The Benefits of a Clear EVP

Your organisation has an employer value proposition, whether it is something you have designed or it has grown by itself. Your employees and prospective employees have their own ideas of what the organisation offers and provides and they will have shared those views with others.

Employees have choices about which organisation they work for and organisations with a good employer brand and strong EVP will attract the best candidates.

What a strong employer value proposition means to the organisation

• Competitive advantage – that distinguishes the organisation from competitors
• Employer of choice – signals to the market that the organisation is a great place to work
• Attraction – attracts candidates likely to support the organisation’s brand and values
• Retention – employees more engaged, motivates and committed to the organisation
• Advocacy – employees act as brand ambassadors

In addition to this, the actual implementation of the EVP communications will have an impact on the organisation and its people.

A well-executed EVP can

• Improve the commitment of new hires by up to 29%
• Increase the likelihood of employees acting as sponsors from an average of 24% to 47%
• Decrease annual employee turnover by 69 percent

All according to the Corporate Leadership Council’s research.

In a competitive labour market where there is insufficient talent to fill vacancies and widespread skills shortages, an attractive EVP could make the difference in whether prospective employees choose your organisation first. An added benefit is that a strong EVP may result not only in an engaged and motivated workforce but one that will be happy to refer new talent to the organisation.

Employee experience

The benefit for employees is a work experience aligned with their expectations and preferences. Engaged employees are less likely to leave their employer and 72 percent of highly engaged employees report that they would like to continue working for their current employer until they retire. Developing a clear and relevant EVP that reflects a positive employee experience delivers a strong return on investment.

An organisation’s EVP is integral to the way they do business and a reflection of strategy and its people. It embodies a positive workplace culture that is key to attracting employees whose values are closely aligned with those of the organisation.

The benefit of defining a clear EVP means the organisation will:

• Have a better understanding of employees – understanding employees as well as employees understand their customers
• Improved financial performance and enhanced engagement
• Improved attraction and retention

A 2007 report on employer of choice status noted that “gaining recognition for valuing employees, and delivering on promises made to job seekers and employees, is the only way to build a true reputation as an employer of choice”. Your EVP should be relevant to your employees in order to be effective. A robust EVP will align with the organisation’s HR strategy because it is employee focused.

Improving retention and engagement requires organisations to clearly define value in terms of the offer to employees. Clearly stating your EVP requires a good understanding of your employees and their values; predicated on a broad and informed perspective of stakeholder opinion and perception.