Does your EVP need some TLC?

To attract and retain top talent, focus on your Employee Value Proposition (EVP). What do we mean when referring to an EVP? It’s the WHY, as in why should an employee work for your company?

Put simply it’s what you have to offer new and existing recruits and we’re talking more than just salary and basic benefits. For many work is more than just a job. The HR Digest says employees now want to be associated with employers that have a specific culture and associations in the world. To attract (and retain) diverse talent you need to articulate what you can provide the person not just the employee, according to research by Gartner.

Gartner state an EVP for a post pandemic workforce should focus on employees as people not workers, should provide attributes critical to the person’s life experiences not just employees experience and alongside providing features that match the employees need, should deliver a positive emotional response.

Is your EVP as human-centric as is can be or is it in need of some TLC? Use the following questions to aid reflection….

• Do you prioritise flexibility over when and how people can work?
• Do you communicate brand values so individuals can identify alignment?
• Do you ensure your EVP caters for a diverse workforce?
• Do you provide opportunities for individuals to grow and develop?
• Do you cater for people’s health and wellbeing?
• Do you have a culture that allows people to utilise the offerings you provide?

The last question is an important one. You may well have a mental health offering, but if culturally people don’t feel comfortable enough to speak up and utilise this service if they feel burnt out and overwhelmed, it will have very little impact.

With the last year being referred to as The Great Resignation due to the historic rates at which employees left organisations in search of new opportunities, now’s a good time to look at strengthening your EVP or creating a proposition if you don’t already have one. As Gartner’s research suggests, making improvements to your EVP isn’t just good for people, it’s also good for the bottom line, as they noted an 18% increase in high performers by delivering radical flexibility.

Sue Chesterman, HR consultant at People Business, shares her top tip when it comes to EVPs

“Having a strong EVP is important to articulate the company offering and ethos, but what’s most important is remaining authentic. There’s a lot of noise around EVPs and they should not simply be a marketing strapline. Concentrate on making sure what you do offer is a true reflection of your brand. Employees will soon find out if your values and culture don’t represent the narrative they’ve been sold.”

If you’re interested in creating or strengthening your Employee Value Proposition or would like a conversation with one of our HR Consultants about our Recruitment, Assessment and Selection offering, please do contact us.