Employee

Referral Toolkit
Start rewarding employees for their all-star referrals.

© 2018 Namely, Inc.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

INTRODUCTION 3

COMPANY INTRANET ANNOUNCEMENTS 4

EMPLOYEE EMAILS 7

WHAT MAKES A GOOD REFERRAL? 12

SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKING TIPS 14

REFERRAL INCENTIVE IDEAS 17

REFERRAL POLICY TEMPLATE 19

CONCLUSION 26

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INTRODUCTION

What’s the secret to recruiting top talent? Your employees.

Employee referrals are a great source for qualified, all-star talent. Aside from
being more familiar with your brand, culture, and company mission, referred
employees have shorter, less expensive hiring timelines and better retention
rates than those sourced from other channels.

Having the right employee referral program can encourage employees

to share your company’s open positions with their networks and recruit
interested candidates. You can quickly fill open roles while your employees
get a say in who they work with and help shape your company’s future.

From an employee referral policy template to incentive ideas, here’s

everything you need to launch your own employee referral program or to give
your current policy a refresh.
Company Intranet
Announcements

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C O M PA N Y I N T R A N E T A N N O U N C E M E N T S

If you’re launching an employee referral program for the first time, revamping
your old program, or just reminding your employees that you have a referral
program, here are two sample announcement posts for you to share on your
company’s Namely feed or intranet. Customize the posts with your policy and
incentive details.

New Referral Program Announcement

Thank you so much for your help in hiring great people. This year, [X] out of
[Y] hires were recommended by you, making referrals one of our top hiring
sources!

As we scale our recruiting operations, we wanted to let you know that we’re
making a few changes to our employee referral program.

Referrals hired after [DATE], will fall under the new referral and rewards
program. The new policy’s incentives include:

● [INCENTIVE 1]
● [INCENTIVE 2.]

For more details about the referral program, you can find the updated guide
here [LINK].

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C O M PA N Y I N T R A N E T A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Program Launch Announcement

Our new employee referral program begins today!

Thank you for your continued dedication to sending us great candidates and
growing the [COMPANY NAME] team.

Starting today, any employee whose referral is hired will receive:

● [INCENTIVE 1]
● [INCENTIVE 2]

Employees who have outstanding rewards from the previous referral program
will have until [DATE] to collect or redeem their rewards.

For more details about the new referral program, you can find the updated
guide here [LINK]. Keep those referrals coming!

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Employee Email
Communications

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E M P LOY E E E M A I L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Sometimes it’s best to communicate major policy changes and application status
updates to employees through email. Keep employees informed by sending
them a thank you email when you receive their referral and be sure to pass along
any other recruiting updates. Here are some templates to get you started.

Honoring Old Referral Incentives

To: (BCC) [Employees with outstanding prizes from old referral program]
Subject: Regarding Your Current Employee Referral Reward

Email Body:
Hi [NAME],

Thanks again for your referral! As you may know, we’ve made some changes
to our employee referral program and have replaced our [OLD REWARD] with
a [NEW REWARD] to support the company’s growth. Since we are no longer
providing this incentive to employees whose referrals are hired after [DATE],
we’re hoping to transition to this new policy as soon as possible.

If you’re receiving this email, that means you still have [OLD REWARD]
remaining from a previous referral. As we transition to our new policy, we’d like
to honor your reward until [MONTH, QUARTER, ETC]. This means your reward
will no longer be valid after [DATE], so don’t forget to collect your prize!

You can find more about our new referral program [HERE - LINK]. If you know
any qualified candidates for our [CURRENT OPEN POSITIONS - LINK], please
continue submitting referrals!

Best,
[NAME/TEAM]

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E M P LOY E E E M A I L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Thank You for Your Referral

Subject:​ Thank You for Your Employee Referral!

To:​ [REFERRER’S EMAIL]

Email Body:
Hi [NAME],

Thank you so much for your recent referral!

This email is confirming that you successfully recommended [CANDIDATE

NAME] for the role of [POSITION TITLE]. In the coming weeks, we’ll be in
touch about the status of their application. If you have any questions, please
feel free to contact us at [TEAM EMAIL].

Please continue to send us your referrals, and thank you for helping us
continue building a great team at [COMPANY NAME]!

Best,
[NAME/TEAM]

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E M P LOY E E E M A I L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Your Referral Was Hired

Subject:​ Congratulations—Your Referral Was Hired!

To:​ [REFERRER’S EMAIL]
Attachment: Employee Referral Program Policy

Email Body:
Hi [NAME],

Thanks again for referring [CANDIDATE] to [COMPANY NAME] for the

[POSITION TITLE] role. They signed and are set to start on [START DATE].

As a part of our updated employee referral program (attached), you will

be eligible to receive [REWARD] after [CANDIDATE] has been with us for
[NUMBER] months.

Please note that we are no longer offering the [OLD REWARD] that was
previously part of our old employee referral program.

Thank you again for your referral, we’re so excited to have [CANDIDATE] join
the [COMPANY] team! Please let us know if you have any questions. Have a
great [WEEK/WEEKEND]!

Best,
[NAME/TEAM]

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E M P LOY E E E M A I L C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

We Passed on Your Referral

Subject:​ Update: Your Recent Referral

To:​ [REFERRER’S EMAIL]

Email Body:
Hi [NAME],

Thank you for recently referring [CANDIDATE]. Referrals play a key role in our
hiring, and we appreciate you taking the time to refer a friend.

Unfortunately, we’ve made the decision not to move forward with their
application We will keep [CANDIDATE] in mind for future roles.

We are grateful for your referrals, so please continue to send them. Thank
you for your help as we continue to build a great team at [COMPANY NAME]!

Best,
[NAME/TEAM]

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What Makes a
Good Referral?

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W H A T M A K E S A G O O D R E F E R R A L?

Circulate the below list and help employees know exactly what to look for when
submitting a referral.

You can speak highly of their previous to their work

• If they were reporting to you, would you feel comfortable standing by
their work and taking responsibility?

You understand their work habits and know they’ll fit in

• They need to vibe well with existing employees and be able to work
well together.

They have skills that directly align with the position

• Everyone wants to work with their friends, but do they have the
background to actually get the job done?

You know they are in it for the long haul

• Don’t recommend someone who you know will only be around for a
short stint.

Someone you’d enjoy working with on a regular basis

• Would they get along with the rest of the team?

They are results-driven and motivated to help the business

• This referral will be a reflection of your judge of character – make
sure this person is ready to roll up their sleeves and contribute.

They come highly recommended by other peers

• It’s great that you think highly of them, but what is everyone
else saying? Make sure to check their LinkedIn profile for
recommendations or endorsements.
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Social Media
Networking Tips

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SOCIAL NETWORKING TIPS

Showcase Your Brand

Encourage your employees to mention any milestones your company has
achieved in their posts. Additionally, showing examples of your company
culture can make it look like an opportunity that’s too good to pass up.

Leverage the Data

If you have a bigger workforce, it’s important to track which of your employees
are sharing open roles and on what channels. This will help you understand
which channels are performing best when it comes to attracting talent.

Keep it Simple
Have posts pre-populate for employees to share at the click of a button. Make
sure the title of the link, imagery, and subtitle are all correct and clear.

Get Personal
While having canned posts your employees can copy and paste is certainly
helpful, encourage your employees to add a personal touch in their posts.
This will allow readers to connect with the referrer and get people excited
about working at your company.

Pro Tip:
Hand-pick the connections you think would be a good fit for an open role at
your organization and send them a personalized note. Leverage InMail on
LinkedIn or Facebook Messenger to reach out. Highlight where the potential
employee’s strengths align with the role, the team, and the company.
SOCIAL NETWORKING TIPS

Example Messaging

[COMPANY] is hiring! Come join our rapidly growing team and have a direct
hand in taking us to the next level. Apply here: [LINK]

[COMPANY] is having their best quarter yet [OR MILESTONE]! We have [#]
great roles open in [DEPARTMENT]. Don’t miss out on your chance to build
one of the fastest-growing companies in [INDUSTRY]. Lean more here: [LINK]

We’re looking for a skilled [TITLE] to join our team! Join me today to work
towards [MISSION]. Learn more: [LINK]

Attention Job Seekers: [TITLE] are pivotal to the success of [COMPANY]. In this
role, you’ll [DUTY 1] and [DUTY 2]. Apply today! [LINK]

Join [COMPANY] to work with top brands with in the [INDUSTRY]. Apply today
to help shape and grow our [department] efforts: [LINK]

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Referral
Incentive Ideas

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REFERRAL INCENTIVE IDEAS

Rewards are a great way to encourage employees to participate in your

employee referral program. While cash bonuses are always a popular prize,
there are other creative ways to get employees to refer quality candidates. You
can also combine prizes or offer greater rewards for hard-to-fill or in-demand
positions. Here are a few incentive ideas to inspire you.

• Cash bonus

 • Gift card
• Raffle entry
• Charity donation


• Lunch with your referral

 • Team happy hour

• Experiences like: cooking classes, wine tastings, or concert tickets.

• A trip to another office or pre-approved destination

• Extra paid time off

 • Recognition at the next all-company meeting

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Employee Referral
Policy Template

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Creating an employee referral policy document is important. Employees need

to clearly understand your policy, who is eligible to participate, and the policy
incentives. Here’s a sample policy template to inspire your own:

Page One - Policy Cover Page

[COMPANY NAME] Employee Referral Policy

[COMPANY LOGO]

Page Two - Program Overview

Below are the bonuses and rewards for successful referrals:

1. [DOLLAR AMOUNT] for referring a full-time employee. You can

collect the bonus once the referred employee has been employed
for at least [NUMBER] months.
2. [INCENTIVE 2]
3. [INCENTIVE 3]

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Page Three - Referral Submission Process - ATS

All referrals must be submitted through [APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM] in

order to be eligible for this program.

1. [Include a step-by-step guide on how to submit a referral through

your company’s ATS.]
2. [Add screenshots of the submission process so employees can
easily follow along.]

When submitting referrals, please confirm that you are not bound by any non-
solicitation agreements with the referral’s current employer. Have questions
regarding non-solicitation agreements? Reach out to [TEAM EMAIL].

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Page Three - Referral Submission Process, Email

To submit your referral, email the recruiting team at [TEAM EMAIL] with your
referral’s information and resume. Please include the following information:
• The referrals name
• Their desired position
• Their resume (attached to email)
• A link to their LinkedIn profile
Optional: Consider adding how you know your referral and why you think they
would be a good candidate for the position in question.

(continued on next page)

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Page Three - Referral Submission Process, Email (cont.)

Here’s a sample email template you can use:

To: [PEOPLE TEAM EMAIL]

Subject Line: Employee Referral - [OPEN POSITION]

Email Body:
Dear People Team,

I would like to recommend my friend/colleague/family member, [NAME], for

the open [OPEN POSITION] position. I’ve attached his/her/their resume for
your review and you can find his/her/their LinkedIn profile here: [LINK].

I worked with him/her/them at my previous company and believe their skills

and experience make them a great candidate for the position.

Let me know if I can share any additional information or make an

introduction. Please keep me updated throughout the hiring process.

Best,
[NAME]

When submitting referrals, please confirm that you are not bound by any non-

solicitation agreements with the referral’s current employer. Have questions

regarding non-solicitation agreements? Reach out to [TEAM EMAIL].

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Page Four - Policies & Eligibility

Below are the program’s policies and eligibility rules.

• The referring employee must be employed full-time at [COMPANY]

and in good standing with the company at the time of the referral
submission.

• Referrals must be submitted through [ATS or EMAIL] in order to be

eligible for consideration and participation in this program.

• All referred candidates must meet the open job’s requirements.

• The referred employee must have been employed successfully for a

period of [LENGTH OF TIME] for the bonus to apply.

• Referral bonuses are paid through our regular payroll on the next
appropriate pay day after the above requirements are met.

• Referral bonuses are subject to applicable payroll and tax

deductions.

• Referral bonuses can be neither split nor shared. If more than one
employee refers the same candidate, no one will receive a referral
bonus nor raffle submission.

• Referral bonuses are subject to change based on company-defined

hard-to-fill roles and/or hiring sprints. [COMPANY] reserves the right
to increase or decrease the amount of the referral bonuses and
rewards as it sees fit.

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E M P LOY E E R E F E R R A L P O L I C Y T E M P L AT E

Page Four - Policies & Eligibility

Referral bonuses and rewards will NOT be paid for:

• Any referrals that are not submitted through the process outlined on
page three of this document
• Referrals for:
• Current [COMPANY] employees (internal referrals)
• Temporary or part-time employees and independent
contractors
• Candidates who have been engaged in the recruiting
process prior to being referred
• Candidates recommended by an outside source, such as a
third-party recruiter, or discovered at a recruiting event or
company-sponsored hiring event, prior to being referred

The following employees will NOT receive any bonuses/rewards if a referred

candidate is hired:
• Hiring manager-level and above referring candidates into their own
roles and teams
• Any interviewers and/or hiring decision-makers as they could bias a
referral’s success during the interview process
• [RECRUITING TEAM / HR TEAM]
• VP-level and above

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Conclusion

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CONCLUSION

When it comes to finding qualified, motivated talent, your employees are a great
resource. They know who would be a valuable addition to your organization
and who would be a good cultural fit. But while your employees know the ins
and outs of your company, odds are they don’t always know what positions
you’re looking to hire. A strong referral policy can encourage employees to
stay abreast with your hiring efforts and share open positions with qualified
candidates in their network.

With the proper employee referral policy in place, you and your team can fill
your open roles even faster. Happy hiring!

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Namely
Namely is the first HR platform that employees actu-
ally love to use. Namely’s award-winning, powerful,
easy-to-use technology allows companies to handle
all of their HR, payroll, time management, and ben-
efits in one place. Coupled with dedicated account
support, every Namely client gets the software and
service they need to deliver great HR and a strong,
engaged company culture. Namely is used by over
1,000 clients with over 175,000 employees globally.

JazzHR
JazzHR is a powerful, user-friendly recruiting soft-
ware that enables today’s greatest people to build
tomorrow’s greatest companies. JazzHR replaces
antiquated hiring processes like using email and
spreadsheets with an intuitive applicant tracking
system that helps recruiters and hiring managers
build a scalable and effective recruiting process that
consistently results in great hires.

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