Top employees have more options than ever for determining whether an employer is a good “fit” for them. The Internet provides a wealth of information, both from the organization itself and from other sources.
Consequently, the best employees are taking seriously the project of finding an employer whose offerings match their career plans. When companies focus on offering a positive employee value proposition, they improve their chances of attracting the top talent they need.
What is an Employee Value Proposition?
Put simply, an Employee Value Proposition includes all the “value” you offer to employees. Elements of most companies’ employee value propositions include:
- Compensation, including salary, benefits, and paid time off
- “Non-traditional” benefits like flex time, telecommuting, professional memberships, or well-appointed workspaces
- Special employee programs, like training or continuing education
- Intangible benefits, like an engaging company culture, challenging work, and the chance to achieve personally meaningful results
Companies with high EVPs are the sort of workplaces employees boast about working in. Employees enjoying a high EVP love what they do and where they work, and they aren’t afraid to tell other promising candidates about their success.
Improving Your Organization’s Employee Value Proposition
How can you improve your organization’s EVP to attract top talent? Consider the following tips:
- Assess your company’s strengths. Evaluate what elements of your company culture are already highly valued by your top employees. Chances are, the things your employees love most about their workplace are the same things that top candidates will prize. Likewise, ask employees what they would change if they could, and how. Use this research to evaluate your company’s current EVP.
- Align your strengths with your recruiting needs. Different professionals seek different values from their employers. For instance, if you are hiring legal support staff, offering them the right tools for success and sufficient support and feedback is key.
- Build a marketable EVP. Once you know your organization’s strengths, create a communication plan that makes the key parts of your EVP accessible for job seekers. You may choose to focus on certain keywords or phrases, or to incorporate quotes from current employees. More than ever, employees are leaving jobs due to a mismatch in values or cultural fit. By clearly communicating your EVP to current staff and candidates, it will help ensure a better fit long-term.
- Spread the word. Share your final EVP broadly in order to raise awareness of your “brand” among top candidates. Your staffing partner can help you reach out to established professionals and “rising stars” to find the people you need.
- Leverage your EVP in recruiting. Your EVP can be an integral element of your recruiting efforts. Share your proposition and company values with your recruiting firm so they care share this when attracting top talent. They have in-depth market knowledge about your competition and will be able to leverage your EPV in standing out from the crowd.
At Kent Legal, our experienced recruiters help legal employers in Ontario connect with and secure the top legal support staff they need. To learn more, contact us today!