Steps to Develop a New EVP

The initial phase of creating an EVP statement is straightforward, three steps will set the process in motion:

• gather data,
• analyse the data, and
• write a first draft of your EVP.

Data collection

When you set out to create an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) you need to understand how the organisation is perceived. Start by gathering as much recent and relevant data around the employee experience as you can.

Look at what is said about your organisation on social media and employer review sites such as Glassdoor as it will provide insight you won’t get from internal sources. Network and use the knowledge and experience of all stakeholders.

Look for metrics relating to recruitment and retention and collate from past employee surveys and interviews including exit interviews, as possible. As well as numbers you need context, so look at the opinions that employees offer.

Talk to staff, either using a formal focus group or a more casual conversation, as really valuable insights come from open feedback. Ask staff what they like most about working for the organisation and what would like to see change. Question prospective staff as to what they have heard about you as an employer and discuss their experience of the application process.

It is, of course, entirely possible that you may be confronted information reflecting an employee experience that is not all you would wish. If that’s the case, you will have to act, because asking for feedback from staff entails an obligation to deal with matters arising. If you really want to provide a positive EVP you need to be transparent in dealing with employment issues.

Analysis of data

After collecting all data you can access, carefully examine the numbers and responses to assess their utility in the EVP creation process. In exploring the data try to identify key trends and themes that will point up the organisation’s successes and opportunities for growth and improvement. This will give the big picture showing the organisation from the perspective of its employees and others.

Drafting a statement

When writing a first draft of the EVP try to ensure that key stakeholders are involved. Take the data analysis and consider it in conjunction with how the leadership team wants the employer brand to be perceived. Use the draft to consider how the organisation differentiates itself from the competition. What makes the organisation unique and what will resonate with the talent you want to attract? What is it about the organisational culture that staff value?

An EVP statement needs to be honest and genuine, be based on what is right for the employees, not what your competitors are doing. It is a platform – what you go out and talk about, externally and internally. Think about the audience and the attributes that need to be reflected in the EVP statement.

Finally when you are ready to pin down the EVP remember that the organisation needs to deliver on it, otherwise you’ll waste a lot of work! When you define and communicate an EVP you can’t sit back and hope for the best, keep checking that what people are told when they join is what they experience when they get their feet under the desk.