You work hard to communicate your business’s values and services to customers. Do you use the same intensity when communicating the value of your organization to current and potential employees? Organizations spend time, effort, and resources carving out their unique value propositions for those who bring the organization revenue; they should do the same for potential employees.
You’ve likely seen or maybe even drive a company truck that says “We’re Hiring” on the tailgate – these organizations have the right idea, but this falls short of culling the hires they need. It’s like scatter-shot marketing, and it leaves too much to chance. Be a place people want to work, then encourage your employees to spread the word. Helping your employees craft a message that markets their organization as a destination-employer not only attracts like-minded candidates, but it helps reinforce everyone’s “why” – in a similar way, from a very different perspective. Consider the resources your own organization has allocated to the UVP. Now, shift your focus to hiring for attitude and developing skills when investing in the development of an EVP.
How Is EVP Different from Brand?
Employment brands and employee value propositions (EVPs) are two sides of the same coin. Brand encompasses many factors, but, basically, it boils down to how customers feel about your business or their overall perception. EVP relates to how company culture resonates with your employees – the representation of that resonation through messaging, images, slogans, and practice is your EVP. If done correctly, your EVP should communicate how your employees feel about your business and their overall perception of working for your company.
Listen to understand your employees’ “why.” Is your reputation that of a great organization to work for? Do your priorities match those of your front-line team? How does their job help them reach goals and realize opportunity? The answer to these questions will develop an understanding of your employees similar to the way you seek to understand your customers.
Creating Your EVP
Like any company culture, an EVP has to be built from the ground up. Determine your approach to understand your employee’s better. Evaluate your current culture and analyze data on employee engagement, current recruitment strategies, and the characteristics of the employees who leave and the ones who thrive. Use anonymous surveys to solicit feedback and focus groups to generate great ideas and energy.
Identify recurring themes, dive deeper with stakeholders, and target employee groups. Once you have identified your current culture, work with your employees in appropriate sessions (work/focus groups, email survey, or open forum Q&A) to leverage their descriptions, phrases, preferences, and style. An EVP must be created from the ground up!
Uber’s new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, recently took the ground up approach. He gathered the feedback of 1,200 employees and refined their responses into eight new cultural norms, published this month. He emphasized that these norms represent a new stage in Uber’s growth and will continue to evolve as the company continues to grow.
Analyze the employment process from recruitment through the employee lifespan to find consistent ways to incorporate your objectives into the employee experience. Continue to evaluate and refine the experience as you receive feedback.
A Monster study found Canadian employees are some of the happiest and most satisfied in the world, but those statistics vary widely from one company to the next. Workers are looking for job security, a work-life balance, and a company that helps them advance. Create an EVP that shows how your company offers key attractors along with a thriving culture to bring in talent that puts you in front of the competition.
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