What is an Employee Value Proposition

Effective employer branding is known to lower recruitment costs and improve the quality of hires.

By clearly articulating what makes the company a unique and valuable place to work, a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP) exists as a core element of an employer brand.

Powerful EVPs are...

Aligned with corporate goals
Differentiated from competitors

Building a powerful EVP takes time and expertise. You want all your employer branding work to have a valid return, and you want it to last.

Building an EVP and the surrounding employer brand will require HR leaders to:

Identify the right problem
Build buy-in
Maintain energy for the result
Manage the process
Champion the execution

The scope and timeline of an employer branding project can vary greatly depending on your situation. There are a few methods for moving an employer branding initiative forward.

Regardless of the method, start with research and discovery to get clarity on your current reality. This can be difficult to do from inside an organization, but is a crucial step in building your EVP.

The goal is to build an EVP that guides and inspires employees. Here is what it is made up of:

Parts of an Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

The Summary

Key Ideas: Concisely written, authentic, differentiated, catchy
Determining Factors: Employee research, company brand alignment

The Promises

Key Ideas: Aligned to key employee questions, genuine
Determining Factors: Employee research, operationally deliverable

The Values

Key Ideas: Aligned to needs, genuine, memorable language
Determining Factors: Truly core to company culture and embraced at the highest levels

The Mission

Key Ideas: Big job your company is doing, outcome of success
Determining Factors: Matches the product/service outcomes your company exists to deliver

The Vision

Key Ideas: Long term, inspiring
Determining Factors: Tied to overall company value proposition

Translating the EVP to making a difference…

Supporting the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) typically involves having clear and competitive answers to these employee value questions.

Is my compensation competitive?
Do the benefits meet my needs?
Is there a career development path for me?
Can I be productive in the work environment?
Do I align with the company culture?
Will my efforts be recognized?

Where does your EVP live?

A critical step in any employer brand project is assuring alignment and control of brand values, visuals, and verbals. That will often include:

Employee Handbooks
Company Websites and Career Pages
Onboarding Materials
Internal Communication Channels
Company Meetings
Recruitment Events and Job Fairs
Social Media and Digital Marketing
Performance and Review Discussions

Do these communication points leave new hires and employees with a powerful vision for what you do and how they benefit from joining in the effort?

In conclusion

A strong employer brand lowers recruiting costs and improves hire quality by building a clear, authentic Employee Value Proposition (EVP). A great EVP aligns with company goals, differentiates from competitors, and answers key employee needs, showing up consistently across internal and external communications. Most importantly, remember that a little heart in your EVP goes a long way.

It’s time to take action.

Put your company value proposition and the EVP next to each other. Do they align and support each other?
Explore ways to strengthen your EVP. Often brand consultants can provide broad guidance through webinars or intro calls.
Conduct qualitative and quantitative brand and satisfaction research with a core sampling of employees.
Gather together examples of everywhere your employer brand is communicated. Review and share with your employer brand team.

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