EVP employer branding - what do you know about it?

EVP employer branding is an integral part of every modern workplace. It is a comprehensive ecosystem of values, support and recognition that the company provides to its employees so that they can realize their true potential. EVP helps companies attract and retain the best talent on the market, as well as increase employee engagement. Without a solid proposition of the benefits package offered to employees, it will be difficult to find the right people, and they are the greatest asset of any organization.

There are tons of companies in the world and many of them do similar things. However, employees only dream of working in some of them. What causes these and not other organizations to attract people to themselves like a magnet? Especially that nowadays employees have a lot of options and are very demanding when choosing a job? The secret is EVP employer branding.

What is EVP (Employee Value Proposition)? 

EVP. Basically it is a benefit package that covers everything an employer does to attract and retain employees. This concept includes all remuneration, benefits, awards and privileges resulting from being an employee of a given organization. EVP employer branding these are the main reasons why an employee wants to work where he or she works and not look for employment elsewhere. EVP in employer branding was once defined as the set of monetary and non-monetary benefits provided by an organization to its employees in return for their skills, capabilities and experience they bring to the organization. However, this definition is rather outdated.

A modern definition of the concept stands for an ecosystem of support, recognition and value that an employer provides to employees in order to enable them to make the best use of their potential at work. EVP should not be treated as a bilateral transaction, but as a comprehensive set of values offered by the employer. Values that increase employee engagement and bring out the best from them. An effectively planned and implemented benefit package helps organizations and recruiting professionals build a strong employer brand.

EVP employer branding - definition

Unique and convincing EVP will help you retain the most valuable employees, but also attract real talents and pearls from the environment. What exactly is EVP employer branding? The definition of the famous brand strategist Brett Minchigton indicates that it is "the set of associations and offers that the organization provides in return for the skills, abilities, experience that the employee brings to the organization." Following this idea, you can broaden the definition to include work experience as perceived by company employees on the basis of brand identity, relationships with people, or corporate culture.

EVP employer branding is a magnet that attracts candidates for work. It should be an integrated process with other company strategies and be based on information obtained from both current and target employees. EVP are the reasons why people are motivated to work in our company. It is, for example, an inspiring vision, a distinctive culture, a positive atmosphere at work or an attractive salary. It is thanks to them that the exchange process takes place. Employees offer their skills and knowledge, and you, as an employer, offer not only a salary, but also additional features, thanks to which they are satisfied with their work, and therefore more efficient and motivated.

EVP - employer branding without secrets 

EVP employer branding takes its name from the concept of Unique Value Proposition functioning in marketing. UVP is a unique value that the company provides to its customers. Something that sets it apart from the competition. On the other hand EVP is a unique value that the company offers to employees. It can help attract new employees whose goals and values align with the goals and values of the organization. Employees who identify with the company and its goals.

57% recruiters say their biggest challenge is to distinguish their company from the competition. You need to know that your organization has EVP employer branding, regardless of whether it is consciously shaped or not. If an organization is not working to make it align with the company's goals, this could be one of the many reasons why it is not attracting and retaining the right employees. Meanwhile, companies that successfully implement them, can reduce the annual employee turnover by almost 70% and increase the engagement of new employees by almost 30%.

How to develop an effective EVP? 

Employer branding is essential for an organization to attract the best talent. Well worked out EVP offers a convincing answer to the question - why would a highly talented person decide to work with us? Designing a value package that is unique to your organization, will greatly improve the acquisition and retention of talent. At the same time, it will provide you with the opinion of an employer who has an advantage over the competition. 

In order to develop effective EVP employer branding, you need to find out what is the perception - both on the market and internally - of that, what your brand offers. Then check what is in line with the actual goals and vision of the company. What can be improved to better reflect its vision and culture. Think about what company culture you want to support. Find out what benefits are important to the profile of the employee you want to attract. Be sure to also get information from existing employees about the benefits that would be valuable to them. 

Empolyer branding

Firms should be prepared to consider changing the benefits offered so that they are more in line with the goals, values and needs of employees. You also need to take into account those hard-to-estimate elements that bring value to employees, such as ambitious work, interesting company culture and values that align with their personal goals. The right thing is very important internal communication in company. Employees need to be aware of what their employer offers them in order to be able to participate and appreciate it.

Only 23% executives say their companies perfectly align employee goals with corporate goals. So make sure your organisation's management is actively involved in EVP development. The next step is to integrate it with the external perception of the brand and customer experiences. A well-thought-out EVP is also linked to remuneration packages and communicated in a consistent and effective manner. Remember that even if a company does not create and support what constitutes a value package, it does not mean that it does not exist. It's just not actively managed.

EVP methods in employer branding

EVP are words and symbols that appear in the minds of employees / potential employees at the thought of a given employer. These are the values included in the employer branding strategy, which are to distinguish the company on the market.

EVP is the product of three elements. These are identity (what the company really is), profile (what the company wants to be) and image (how it is perceived on the market). Its most important features are:

• uniqueness,
• authenticity - promoted values must coincide with the actual state,
• attractiveness - for employees and potential employees, not for HR specialists; the perspective of the recipient, not the sender, is more important here,
• consistency with communication addressed to candidates,
• presence in the activities of the company and her organizational culture.

The process of determining EVP is not the simplest one. First of all, it requires verification of the company's identity (i.e. its mission, vision and principles) and determination of aspirations. The analysis of the company's image - and in particular the image on the Internet - is also important. Why? According to the eRecruiter survey conducted in 2017, more than 40% candidates search for information about a potential employer on the Internet (mainly on portals with opinions about employers), and over 30% checks social media for this purpose.

EVP should be communicated on two levels:

1. above the line,
2. below the line.

Employer branding

Above the line is all online and offline tools used in employer branding. One of them are job advertisements. A recruitment advertisement is an element of the potential candidate's first contact with the company. The content and appearance of the advertisement will largely determine whether a given person decides to send their application. The employer should make the advertisements attractive and legible so that they stand out from the competition.

Advertisements should contain EVP and other elements consistent with the company's identity. An interesting solution is to expand the presence on the recruitment portal with the employer's profile, where all the values important from the point of view of employer branding will be presented in an interesting and transparent way.

The company's social media is also a tool above the line. Social media is an important element of the functioning of every enterprise - not only in terms of acquiring customers and building strong ties with them, but also in relations between the company and potential employees. It is there that many candidates look for information about work in the company, the atmosphere and other elements important from the employee's point of view. The company should ensure the consistency of all social channels. Both professional, such as LinkedIn or GoldenLine, as well as more commercial ones, such as Facebook. EVP values should be clearly visible on the profiles.

Below the line communication manifests itself in relation to employees - commitment, trust, loyalty etc. It shows whether the values proclaimed by the company are reflected in reality - a satisfied employee is an excellent brand ambassador.

The employer should take care of a coherent image and include EVP in all recruitment channels. Consistently communicated EVP will make the company perceived as a positive workplace - a desirable employer that attracts talents.

Examples of EVP employer branding activities in Poland

A strong EVP is the foundation of an employer branding strategy. This is something that distinguishes the company from others. It makes the employer considered desirable, attractive in the eyes of the candidates.

Well-thought-out EVP employer branding activities can bring spectacular results. A brand that consciously guides the EB strategy has a chance to attract the best employees - talents that can do a lot of good to the company and can clearly contribute to its development. Strong EVP employer branding is a way to motivate employees to act. Thanks to this, the company is developing at a dizzying pace, achieves successes on the market, and is constantly climbing the ranks of the industry hierarchy.

Carrying out a well-thought-out EVP employer branding strategy is not one of the easiest tasks. Which companies are doing it well? To the leaders of Polish employer branding PZU can be included. What distinguishes the company are unusual recruitment processes. The company focuses on somewhat funny and abstract communication with potential candidates. He tries to reach them in an unconventional way, creating original, distinctive recruitment spots.

Examples of employer branding

An interesting element of employer branding activities created by the company was the campaign "Such work makes sense", in which two dimensions of work at PZU were emphasized: employment in a prestigious company that is a market leader and helping clients in important, unexpected life situations. The aim of the campaign was to show employees and candidates that working at PZU is not only a chance to fulfill professional fulfillment, but also an opportunity to help people who need it. PZU cares about the consistency of EVP employer branding activities in all communication channels.

Another company that focuses on the high quality of its EVP employer branding activities is IKEA. An example is the company's 2018 campaign "You are the change", showing the company's values and culture. The aim of the campaign was to show that what counts for IKEA as an employer is the willingness to change the world for the better and being at peace with yourself. The company emphasized that it is open to others, regardless of age, experience, gender or origin.

Lidl attaches great importance to employer branding activities. The network openly communicates its EVP and emphasizes that it is an employer who focuses on maintaining a balance between private and professional life.

Custom EVP step by step

Development of EVP is one of the most important elements of building the image of a strong and attractive employer. How to define them? The first step should be to analyze the company's current image. The SWOT analysis will be perfect for this, as it will identify the strengths and weaknesses of the organization as well as the opportunities and threats resulting from the external environment that are important in communication with the target group (in this case with employees and potential employees). Information for a SWOT analysis can be obtained in various ways. First of all, it is worth using tools such as employee satisfaction surveys, data on onborading, exit interviews.

Any statistics from the media used in employer branding activities (e.g. the career tab, recruitment announcements), opinions about the employer published in social media, on thematic forums and on special portals with opinions may prove helpful. The company can also analyze competitors' activities, engage internal focus groups (opinions of employees from various departments - including newly hired ones) or interview candidates who have rejected a job to find out about their feelings, experiences and opinions. The collected information will allow to determine how the organization is perceived by the current and potential candidates, which will be the result of the preparation of a unique set of attributes that will distinguish the employer on the market.

In creating EVP, the analysis of the target group is of great importance - i.e. what kind of employees we are looking for. Representatives of different groups may have different needs and expectations. Therefore, it is important to focus on those attributes that will be most attractive to our candidates. This will increase the chances of acquiring highly qualified, valuable employees.

What is EVP? We can divide the attributes into three groups:

1. Economic attributes - remuneration, benefits and benefits.
2. Functional attributes - company location, tasks at work, job security and certainty, good career development conditions, flexible working conditions, clear promotion path.
3. Emotional attributes - organizational culture, appreciation, friendly atmosphere, reputation and prestige of the company, image, strong CSR.

When creating EVP, it is worth focusing on emotional and functional attributes.

When creating EVP, remember that the attributes should be described in as much detail as possible - this will make them unique and exceptional. For example, rather than "brilliant atmosphere" it is better to describe the real factors that influence the atmosphere.

Importance of EVP in employer branding 

In the era of high competition from EVP, employer branding is quickly becoming an important tool for attracting the best talents. Today, not only companies choose who will work for them. Employees also have a lot of choice of their employer. This choice is growing as online recruitment tools make worldwide job vacancies available to almost anyone anywhere. Employer branding is how companies communicate their culture and values to the outside world. Via social media, advertising content, etc. Thanks to this reach the right people with their messageand who want to work for them, thinking, “Wow! This company wants the same as me, and my experience will help me achieve my own goal. ” 

Much of EVP can be communicated through job postings, engaging website content, social media marketing. All this contributes to building a strong employer brand. According to a LinkedIn Global Recruiting Trends report, over 80% business leaders admit that employer branding has a significant impact on their ability to hire talent. The report also shows that while nearly 70% of recruiting budgets is mostly spent on job postings, recruiting tools and recruiting agencies, talent leaders identify employer branding as the most important area they would like to invest more in. Creating a good EVP employer branding is definitely something worth starting with.