The world of work has been turned on its head several times over in the last few years. The roles of HR and recruitment teams have been especially challenging as they’ve worked to navigate the complex nature of the pandemic and other changes taking place across the globe. While the basic principles of your EVP won’t have shifted miles from where it was, there will be new considerations and an element of realignment that needs to take place.
Whether you are continuing in a similar vein to pre-pandemic strategies and trying to realign your team, or have completely transformed the way you work over the last couple of years, revisiting your EVP is an important step.
Why is an EVP 2.0 so Integral?
Your EVP’s purpose is to align the company’s offering to your employees’ needs, wants and expectations. Employees and companies have seen some unprecedented events take place, but many have thankfully made it out of the other side. This leaves employer brand and recruitment teams with the following challenges:
Your EVP 2.0 Essentials
Take your Purpose Even Further
It’s one thing joining a company because of its values, it’s another taking action to support those values. As people become more personally purpose-driven, it’s important that the brand they work for matches this.
For example, if your brand is known for its green credentials and helping the world become more sustainable, there should be an internal scheme that rewards ‘green’ behaviour. This could be vouchers towards owning a bike to encourage people not to drive to work, an internal recycling scheme or special funding for sustainability projects (with additional holiday allowance to accommodate this). Whatever your purpose, ensure it is reflected in everyday working life as well as your initial promises.
Benefits that go Beyond Just the Individual
Family and personal goals are a key career driver, but often employees spend so much time at work, these goals can be hard to fulfil. Explore benefits that will build a greater emotional bond with your employees. This could be providing private health insurance for immediate family members or a training allowance to help the employee achieve new skills.
Get More Flexible than Ever Before
If working from home mandates have proved anything, it’s that employees can be trusted to work when and where they want/need to. Many companies are taking this one step further and we’ve seen a range of working options including:
- Working from home permanently
- Hybrid working
- Flexible start and finish times
- Early closures in the summertime
- Unlimited holidays (providing that work is completed)
- Extended maternity/paternity leave
- Paid sabbaticals after a specified amount of years
Prioritise Mental Health Support
Great company culture will help instil positive mental attitudes, but that alone isn’t enough to ensure your employees remain happy.
Create a forum that encourages open conversations, this could be through the acquisition of a digital mental health platform that employees can engage with as and when needed, regular mental health workshops, the introduction of wellbeing champions and training for existing managers to effectively support someone who is struggling. There are lots of mental health awareness courses that can be taken, including mental health first-aid.
Ensuring all Bases are Covered
Our hierarchy of needs as humans is different in employment than it is in everyday life. Your EVP will be unique to your brand – hopefully including many of the initiatives mentioned already – but there are four basic boxes that your EVP 2.0 needs to tick. If lacking in one of any four areas, you could see your brand lose good talent to competitors.
Physical Needs
- Health incentives such as gym memberships or on-site classes
- Partner with apps that can support sleep and wellbeing, such as Calm or Headspace
- Provide access to private healthcare or nutrition services
Emotional Needs
- A supportive and open working environment
- Access to therapy tools if needed
- Offer coaching for high-stress positions
- Conduct employee surveys to understand how people are feeling and what improvements could be made
Social Needs
- Regular meet-ups virtually or in-person to ensure teams feel connected
- Embrace diversity
- Encourage cross-department collaboration
- Encourage giving back and volunteering days in line with your brand purpose
Financial Needs
- Offer employees access to financial advisors where possible
- Provide interest-free loans for medium-sized purchases such as annual travel tickets, holidays or cars
- Ensure peace of mind for employees’ families with life assurance
- Conduct regular pay reviews
The Effects of a Strong and Clearly Defined EVP
Your EVP may only be one piece of your employer brand, but it is an integral one. When people get to work for a company and with people who share their values, they will feel a lot more fulfilled and happy at work. And a happy employee is a productive employee. In light of these values, If the employee also feels that their efforts help make a difference on a greater scale, both internally and externally, they are likely to be naturally driven to thrive and grow in their role.
EVP is also more than sharing values with your employees, it’s also about showing that you value each employee and their contribution. While a pat on the back and encouraging words will always be important, you need the tangible things in place too that helps employees feel safe and appreciated even when life throws a curveball at them, or the company as a whole.
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