In part 1 of this article, we were discussing the employee value proposition (EVP), which is the set of things that employees value that are received as part of working there. It’s essentially the reasons employees should work for you rather than the competition. Every organization has an EVP, but not every organization takes steps to manage it.
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We were talking about some of the indirect ways the EVP is communicated. Let’s continue that now.
EVP: Indirect Communication (continued, view part 1 here)
Here are a few more examples of things that can be done in advance (before directly communicating the EVP) that will impact company image:
- Pay attention to what is being said about the organization. Monitor online sites that allow current and former employees to give ratings. Simply learning what is being said can be informative and can allow the employer to make changes so that future reviews become or remain more positive. Learning what is being said can also help the employer understand what they need to communicate about. These reviews can help to show what people are thinking—and, therefore, what communication is needed. (They can also be a catalyst for cultural change if the organizational culture that is reflected by the reviews is not in alignment with the organizational values and goals.)
- Do your research to know what to communicate about and emphasize. Ensure you have an idea of the type of things your current and potential employees value. For example, if healthcare benefits are highly valued, and this is a benefit you offer, that’s going to be something you’ll want to highlight.
- Train those who communicate with employees and prospective employees on what you’d like emphasized. This is another way to keep a united front.
Communicating the EVP in Recruiting
Whenever you’re recruiting for the organization, it’s important that the EVP is communicated well. Here are some ways to do that:
- The job post itself should tell why someone would want to work there. Explain what the prospective employee should expect to gain from employment there. Explain what the working environment is like.
- During the interview and all other communications with prospective employees, there is an opportunity to directly talk about the EVP. Most likely, you’ll never need to use words like “employee value proposition”—instead, it will flow as part of the natural conversation about the benefits of working there.
- Be sure to highlight the ways that your organization differs from other places the potential (or current) employee could work. What sets you apart is what you want to emphasize.
- When possible, tailor the message to the person you’re speaking with. Ideally, you’ll have some information about what is important to that person and how the organization can help them meet their goals.
Does your organization actively try to cultivate and communicate about your EVP? What steps do you take to ensure that the EVP is communicated to potential employees? Do you take action when you see that there are misconceptions?