Unleash of the power of your employer branding

What’s an employee value proposition?

If your employer brand is your promise to employees, then your employee value proposition (EVP) is the detail that sits behind that brand. The value proposition makes clear what employees can expect from their employer and what the employer expects in return.

Look at one of our clients – Colt. Their Employer Brand promise is clear: If you choose to work at Colt then you can ‘Make Your Mark’.

It’s a global technology infrastructure business that’s big enough to be working on very exciting projects, and nimble enough to mean that employees can affect change in their roles.

Colt’s EVP is all about amazing employee experiences; flexibility and support; having access to all areas; and working in global teams. Colt expects employees to be agile; take on responsibility and work collaboratively. In return, employees get to work with colleagues in multiple markets and they’re offered flexibility to organise their work lives around home.

Why does an employer brand and EVP matter?

Let’s have a look at four crucial reasons…

Attracting top talent: In 2024, candidates have access to more information than ever before. They research companies extensively before applying for jobs. A compelling employer brand can make you irresistible to talented individuals seeking meaningful work experiences.

Increasing employee engagement: When employees feel connected to their organisation’s purpose and values, they’re more likely to be engaged at work. Engaged employees contribute positively to productivity levels, innovation, customer satisfaction, and overall business success.

Enhancing retention rates: A strong employer brand creates an emotional bond in the employee-employer relationship. This bond fosters loyalty among team members who feel valued for their contributions – an important driver in reducing turnover rates. Happy employees are great for business!

Building trust: A positive employer brand builds trust both internally and externally. It assures potential candidates that your company is a great place to work, while also boosting the confidence of current employees.

How to unleash the power of employer branding

Now that we understand the importance of employer branding, let’s dive into some actionable steps you can take to unleash its power and build a thriving team:

1. Define Your Employer Value Proposition (EVP)

Creating an EVP starts with your customers. That might seem a strange thing to say, but it’s important to first ask what your customers want from your employees. If you know what behaviours and skills you need to attract and retain, then you know how to build an EVP.

To create an effective EVP:

• Identify what customers want: when you know what your ideal employee looks like, then you can start to identify what will attract and retain them.
• Identify core values: determine what values are most important to your organisation and weave them into every aspect of your employee experience.
• Highlight perks and benefits: showcase the perks, employee benefits, and opportunities for growth that differentiate you from competitors.
• Tell relevant stories: Share the stories that are going to excite the people you want to attract. Some people love human stories. Others love facts and details. Work out what is right for your employer brand.

2. Create compelling employer branding collateral

Once you’ve defined your EVP, it’s time to bring it to life through various channels:

• Career website: design an engaging career website that reflects your employer brand identity and showcases job openings, employee testimonials, and culture highlights.
• Social media presence: leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook to share engaging content related to company culture, employee achievements, events or initiatives.
• Employee testimonials: Encourage employees to share their experiences through written testimonials or video interviews on various platforms.

3. Nurture employee advocacy

Your employees are one of the most powerful assets when it comes to building a strong employer brand and company reputation:

• Empower employees as brand ambassadors: encourage employees to actively participate in promoting the company’s values by sharing their experiences on social media or referring potential candidates.
• Recognise employee contributions: Regularly acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work, fostering a sense of pride and loyalty.

4. Get the candidate experience right

To attract top talent, it’s crucial to provide an exceptional candidate experience:

• Streamline recruitment process: Ensure your hiring process is efficient, transparent, and respectful of candidates’ time.
• Communicate effectively: Keep candidates informed about the status of their application and provide feedback whenever possible.

5. Apply your EVP to the whole employee experience

A positive work culture is a magnet for top talent. Getting the culture right means applying your EVP to every part of the employee experience, from new employees induction to performance management and leadership, to reward & recognition.

Here are some ways to create an inclusive and engaging employee experience.:

• Emphasise diversity & inclusion: we know that inclusive workplaces result in better productivity and performance, and that inclusive cultures mean that an employer can appeal to a wider group of people.
• Promote growth opportunities: encourage and provide opportunities for career and skills development. Employees want to know that they can deliver good work and progress if that is what they want most.
• Encourage work-life balance: support work-life balance initiatives to help employees thrive both personally and professionally.
• Recognise great work: people like to be welcomed, cared for, and appreciated. Appreciated means acknowledging them; and creating opportunities to reward achievements.

Employer branding is not just a buzzword; it’s a strategic tool that can transform your company’s performance.

By defining your EVP, creating a clear employer brand promise, and developing compelling experiences and offers, you’ll be well on your way to attracting top talent and building a thriving team.

The CIPD estimates that it costs £6,000 per year to attract and recruit the average employee. That rises to £19,000 for more senior hires. Getting your employer brand wrong is not just bad for employees, it’s bad for customers and your bottom line.

Employer branding is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort. Stay true to your values, adapt as needed, and watch your team flourish!

At The Team, we live and breath this stuff. So if you need help taking your employer brand to the next level, get in touch.

Let’s work together