manner can create an Employee Alumni Association succesfully.

Employees leave their companies for various reason. No matter whatever the reason is; the occurence of attrition [which is inevitable] will be a serious concern always. But if the reasons are mostly unpleasent[which mostly falls under the category 'Personal Reasons'] then an Employee Alumni Association will not work.
Another reason why it might not work is because of the 'Company's Brand'.

If your company doesnot have the 'Brand Appeal' then no one would like to get associated with it.

An Employee Alumni Association can have the following advantages:

*It will extol the fact that the employer cares to remain in touch with the ex-
employee and vice-versa.
*It will indicate that the 'employer's brand' is appealing.
*It will give the employer oppurtunity to recruit an ex-star employee in future by
staying connected.
* Most importantly; it will make the employer and ex-employee feel 'Good' about
each other.
* Last but not least; it might reduce bad mouthing about your company by ex-employess.


I will ask the HR community one question.

Does your company have the potential to create an Employee Alumni Association?????

-Saikat Saha