I have a lot of friends who work for marketing agencies, and I’ve started noticing something– there’s a huge overlap in their personal and professional lives. They don’t just work together, they play together. Happy hours, team building, whatever.

As such, their social media pages are filled with their work– job postings, pictures, thinkpieces, information about the work they’re doing. These employees are the best advertisements a company could ask for. Look, another cool piece finished for a client! Look, another fun outing with my team! Et cetera, et cetera. And all of this accomplishes a few things: one, it makes you want to work there; two, you remember the agency; and three, if you ever need an agency…well, that particular agency has been drilled into your brain (but in a fun, non-pushy way!).

Here’s what I’m getting at. Like it or not, as the workforce becomes increasingly younger, this is the wave of the future. It’s not email marketing–it’s Medium, iTunes podcasts, LinkedIn posts. The younger generation isn’t checking their email, as evidenced by the 59,000 unread emails I just saw on someone’s phone the other day. That person was 24.

And, like it or not, we live in a completely connected society that is increasingly concerned with our “personal brand.” Why do you think I have this site and share the posts on LinkedIn? I’ve defined my personal voice as one that cares about human rights and equality issues, is into digital/new trends, and is

Your employees must be aligned with your personal brand–that is to say, their personal brands need to align with the company’s. Your marketing team must be able to support social media efforts, but frankly, most of this should be happening organically if your company fosters that kind of atmosphere. Tag them in company photos! Tweet at them when they’re at a conference! Teach them to interact with your company, and they’ll learn.

This isn’t exclusive to marketing agencies, though it may seem that way since they’re inundated with young, tech-savvy people. I’m seeing it everywhere– from nurses to law firms. So, are your employees brand ambassadors? And if so, why not…and how can you fix it?