Drive productivity through employee value propositions

As talent acquisition managers look for new ways to attract top candidates, creating an employee value proposition is a strategy that that can net huge results. As the workforce demographics changes, the needs, wants and expectations of job seekers continues to evolve as well.

A clearly defined EVP consists of three main pillars: mission, rewards and experience, said Anita Grantham, chief people officer at Pluralsight. In the wake of fast growth and eight acquisitions in recent years, the technology learning platform has put in place an EVP to help drive culture and keep top talent.

“Your culture is what people see and feel when they show up in your space,” Grantham said Wednesday at the Great Place to Work conference in San Francisco, Calif. “It’ll happen whether intentional or not. If you’re in a role to influence culture, I encourage you to do so.”

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An EVP highlights the competitive strengths of a position within your company that separates it from other roles and similar roles offered by your competitors. In other words, the EVP answers the potential employee’s question, “Why should I apply for this job — what’s in it for me?”

A strong EVP can be important for two reasons. First, when presented correctly, an EVP offers a comprehensive look into each position, making sure the role is attractive to top talent and allowing the candidate to discover whether or not they are going to be a good fit.

Second, creating a strong EVP can enhance and elevate your entire employment brand making you a more desirable landing point for top candidates. The fact that you have a clear vision is something that the better candidates will find attractive.

For example, Grantham said, when it comes to compensation rewards, Pluralsight doesn’t negotiate bonuses or pay. There are ranges based on three members in a team — high, medium and low — and as the market moves, these ranges move.

We strive to be consistent, objective and fair, she added. All our team members know they can count on a range, and when sitting next to a peer, know that person isn’t making $50,000 more for doing the same job.

“When you take away the noise, people can focus on the work they do,” she said.

It’s also important when strategizing and creating these EVPs that the HR and benefit leaders work directly with the CEO and senior leadership.

What’s the founder’s endgame? A company’s mission needs to reflect that, she says, and come at this question from a place without any judgement.

“I won’t build people programs without knowing the endgame of a founder,” Grantham said. “If you try to build people programs that aren’t aligned with your founder, it’ll be a problem for you.”

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Employee relations Employee engagement Employee retention Employee communications Workforce management
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