What happens when you scratch the surface of your EVP?

Attracting the right talent has never been more challenging and competitive. In 2022, almost 80% of employers reported finding it difficult to find the people they really need.

Smart companies are listening to what their people want; more flexibility, options about where they work, inclusivity, a culture of wellbeing and balance, investment in their career development. They’re creating meaningful employer value propositions (EVP’s) rooted in genuine employee needs and embedded into everything they do.

A strong, embedded EVP not only helps employers attract the best talent and decrease hiring costs over time, but it also keeps existing employees happy and motivated to stay for longer.

But too often, Employer Value Proposition’s – with the promise of reeling in and catching the most exceptional people – are simply creative slogans painted onto the surface of what a company already does. A surface level promise that doesn’t go any deeper than the way it’s described in a job ad or web page. This can create a huge mismatch between expectations and reality. It wastes money spent on recruitment, not to mention harming employee performance and your reputation as an employer.

Your EVP isn’t just your brand or your values. It’s not just about benefits and pay. It’s everything that makes up the experience you commit to giving employees. The purpose you have, the culture you build, the rewards and compensation you offer, the development opportunities you provide, and the environments you create for people to work in.

So how do you ensure it’s hard wired into your business?

If we were creating a customer value proposition, we’d work hard to understand who our ideal target client is, what their needs and challenges are, and how we can create value for them. When we work with clients on developing or strengthening their Employer Value Proposition’s, we use exactly the same approach.

Three steps to building an authentic EVP

1. Identify who your current and ideal employee target is and establish what’s important to them. Set up surveys and interviews. What do they want and need? Do they care about big bonuses or everyday wellbeing? Do they want a fixed workplace, or do they want options to work in different locations? Do they want to feel part of something bigger and purpose driven like Bulb and other B Corp companies putting sustainability front and centre of their business? What would make your people feel valued, cared for, and understood? What are competitors doing and how can you be more appealing?

2. Design your ideal EVP with those needs in mind. Think about your differentiators. Think about being employee centric. Do you have a culture of shared responsibility and reward when it comes to new business wins? Does every employee have a say in big decisions and a share in profits as they do at John Lewis? Do they have total autonomy on their schedules? Are you striving to be an inclusive employer? What can you offer that no one else can?

3. Embed the EVP into your operating model from the inside out. From compensation packages and career development processes to building a strong company culture, an EVP only comes to life and adds value when it’s truly built into every part of the employee experience. This can’t be achieved by one team alone. Both marketing and HR share the responsibility, not just to design the ideal state but to build it into the experience in a tangible way. The leadership team are also key in bringing all teams together to support EVP initiatives. Google don’t just promise to nurture a culture of innovation and new ideas, they actively encourage employees to spend 20% of their time to work on them. It’s about real commitments and actions. Not just a fancy headline on a web page.

Employers must take EVP seriously to win and keep top talent.

Businesses can no longer afford to paint on an EVP. It’s an employees’ market out there. Expectations are high, and to compete for the best talent it’s essential to listen to what they want and create an experience that matches or exceeds that.

Do you know what your employees really value? The answer might be different to what you’re expecting.