Employer brand vs employee value proposition
People and Culture

Employer Brand vs Employee Value Proposition (EVP)

Ian Cook

December 5, 2023

time

mins

An employer brand and an employee value proposition (EVP) are two critical elements of a successful recruitment strategy, and indeed, an overall top-down business strategy.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, they have distinct differences. Your Employer Brand refers to the external reputation and image of a company as an employer of choice.

At the same time, your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) serves as the defining statement of how a company identifies as an employer and the mutual offers made by both the employer and the employee. It represents the value employees can expect to receive from the organization and the value they are expected to contribute.

When we look at the value of having marketing leading EVPs, we can also see the benefits. Organizations that effectively deliver on their EVP can decrease annual employee turnover by just under 70% and increase new hire commitment by nearly 30% according to one Gartner study. In Monster’s Future of Work survey, 14% of all recruiters expressed difficulty describing the value of working for the company for which they are hiring. That’s where your EVP can help.

Key Takeaways:

  • Employer branding and EVP are essential for a successful recruitment strategy.
  • The employer brand focuses on the company's external reputation, while the EVP defines the mutual offers between employer and employee.
  • An effective EVP attracts and retains top talent while improving employee engagement and satisfaction.
  • Developing your EVP involves thorough research and alignment with the company's values.
  • Tools like Vouch video make your employer branding simpler, and more effective.

What Is The Role of Employer Branding?

Employer branding plays a crucial role in shaping the external reputation of a company as an employer.

Your Employer Brand involves strategic messaging, marketing efforts, and advertising to establish a positive and appealing image in the minds of prospective candidates, existing employees, and other stakeholders.

Employer Branding is about positioning yourself as an employer of choice for potential employees (and attracting your ideal candidates).

By actively managing and promoting the employer brand, you can attract top talent, increase employee engagement, and enhance your overall reputation in the market.

Aligning the employer brand with the employee value proposition (EVP) is essential for a successful employer branding strategy.

Your Employer Brand Positions You As An Employer of Choice When Hiring

Through employer branding, companies can strategically position themselves as unique and desirable places to work over competitors - showcasing your unique company culture, values, and employee experiences.

Employer Brand Videos are the most powerful method for promoting your Employer Brand on social media like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, career websites, and recruitment campaigns. Companies can build a strong employer brand that resonates with candidates and employees. And, Including a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80% (Source: Unbounce)

Here are 5 Employer Brand video benefits you can start using today to attract more top talent, both active and passive candidates, and help you reduce your cost per hire for future employees.

What Is The Importance of Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)?

Your employee value proposition (EVP) is crucial in attracting and retaining top talent, improving employee engagement, and enhancing the overall employee experience.

It serves as a defining statement that outlines how a company identifies as an employer and the mutual offers made by the employer and the employee. The EVP communicates the value employees can expect to receive from the organization and the value they are expected to contribute.

A strong EVP aligns with the company's brand values and supports the initiatives and direction within the organization.

It goes beyond tangible benefits (like your company mission). It encompasses the intangible factors that make an organization an attractive workplace - like aligning your company values with your ideal employee values.

By articulating the unique value proposition, an EVP helps create a compelling employment offer that resonates with potential candidates.

How Do Your EVPs Help To The Retention Of Top Talent?

Not only does an EVP help attract new top talent and widen your talent pool (like your Employer Brand), but it also plays a vital role in retaining existing employees. When the EVP accurately reflects the culture, values, and opportunities within an organization, it shows employees the expected behaviours and principles, creating a sense of belonging and purpose.

This purpose is key to improving employee satisfaction and commitment, leading to higher levels of productivity and performance.

An effective recruitment strategy is not only about talent acquisition. It's also about talent management and retention.

Developing Your EVP

Developing an effective Employee Value Proposition (EVP) requires a comprehensive approach that starts with thorough research and gaining insights from current employees and key stakeholders within your organization.

By understanding the current employee experience, their expectations, and what they want from your company, you can create an EVP that resonates with your current and future workforce.

Your EVP should be distinctive, aspirational, and realistic, reflecting your brand's positioning in the market.

Your EVP should go beyond tangible benefits and perks to encompass the broader components of a contemporary employment offering. This includes factors such as career development opportunities, work-life balance, company culture, and the values that your organization upholds.

Throughout the EVP development process, applying a brand lens is essential to ensure alignment with your organization's values and initiatives. Consider how your EVP reflects and supports your brand identity and differentiates you from competitors in the market. This will help you craft an EVP that is unique to your organization and appeals to top talent.

Remember, your EVP is a powerful tool for attracting and retaining the right talent. It can serve as a guide for HR practices, recruitment marketing, and employee engagement efforts. By developing a compelling EVP that reflects the essence of your organization, you can position yourself as one of the employers of choice in your industry and foster a positive employee experience.

Bringing the EVP to Life

Now that you have established the foundations of your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) through research and insights, it's time to bring it to life and ensure that it resonates with your employees and potential candidates.

Visual media like Video and effective communication on channels like social media ensure your EVP creates an engaging and authentic employment experience, for both current and potential hires.

Creating an EVP Video is an effective way to bring your EVP to life. These videos serve as a comprehensive guide that showcases your company's culture, values, and the unique benefits and opportunities it offers employees - often by having current employees share their experiences.

By providing this visual, easy-to-digest resource, you can communicate your well-defined EVP in a clear and compelling way, helping candidates understand what sets your organization apart, even if they have found you through a more traditional job board.

Promoting Your EVPs For Recruitment

Another important avenue to articulate your EVP is through social media. Social channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and more (depending on your business type) consistently reinforce your EVP messaging and foster a sense of belonging and purpose among your employees.

Use Employer Brand Videos to share stories and testimonials from current employees who have experienced the value of your business firsthand, showcasing the tangible impact your organization has on their professional growth and development.

By capturing authentic and relatable stories, you can provide a glimpse into your company's culture and showcase the employee experience. These videos help potential candidates envision themselves as part of your organization and can be shared on your website, social media platforms, and during recruitment events.

Key Tactics to Bring your EVP to Life:

  • Create EVP videos to showcase your organization's culture and unique benefits. This is where tools like Vouch help.
  • Share employee stories and testimonials on social media to highlight the impact of your EVP on professional growth. The key to social media is consistency.
  • Develop a video series featuring employees to provide an authentic view of your company's culture.

By effectively bringing your EVP to life through these tactics, you can create a strong employer brand that attracts top talent, fosters employee engagement, and ultimately enhances your organization's overall success.

FAQs

What is the difference between an employer brand and an employee value proposition (EVP)?

The employer brand refers to the external reputation and image of a company as an employer. At the same time, the EVP serves as the defining statement of how a company identifies as an employer and the mutual offers made by the employer and the employee.

Why is it important to showcase your employer branding?

Employer branding is crucial for establishing the positioning of a company not only to existing employees but also to prospective candidates and other stakeholders. It involves messaging, marketing, and advertising efforts to shape the company's external reputation as an employer. You can learn more about Employer Branding here.

What is the role of an employee value proposition (EVP)?

The employee value proposition (EVP) is a defining statement that outlines how a company identifies as an employer and communicates the value employees can expect to receive from the organization and the value they are expected to contribute. It helps attract and retain top talent, improves employee engagement and satisfaction, and enhances the overall employee experience.

How can you bring the EVP to life?

Bringing the EVP to life can be done through various tactics, including creating employee onboarding videos, updating the careers page on your website, using social media communications, and creating a video series featuring employees to provide an authentic view of the organization's culture and employee experience.

How can you measure the effectiveness of the EVP strategy?

The effectiveness of the EVP strategy can be measured through metrics such as reduced attrition rates, increased internal opportunities, and improved employee engagement scores.

Why is it essential to align the EVP with the employer brand?

Aligning the EVP with the employer brand is essential for delivering on employment promises and creating an authentic employee experience. It ensures consistency in messaging and helps build a vibrant and compelling work culture.

What are the benefits of a strong employer brand and EVP?

A strong employer brand and EVP can attract and retain top talent, improve employee engagement and satisfaction, and enhance the overall employee experience. It helps establish a positive reputation as an employer and builds a compelling work culture.

Conclusion

With your Employer Branding and Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) aligned, you have the foundation for building a robust recruitment strategy and becoming an employer of choice in your industry.

Just remember, your employer brand and EVP go hand in hand. Your employer brand shapes how your company is perceived, and your EVP communicates the value employees can expect to receive. Together, they create a powerful recruitment strategy that sets your company apart from the competition and makes a positive employee experience from day one.

Also, try tools like Vouch video that make building your Employer brand and EVP remarkably easy, helping you create video content that captures authentic employer reviews and employee experiences.

Like to try Vouch?

Loved by companies like Canva, Nike, Cisco, Stryker, HubSpot, Amazon and more, tools like Vouch make leveraging video in your business remarkably easy.

Be sure to book a Vouch demo today and chat with a video content expert.

Ian Cook

Ian Cook

Creative Lead

Lights. Camera. Traction

Cut through the noise with video.