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In today's fiercely competitive job market, attracting top talent requires more than just offering a good salary. To stand out, organisations need to demonstrate a clear, compelling reason why jobseekers should choose their organisation over others.
This is where having a well-crafted employer value proposition (EVP) comes into play.
What is an employer value proposition (EVP)?
An employer value proposition (EVP), sometimes called an employee value proposition, is a statement that showcases your company's key benefits and forms an important part of your broader employer brand.
It acts as a pledge from you (as the employer) to your prospective employees, outlining what your company and its culture have to offer in return for your staff's expertise.
Importantly, an EVP should capture more than just the financial rewards your company offers. It should represent a holistic view of your organisation's benefits, encompassing everything from salary to culture, work-life balance, career development, and the value of the work itself.
Read on to discover strategies for creating and communicating an EVP that attracts new talent, appeals to your existing talent community, and retains and engages your existing employees.
How to build an impactful employer value proposition
Building a compelling EVP for employer branding is a strategic process that requires deeply examining your company, researching your competitors, and encouraging engagement across your organisation. It's all about highlighting the essence of your company and its core benefits that distinguish you from competitors.
Importantly, a well-crafted EVP will help engage both active job seekers and passive candidates by shining a light on what makes your company unique and desirable, even to those who aren’t currently looking for a new position.
Here are the key steps to constructing an EVP that resonates:
1. Evaluate and communicate remuneration effectively
Companies that offer competitive pay from the outset can positively shape people’s initial perceptions.
However, an attractive salary alone doesn’t guarantee long-term employee satisfaction or engagement. So, the true value of an EVP lies in its ability to communicate financial rewards in addition to the attractive qualities of a company’s work environment.
This is especially important when salary offerings are on par with or below industry standards. In these cases, an organisation must highlight its unique attributes in order to stay competitive. This could include mentioning fast-tracked career development opportunities, a vibrant and supportive company culture, or innovative work practices.
2. Promote your work environment's best features
Showcasing an engaging work environment is important to attracting and retaining top talent.
When communicating this, it’s important to consider that a work setting extends beyond the physical layout of an office—it encompasses the design of the workspace, modern amenities that ease the daily grind, and even flexible work arrangements to accommodate different employee needs and preferences.
In today’s job market, these elements can greatly increase your organisation's appeal.
In particular, the flexibility to work from home has become more than a perk; it's a critical component of work-life balance, especially prized by younger employees who often prioritise flexibility over more traditional benefits. Additionally, providing access to cutting-edge technology, ensuring robust health and wellness programs, and creating a culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion can further solidify your company as an employer of choice.
3. Highlight opportunities for career progression
Demonstrating a commitment to employee development through training, mentorship, and career advancement can tip the scales in your favour and make your organisation stand out.
By actively supporting and encouraging employees to develop their abilities (for example, by offering comprehensive training programs or facilitating access to resources), you can reinforce the importance of continuous learning and growth.
You might like to illustrate the real impact of these opportunities by showcasing examples of home-grown talent who have risen through the ranks. These narratives of success exemplify the opportunities available to newcomers and reinforce your organisation’s commitment to nurturing talent.
4. Emphasise stability and security
In an environment where established companies and young startups constantly compete for top talent, how can longstanding organisations showcase their strengths?
One way is to emphasise stability and job security.
The advantages of having a long history, steady growth, and a leading position in the market are all factors that make employees feel secure.
By highlighting these aspects, established companies can appeal to those looking for a secure and reliable workplace, distinguishing themselves in the eyes of potential talent who may be cautious of startup environments.
5. Monitor and adapt to competitor strategies
While directly imitating the EVP strategies of your competitors isn’t the best idea (as it fails to create differentiation and target your unique audience), it's good to keep an eye on the competition.
Understanding your direct rivals' value propositions and recruitment marketing efforts can inform your approach, allowing you to make strategic adjustments to make your EVP stand out. For instance, if a competitor fails to offer flexible work arrangements, this can become a prime feature to emphasise within your own EVP.
6. Leverage employee insights to identify strengths and refine your EVP
The perspectives of your current workforce are incredibly important when it comes to crafting an EVP that resonates.
By engaging directly with employees to explore the reasons why they decided to join and stay with your company, you discover the elements of your organisational culture, benefits, career opportunities, and work environment that are most appreciated.
Encouraging open discussions through surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews allows employees to share their views on what makes your company an attractive workplace. Additionally, incorporating these employee testimonials can add authenticity to your EVP, making it more compelling to prospective candidates.
Keep in mind that by continuously refining your EVP based on employee feedback, you can make sure it remains relevant and appealing. This iterative process strengthens your proposition and reinforces that your employees' thoughts and opinions are valued.
How to write an effective EVP
As we’ve discussed, creating the ultimate EVP involves a deep understanding of what makes your organisation unique, aligning this with the needs and desires of your current and potential employees, and communicating all of these aspects in a compelling way.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective EVP:
1. Deep dive into your company’s uniqueness
Explore what sets your organisation apart. Is it your cutting-edge technology, commitment to environmental sustainability, a flat hierarchy that encourages open communication, or unparalleled career development programs?
Your unique selling points are what your company does well and what it does differently/better than everyone else.
2. Thoroughly understand employee needs
Leverage employee surveys, exit interviews, candidate feedback, and industry benchmarks to gain an in-depth view of what attracts and retains talent.
Remember, the needs of a fresh graduate will differ from those of a seasoned executive, so tailoring your EVP to address these variations is crucial.
3. Craft your EVP to reflect core values
Ensure your EVP reflects your organisation's mission and core values. This will naturally attract individuals who share similar values, fostering a cohesive and motivated workforce.
4. Define each component of your EVP
Now, you’re ready to specify your EVP’s main components with your candidate in mind.
To define each main component of your EVP, consider these questions:
- What is the salary range and type of benefits that would attract this candidate?
- What kind of career development opportunities is this candidate looking for?
- What would define a great company culture for this candidate?
- What type of work environment would this candidate thrive in?
5. Segment and personalise your EVP
Create variations of your EVP that speak directly to different segments of your workforce and candidate pool.
For instance, consider emphasising work-life balance and flexible working hours for parents while highlighting vibrant team dynamics and learning opportunities for younger employees or recent graduates.
6. Engage in effective promotion strategies
Your EVP should be communicated and promoted through various channels to ensure wide visibility. Share your EVP on your company website, social media platforms, job ads, and even your email signature.
You could also consider storytelling through employee testimonials and day-in-the-life videos to bring your EVP to life.
7. Evaluate and iterate
The job market and employee expectations are constantly evolving. Regularly reassess your EVP to ensure it remains relevant and competitive.
Writing tips and best practices
- Clarity above all: Avoid jargon and complex language. Your EVP should be easily understood by anyone, regardless of their familiarity with your industry.
- Be specific and tangible: Instead of vague promises, provide specific examples of what employees can expect. For instance, rather than simply stating “competitive salary,” you could say, “Offering top quartile salaries and a bonus structure that rewards innovation and teamwork.”
- Highlight the employee experience: Focus on how the components of your EVP directly impact and improve the employee experience.
- Authenticity is key: An authentic EVP is rooted in the actual experiences of your employees. It should be more than aspirational—it should be a true representation of life at your company. Authenticity builds trust and helps potential employees visualise their future as part of your organisation.
Examples of successful EVPs
Next, let’s explore three fantastic EVPs companies have showcased to the market:
1. Alida
Alida provides a total experience management platform that integrates insights to optimise customer, employee, and brand experiences.
At the heart of Alida's EVP is the principle of authenticity, prominently featured on the company's career page with the declaration: “Live your truth. Be bold, be vulnerable, be human, be you. Let’s learn and grow together.”
This exemplifies a standout EVP, where the organisation's perks align with its slogan. For example, employees are given complimentary access to LinkedIn Learning, embodying Alida’s commitment to growth and learning.
Additional perks include spending options for health and lifestyle or contributions to a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) and flexible benefits that can cover fertility treatments.
2. Eventbrite
Eventbrite is a worldwide ticketing platform for live experiences. It allows users to effortlessly organise, discover, share, and participate in events that match their interests.
Eventbrite's EVP brilliantly establishes connections between the company's operations and the benefits it provides to employees.
On their careers page, a prominent header cleverly reads, “You’re invited,” followed by the text “...to a mission that matters. Eventbrite is where people come together to unlock the magic of sharing an infinite reel of experiences. We’re opening people up to the world around them. And looking for talented people, like you, to help us do it.”
The page then explains other elements of what employees can expect while working at Eventbrite. One example includes the text, “Wherever works best for you, works for us. Whether that’s at home, in an office, or a mix of both. We’re here to support you and your loved ones through all phases of life, offering robust benefits, financial and physical wellness options, and all the perks – no matter where you are.”
3. Canva
Canva offers a great example of a well-crafted EVP.
To begin with, Cavana has a separate site for potential employees, lifeatcanva.com, which offers insights into the employee experience at the company.
This platform features information on everyday life at Canva, allowing candidates to explore potential team dynamics and growth opportunities. They state, “Our teams operate a bit like mini start-ups within Canva, setting and driving crazy big goals. We want our people to thrive at Canva by focussing on goals, collaboration, and impact, not titles and levels.”
A particularly noteworthy aspect of Canva's EVP is its strong commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and community.
The company aims for every 'Canvanaut' to feel included and empowered, encouraging employee engagement by acknowledging diverse cultures and backgrounds. This commitment is evident in their EVP marketing, which showcases stories, visuals, and footage of diverse team members.
All in all, the effectiveness of Canva’s EVP comes down to its genuine interest in employee well-being, its celebration of diverse identities, and its pride in staff contributions.
Mastering the art of an effective EVP
As we’ve explored, an EVP (meaning that unique blend of benefits, culture, and development opportunities) is the cornerstone of your company's identity in the eyes of current and prospective employees.
Crafting a compelling EVP requires a deep understanding of your organisation’s strengths, a commitment to authenticity, and a clear communication strategy that resonates with the values and aspirations of your target talent.
It's not merely about selling a job; it’s about presenting a vision of work that aligns with your potential candidates' personal and professional aspirations.
In addition to developing a strong EVP, specialised tech recruitment platforms can help you find the perfect candidates.
At WeAreDevelopers, we streamline the process of finding the perfect software developer for your team. By posting a job ad on our IT Job Board, you can start attracting the right talent today.
