Word of mouth only works for so long, especially when competitors are after the same talent as you.

An alive and alluring EVP is critical in helping attract and retain the best people for your company specifically.

What is an EVP you ask?

EVP stands for Employee Value Proposition.

It's what a company gives its staff in exchange for their time and effort. All companies have one, whether they have been intentional about it or not. And this is the exact reason you need to be deliberate about EVP: if you’re not controlling the narrative, someone else is and it might not be the one you want!

Primarily your EVP is your culture: how you measure and reward performance, how you give and receive feedback, and how you feel when you are at work. It's how you talk about what it's like to work at your company.

Secondary elements of your EVP include recognition, team events, bonuses, career pathways, health insurance, or benefits.

The best EVP attracts the talent you want, and also repels the talent you don't want. This is by design to ensure you get the attention of the right people, not just any people.

So how can youcreate a good EVP?

• Firstly - be deliberate. Your EVP     will look different at different stages of your company’s growth.
  • Do you have a mission statement that reflects the next level that you are going to?
  • Have you designed a set of core competencies that reflect behaviours each person needs to live out in order to get to that next level?
  • Do you have the right performance and feedback processes in place?

• Second - take stock. What good secondary elements do you already have in place? Ask your current team members what aspects they value the most - is it flexible working, health insurance, your coffee machine, team celebrations or something else entirely?
• Third - invest in your EVP. Make sure you have the right people and processes that will enhance the culture you want to grow. Based on the culture you are trying to create, ensure you are investing in the benefits and perks that will compliment that culture.
• Fourth - tell the world! Get clever about how you share your EVP with your current team and the talent market. Thank your team for their feedback and get them excited about what you already offer (because sometimes we forget). If you haven’t already, put a referral bonus in place to reinforce to your team that good talent knows good talent and they should be sharing vacancies with their networks!

Once you’ve invested time on getting clear on who you are and what you offer, it's time to get your EVP working hard for you externally in the market! This is where “employer brand” comes into play.

Let's show the world who you are and what it would be like to work alongside your team! Each touch point potential talent has with your people and your company will create an impression over time. And when a job opening appears, they will be quick to put their hand up and already excited and engaged with you as an employer.

We would also add - the role of a leader is to be a walking billboard for EVP. A wise man once said: each hiring manager should have their next three hires in mind! Talent attraction is everyone's role, not just the People & Culture team.

Our top tip: Use videos of your people. As part of showing the world and valuing your existing talent, share 1-2 minute videos of your team on your website and LinkedIn page. This could be a quickfire Q&A, a short interview about someone's career progression, or a hiring manager sharing about a vacancy. As the saying goes - "eyes get eyes" - so encourage your people to get on camera. They are a huge asset to your EVP!

Does all this talk of EVP still boggle you?

Or do you need help refining what your EVP is and how to share that with the world?

We would love to talk! Utilise our expertise across many industries and companies of all ages and stages, and let's get your EVP on the map!

Word of mouth only works for so long, especially when competitors are after the same talent as you. An alive and alluring EVP is critical in helping attract and retain the best people for your company specifically.