What is an Employer Value Proposition

An employer value proposition or an EVP can be the missing piece to the puzzle when it comes to corporate culture, employee retention, and recruitment. Often many companies have an EVP but have never actually stopped to officially acknowledge it or put it into words. 

So, let’s start with defining what an employer value proposition is. An EVP is what your company offers or promises to their employees and potential hires—basically what’s in it for the candidate? It’s part of the employer brand and basically gives candidates the reason why they want to work at your company. 

HR should lead the charge when it comes to creating your company’s EVP, but everyone from executives to regular employees should weigh in on how to form this statement. The EVP should be aligned with the overall company strategy, vision, and working philosophy. This statement should be both realistic and attractive to potential employees and not include buzzwords, that can lack substance. 

Here are some questions to ask in order to create your company’s EVP:

1. Who do you want to hire?

2. What can your company offer?

3. What is top talent seeking?

4. What is the employee experience like, starting on day one?

A balance of all four of these things will help you write a great EVP. It’s the perfect balance between who your company wants to hire, what top talent is seeking, and what they’ll receive. So, include the benefits, financial rewards, development opportunities, and additional perks, along with the company’s values and vision. 

Additionally, when it comes to your audience, your EVP should be able to pivot. No, it doesn’t completely transform based on who you’re talking to but it can change slightly based on the roles it’s being used to recruit. For instance, there may be a slightly modified EVP for a software developer versus a salesperson—regardless of who the EVP is targeting, it should be a convincing statement or argument to encourage a potential candidate to apply to your organization. An EVP should make employees proud to work at your company, candidates excited to possibly work there, and help build your employer brand.